Eco-Challenge: Pond Maintenance

But while these magical elements appease clients’ senses and add to a pond’s allure, they also play vital roles in pond survival. Poorly filtered water, lack of aquatic plants, poor summer algae control and the onslaught of fish diseases can throw a pond ecosystem off balance.

To deliver continuous charm, ponds must be maintained correctly. But since pond care pits the forces of Mother Nature against landscape contractors’ skills, lack of knowledge can be detrimental.

In addition to continuous education, contractors must have the ability to solve problems with minimal tools because unnatural, fast fixes, such as copper-containing algaecides and chlorine-based clearing products, aren’t particularly pond-friendly, explained Scott Eddy, president, R-man Productions, Denver, Colo. "Copper contaminates fish’s liver and kidneys, and causes slow, early death," he said. "And that chlorine smell eliminates a pond’s natural feel."

When one piece of the delicate pond puzzle is missing or damaged, the entire system can be destroyed, proving that pond maintenance is a landscape contractor’s ultimate eco-challenge.

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION. Ponds can stay clean and balanced for a long time, especially if all of the right elements and control systems are in place.

Once established, a water feature becomes "self-perpetuating," added Mark Carter, general manager and head designer, Carter’s Landscape, Jackson, Tenn., asserting a common adage: "An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

But despite their self-cleaning nature, ponds are sensitive and need preventive upkeep. Some clients easily learn how to remove leaf litter from ponds in a timely manner, feed fish properly and watch for problems. Others, however, prefer to let professionals handle their pond care.

Due to clients’ varying degrees of interest in water features, scheduling consultations to determine maintenance needs is a good idea, Eddy said. This way contractors can become an educational source for clients while promoting pond care services.

POND PARTICULARS. Spring start-up or clean-up on ponds should be done once temperatures exceed 55 degrees, which is when beneficial bacteria begins to grow, Samis said. Clean-ups typically include removing fish; draining ponds; pressure-washing rocks and rinsing out ponds; pumping out sludge and debris; cleaning mechanical and biological filters, including filter grids, rocks and skimmers; trimming and fertilizing plants; filling the pond with clean water, removing chlorine; adding bacteria and enzymes, and restoring fish (See Pond Paraphernalia above).

Fish need special care so they aren’t shocked during spring clean-up, Bell stressed. "We fill buckets with existing pond water and put the fish in them," he explained. "After we refill the pond with clean water, remove chlorine and add bacteria or enzymes, we check the water temperature. If there’s a difference in water temperature between the bucket and the new pond, we’ll set the buckets in the pond before adding the fish."

As summer nears and weather warms up, recording clients’ pond temperatures can help contractors predict excess algae or other future pond changes, Eddy pointed out. "For example, if a client’s pond is fine for two years and then the third year we see more algae early in the season, we can look at the temperature record, figure out the reason and then handle the problem," he said. "Algae will be more or less of a problem based on higher or lower temperatures."

Algae also can be trouble if enough lilies aren’t shading pond depths from the sun, which feeds algae growth. According to Eddy, 40 to 50 percent of the pond should be covered with aquatic plants to prevent thick, pea-soup-like algae.

Of course, adding aquatic plants to a pond creates additional challenges. They need to be planted at the proper depth and in an area where they receive appropriate sun exposure. "Most of the plant problems we see – particularly lilies that aren’t flourishing – stem from lilies being planted too deep in the water or not deep enough," Bell remarked (For information on plant depths, see Deep Impact above).

During regular check-ups, contractors should make sure insects aren’t laying eggs on plant leaves and fish aren’t eating lilies, Eddy added. These issues, along with yellow leaves, signal plant problems. Fertilizing plants monthly, especially during warm, summer months, can help prevent and/or cure plant decline, Carter advised.

"Water lilies and lotus are heavy feeders and they bloom a lot in the summer," Carter said, pointing out that removing yellow and brown leaves and spent flower blooms also can benefit plants during the growing season. "Fertilization during this time helps maintain their health and continue nice blooms throughout the season."

FALL INTO WINTER. Pond maintenance continues through fall because of the excessive amount of accumulating leaf litter.

Other weather changes throughout the year also can intensify maintenance needs. Excess debris can throw off an ecosystem’s balanced state. For instance, after a heavy storm when raindrops wash off turfgrass blades and drip down maple leaves, runoff may become an issue. Products, such as fertilizers and pesticides that are acceptable for landscapes, can impact ponds.

Runoff can rarely be avoided, unless ponds are located at a higher spot on the landscape or further away from nearby trees, Eddy said, which is why contractors should plan additional maintenance and be available for client calls after weather changes.

As temperatures cool and landscapes hibernate, most contractors avoid shutting down ponds. "Freeze-and-thaw cycles can happen 60 to 120 times each winter, which can break down cement ponds more quickly than if they are left running," Eddy commented. "Ice can be OK for ponds because it acts as an insulation blanket."

Carter agreed, recommending contractors encourage clients who aren’t winterizing their ponds to purchase a floating heater with an automatic shut-off device that costs less than $100. This opens a small hole in the ice to let in needed oxygen and to release gases that, if trapped in the pond, could harm fish, Carter explained.

In mild winters, even a small pump moving water around can work, he added, but in severe winters, with excess freezing and thawing, contractors should remove, clean and store pumps in a weather-proof place.

In some areas, like California, winter shutdown is less complicated, except for the removal of certain tropical lilies that won’t survive in low temperatures. "To do that, we remove any soil from the tuber, wrap the plant in newspaper and put it in clients’ garages until spring," Samis said.

FISH FACTS. Eddy describes fish maintenance as an art form, observation being the key. "It becomes something you learn more about over time as you diagnose and solve problems," he said. "Clamped fins, redness at the point where fins connect to the body and unusual or infrequent movement and sluggishness are common signs of sick fish."

Spring and summer are the worst time for fish diseases and problems, most of them due to stress from excess algae build-up or improper feeding, Carter said, recommending contractors visit www.koivet.com to learn specifics about fish diseases and optional cures.

Fortunately, fish excrete a natural disease-fighting enzyme, so they generally fend off minor troubles themselves, Eddy pointed out. Severe problems only transpire when fish are stressed and unable to release enough of this protective enzyme.

Contractors should invest in "a koi net vs. the $1 net you buy at the grocery store for fish examination," Carter advised. "The wrong net can damage fish fins and gills."