Top 8 Fall Maintenance Tips for Your Pool or Pond

The leaves begin to change color, and the temperature starts dropping; it’s time to prepare for winter. 

Here are the top 8 fall maintenance tips to ensure your investment is protected for healthy and beautiful water features for years to come.

1. Clean Up Debris

Trash clearing: Clear fallen leaves and twigs together with other debris on the water top.

Bottom vacuuming: You should clean the underside of your pond using pond vacuum to remove sediment.

Filter cleaning: Flush dirt that collects in your filter. If your water is messy then it means you failed your filtering process.

2. Prune water plants

Cut-out excessive growth: Cut these kinds of plants where they overcrowd or die.

Collected dead leaves: Gouge out dead or decay leaves from plant matter.

Prepare Your House for Winter: Bring in all your tropical plants or move them to a heated greenhouse.

3. Keep Your Pond Equipment –Inspect your pump and filter for damage or wear.

Clean Impellers and Impellers: Check impellers and impellers to clean them and function at top efficiency.

Apply Lubrication to All Moving Parts: Lubricate all moving parts including bearings and seals.

4. Preparing Your Fish for Winter

Feed Less: Feed your fishes less during the time the water temperature is going down.

Observe Water Temperature: Observe the water temperature and be ready to help your fishes in case the water temperature becomes too cold.

Pond Heater: For colder places, install a pond heater for maintaining a suitable water temperature.

5. Change Water Levels

Observe Water Level: During this cold weather, sometimes the rate of evaporation may increase the water level.

Add on Top of Water Level: Add water to your pond only when needed to make up the proper water level in a pond. Over filling Filling up your pond, the excess water tends to spill over the sides creating this kind of damage

Add Beneficial Bacteria: Beneficial bacteria digest organics improving water quality beneficial bacteria can be used as means of algae control.

Add to Your Pond: Introduce beneficial bacteria in a pond according to the directions on the package or those given by the manufacturer.

7. Pond Cover or Netting

Debris Prevention: A cover over a pond or a mesh netting will ensure fewer leaves and other debris to fall into your pond.
Protect Water Quality: Less evaporation and reduced direct sun exposure will protect the quality of water in your pond due to a cover.

Insulate Your Pond: A pond cover will help insulate your pond and prevent it from freezing solid.

<h3>8. Winterizing Preparations

Drain Equipment: If you reside in a particularly harsh-winter area, drain your pond equipment so that it does not freeze up.

Store Equipment Indoors: Store your pump, filter, and other equipment in a warm, dry location.

Protect Your Pond: Apply some sort of pool heater or insulation to the sides of your pond if it freezes.

If you apply these fall maintenance tips, your pool or pond should be ready for the oncoming winter season. And with good care, your water feature will be sitting pretty when spring finally rolls around.