Opening Your Pond

Spring is almost here which means it is time to start thinking about reopening your pond. After a nice long winter there are plenty of things that you should pay attention to and respond too early for a healthy pond all season long.  It is best to reopen your pond before water temperatures increase above 55°F (13°C). This will insure a head start on combating warm weather’s potential problems. When thinking about reopening a pond, there are 3 main items to consider: your pump and equipment, water treatments, and proactive care. 

Pump and Equipment

Your pump has been stored inside all winter in a bucket of water and some of your equipment was also moved indoors. When reopening your pond, gather all the equipment brought indoors and reconnect to your tubing. This is a good time to open up each item to see if any maintenance is required, and to check for any leaks. Some items may just need to be wiped down. If you need help on how to perform maintenance on your pumps or other equipment, check out our maintenance videos here. This is also the best time to replace any filter pads and UV bulbs in your filters before they're installed for the season. Now that your pond equipment is reassembled, it is time to think about your water treatments.

Water Treatments

Water treatments can give a great boost to your pond’s health early in the season to start your pond off right. We recommend testing your water to see if there are any imbalances in your water levels. This will help you determine if there are any specific water treatments to use. In general, use a Sludge Remover if you notice a small buildup at the base of your pond. If it’s a pretty large build up, you will want to use a pond vacuum. If your water levels are low, make sure to add Chlorine Remover to any new water being added to your pond. If you have fish, you will want to apply this to the new water and allow to mix for a few hours before adding into the pond. Now that your pond is reassembled and water levels are up, it is a good idea to consider some proactive ways to maintain the health of your pond.

Proactive Care

Keeping your pond healthy and balanced all season long can take a few extra steps after your pond is reopened. As you are working on your lawn this spring, be careful about adding fertilizers near your pond and try to keep lawn clippings out of your pond to avoid unwanted nutrient loads in your water. Certain water treatments such as Barley Pond Clarifier are a great addition to a maintenance routine. Think about creating a pond maintenance log to keep track of everything in one place. We have created a downloadable guide that takes the confusion out of the maintenance process. Once you have a plan in place, you will find that maintaining a pond can be very simple, and it will create more time for you to relax and enjoy your beautiful oasis.   

Your pond will be beautiful and healthy all spring long will just a few steps to get you started. For more information on spring setup browse our FAQs.