|
As a new pond owner, I keep being asked if I have a pond maintenance service. Is pond maintenance something I should consider hiring out or is it something I can do on my own? What is involved? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!
How demanding the maintenance will be on your pond depends
on its design and just what you mean by "maintenence".
"Running maintenance" is the stuff you do on a daily basis
to keep the pond looking good and running good. Cleaning out
the skimmer basket,water changes, cleaning the filter mats
or backflushing the filters should be your job, along with
landscape maintenance, water testing and fish health.
"Periodic maintenance" is the stuff that needs to be done
every week or two. Cleaning out the filter to reduce channelling,
clearing out hair algae and the like is also your job.
"Major maintenance" would include leak detection and repair,
major design and equipment upgrades and disaster management.
Seasonal pond cleaning is what most "pond maintenance" outfits
are talking about when they talk about contracts. If you have
a bare-liner pond with a bottom drain, fall cleanout is simple
and relatively easy, since these designs are largely self-cleaning.
Ponds with rocks and gravel on the bottom look nice, but accumulate
sludge and mulm down between the pebbles, and are a pain to
clean in the fall. Fall cleanout is essential, since you *do
not* want that organic crud down on the bottom of the pond
generating hydrogen sulfide gas during the winter and serving
as a breeding ground for parasites in the spring. If you got
rocks, you'll probably need a contractor to do the cleanout
for you, unless you really like lifting rock.
(Answer courtesy Bob Passovoy)
|
