The 411 on Ponds in Fall
Fall is undoubtedly a great time to enjoy your pond. With mild temperatures and the beautiful colors with the leaves changing, being outdoors during this season is a high priority for so many. Being out by the pond adds an extra excitement to your pond. It is a great time to enjoy all of your hard work this spring and summer through the maintenance and any additions you have made. Plus, all of those beautifully colored trees makes for some awesome reflections on the surface of the water. Here are our tips to make sure you are making the most out of your pond this fall.
Leaves
This is the biggest concern you will need to have as a pond owner in fall. Make sure all of those falling leaves don’t make their way into the bottom of your pond. Once they sink to the bottom of your pond the decaying process starts to affect your water quality and the cleanliness of your pond. This will create a sludge like layer and will release toxins into the water. This is particularly important to avoid for ponds with fish, plants, and wildlife. pond boss has the tools to help you avoid this problem. If you have a skimmer installed, make sure to check the basket regularly for leaves for optimal performance. You can also use a Fish Net or pond vacuum to remove leaves from a pond. Don’t worry if one or two leaves miss your grasps, use a beneficial bacteria based water treatment to reduce the organic load of the leaves or if you notice a layer of sludge, treat with the Sludge Remover.
Temperature Changes
As temperatures begin to drop, pond fish will naturally adapt to the changing temperatures. They will start to become less active as temperatures cool. It is important to maintain a feeding schedule that matches that activity of your fish. In fall once the water temperature declines to 60 °F, you will want to begin to decrease feedings to every other day or smaller amounts each day. This reduction in food given will reduce uneaten food in the water which is helpful for reducing the sludge layer. The reduction in food given also helps your fishes’ health as they aren’t able to burn through the nutrient load during these cooler months with lower activity.
Maintenance
Aside from maintaining a pond that is clear of leaves fall is a simple month in terms of seasonal maintenance. It is a great opportunity to work ahead to prepare for closing the pond in winter. Consider trimming back aquatic plants and completing a partial water change to make sure your water levels are well balanced before temperatures drop to the freezing levels.
Once you have a fall routine down, you will be able to kick back and enjoy your favorite parts of this season. For more information about fall pond maintenance, browse the the blog archive or visit the FAQ page.