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Fall Pond Maintenance Complete Aeration Kits

Fall Pond Maintenance

The winter cold can be quite harsh on ponds and outdoor water features. Failure to take certain steps could potentially destroy expensive equipment and be harmful to the health of your pond and aquatic wildlife. It is important to act early to winterproof water features, before the first big chill. That is why fall is the ideal time for ‘winter prep’. Disconnect any pumps and filters. It is important to drain them of any water because if the water freezes, it can cause the equipment to crack.

If your pond contains a skimmer, the water level should be lowered (lowering the water level is not otherwise necessary). Skimmers and waterfalls can remain in place, but they should be drained for the same reason as the pumps and filters; ice can cause serious damage to the equipment.

Fall is the time to thoroughly clean pumps, filters and media. Excess organic debris, such as leaves, should be removed from your pond as to avoid negative effects on your pond’s oxygen levels. The breakdown of debris over winter produces toxic gasses. If the pond is frozen, the ice will prevent the gas from escaping. The result is toxic water which can lead to other negative effects.

Fortunately, aerators and deicers maintain openings in frozen features to let the gasses escape. Another method for preventing toxicity is to use a pond vacuum such as the CleanSweep. Pond vacuums are engineered to handle sludge and organic debris. Removal of built-up debris during the fall will greatly benefit your pond when Winter comes around. Pond netting is another option that can help prevent the build-up of organic debris.

In terms of landscaping, plants could be pruned to prevent further debris. This will make for tidier storage of plants. If there are koi in your pond, we suggest reading this winter pond blog post. For any other maintenance questions, feel free to check out some of our other articles or contact our support team.