Home improvement

5 Tips for Maintaining Your Pond

2 Mins read

Are you thinking about installing a pond on your acreage? A pond can add value to your property, but you will have to maintain it so that it becomes an asset rather than a liability. Here are some tips for maintaining your pond.

1. Install an Aerator

Your water needs a certain level of oxygen so that it remains clear and your fish can breathe, so install an aerator by contacting a lake aeration specialist. When your water lacks sufficient oxygen, anaerobic bacteria can grow, and then your water clouds up and develops an unpleasant smell. Your fish will die and float to the surface, making your property more like a nightmare than idyllic, so make sure your water is oxygenated.

2. Maintain the Number of Fish in Your Pond

Fish tend to multiply, but if you get too many fish in your pond, they’ll produce way more waste than your pond can handle, and that excess fertilizer turns into algae. A little alga isn’t a problem. Zooplankton like eating algae, and fish like eating zooplankton, but if your pond develops too many algae, your water will turn green, and all that algae will consume the oxygen in your pond’s water, meaning your fish will have trouble breathing.

Maintain the number of fish in your pond by going fishing on a regular basis. Stock your pond with bass or perch for an extra source of self-reliant food.

3. Clean the Debris From Your Pond

If you let too much debris gather in your pond, it turns into brown goo that produces hydrogen sulfate and will encourage the growth of anaerobic bacteria. That bacteria makes your pond water unclear and stinky, so clean the debris from your water on a regular basis using a pond rake or a pool skimmer.

4. Add Water Lillies to Your Pond

Water lilies make your pond beautiful, but they are beneficial in other ways as well. They protect your pond water from sunlight, meaning that fewer algae will grow. They provide shelter for your fish and help keep the water cool.

Water lilies are also good for taking metals out of the water. They can be used for herbal medicine. Don’t let them take over your pond, however, or they’ll deplete oxygen from the water, and that causes problems for your fish. Trim back your lilies from time to time using pond clippers.

Maintaining your pond will ensure your water stays clear and you can enjoy your pond for years to come.