Springtime Pond Start-up Procedures

[jlreed59]

Greetings from Colorado - Last spring we put in an awesome 1,500 gallon pond with a waterfall, goldfish, plants and a great filtration system. We really enjoyed hanging out by the pond last year and really had no major problems (except when I put in too much pond dye - another story for another time)!

Our winterizing routine involved removing the TetraPond Bio-Active Pressure Filter, covering up the waterfall and vacuuming out the leaves. We also left a small pump running with a riser just below the surface of the waterline to keep an area ice free during cold snaps! Right now the fish look great and the water is crystal clear - I am ready to start everything back up for the season.

Here is my question: What steps do you take when starting your pond back up for the season?

I know many people don't shut down their ponds seasonally and I'm not looking for a debate on whether or not to shut down your pond is a good idea. I just want to start a conversation about restarting your pond in the season.

Thanks!

 

[sissy]

I have a self built filter and all I do is add plants to them and quilt batting soaked in peroxide and water in a basket to catch the fine stuff and net the bottom with my pool net .Check my pump and done .I don't like pressure filters they really don't work as well as they say .I have 2 of them setting in my basement now unused .yikes my neighbor used that pond dye and since she worked and something happened to her submerged pump guess who looked like a smurf for over a week .She puts it in again I will push her in myself I told her .She thought blue water would look pretty instead it made it hard for her to see the fish .

 

[JoaniePA]

I just put new batting in the pump filter - haven't touched the media in the bio-filter in four years. Then I turn on the falls and add microbe-lift PL per instructions on jar. Probably don't even need to do that, but it doesn't hurt anything and might get the good bacteria going faster. After that, it's just regular gardening. Fertilizer sticks in the lilies and lotus pots, divide if needed, Add floating plants like water lettuce, and I'm done! BTW - the pond ALWAYS looks crystal clear in the early spring. Don't expect it to stay that way.. mine starts building string algae as soon as it warms up a bit, but it seems to only be a problem for a few weeks. I don't treat, just pull it out every couple of days. If it gets too cloudy I add a little powdered barley grass. All the suspended algae seems to go away once the natural bio cycles take over. Algae on the bottom and on the rocks on the plant shelf stay.. my trap doors seem to enjoy it! (At least those that the raccoons didn't snack on this winter.)

 

[pecan]

I net out the gunk at the bottom of the pond (do the same thing in the fall before shutting it down), divide and re-plant pond plants, drained the skippies (but did not clean the media) and start her up. This year I waited to add the good bacteria to the skippy filters for water temps to rise and now I don't think I need to.

My pumps stayed sunk in the water all winter covered by net laundry bags filled with lava rock. I did not clean the lava rock prior to starting the pond back up.

BTW, I would love to keep my pond running in the winter instead of just the air stones but I am afraid of something going wrong and me being forced to freeze my butt off trying to fix it. LOL