Sanco has been helping pond owners with DIY pond care since 1991. Pond care can seem like an intimidating and overwhelming task to any pond owner. We have found that an important step to successful DIY pond care is managing expectations. Here are some tips about what to expect with newer and older ponds.
What should you expect when treating a new pond? You want to get the upper hand on problems before they become problems. Using preventative pond treatments like pond dye and pond bacteria (See Part 3: Preventative Pond Care) and targeting problem areas will head off problems before they become problems. Try to keep lawn fertilizers from getting into the pond. This will reduce the nutrient load in the pond. Establish firm control on the shoreline brush and vegetation. Begin controlling the shoreline early, or you will have large trees and dense cattails to deal with as the pond ages. Begin a 14 to 18 day evaluation/treatment schedule from spring to fall. This will get you in the habit of treating your pond in an effective pattern. Remember, expect your pond to need some care and be sure to develop good treatment protocols while it is still new!
With older ponds, you need to accept that it took several years to achieve this masterpiece of heavy brush and cattails around the pond as well as the lovely heavy mats of algae and weeds that presently cover the surface of the pond. Do not expect that this will be a fast, easy fix! You should begin to strategize how you will now reign in this very large and obnoxious problem (See Part 4 Curative Pond Care). You should choose what is the primary place to start; namely, do you want to clear up the water or the shoreline? Once you have chosen a priority, then you can begin to gain control of that area through aggressive mechanical means (chainsaws, rakes, back hoe, etc.) followed by aggressive chemical treatments. One thing you will need to be aware of: you will need to be a little less aggressive in treating the algae and weeds in the water due to the presence of fish. Remember, be patient when trying to return a mature pond to an aesthetically pleasing body of water!
Ponds are natural bodies of water that will and should have growth and life when they are healthy. Ponds are not swimming pools! Ponds have everything needed to support growth: light, water, and nutrients. A pond with some plant life is a healthy body of water. Plant life should be managed not eradicated.
For more information on DIY Pond Care check out the other posts related to this series below or feel free to contact us.
Part 2: Pond Care…I Like a Natural Pond
Part 5: Pond Care Expectations (Current Post)