Professional Pond & Water Feature Cleaning

What Pond and Water Feature Cleaning Includes

Part of having a healthy pond is having it cleaned when necessary. The frequency of cleanings depends on the size of the pond, number of fish, filtration system, amount of debris, and other factors. Generally you can tell if your pond needs a cleaning simply by looking at it. If you have a buildup of debris or your water clarity is becoming a problem, it's probably time for a cleaning.

Why You Need Pond Cleaning Services

Ponds must be periodically cleaned in order to maintain water quality. When ponds aren't cleaned regularly or properly, the fish can become diseased, your water clarity and quality will degrade, and algae will thrive, robbing your plants of nutrients. Depending on the filtration system and design of the pond, it may need cleanings more or less frequently. Dedicated koi ponds are designed and filtered to rarely need cleanings, while a water garden with too many fish may need cleanings twice a year! We will work with you to determine how frequently you need a cleaning, and if possible how to reduce how often you need one.

Many pond owners schedule a thorough cleaning as part of a spring pond opening or fall preparation, when seasonal debris and temperature swings put the most stress on water quality.

Pond and water feature cleaning is not an easy task, which you can see by reading our cleaning procedure below. This is why we offer our services. Our cleanings are professional, thorough, and will leave your pond looking brand new. Your fish will thank you when they're returned to a crystal clear pond!

Our Step-by-Step Pond Cleaning Procedure

Every Fitz's Fish Ponds cleaning follows the same fish-safe procedure from draining to acclimating your fish back into the pond.

1. Pump pond water into holding tank(s) depending on if there are fish, and how many. The tanks will be aerated and closely monitored throughout cleaning.
2. Drain pond water to a low level so fish can be easily caught, causing them minimal stress.
3. Using a net/koi sock/fish bags, carefully transfer fish from the pond to the aerated holding tank(s). This will keep them safe during the cleaning.
4. Cover holding tanks tightly with netting to prevent fish from jumping out.
5. Backwash/rinse any pressurized filters with existing pond water to preserve beneficial bacteria. Muck from filter systems and dirty ponds can make a great fertilizer for your garden and other plants.
6. Drain rest of water from pond, to prepare for power washing.
7. While pond is empty trim back any overgrown plants, also trim back browning plants to encourage new growth.
8. Remove any large debris from the pond by hand, or with a net (leaves, sticks, excessive algae).
9. Power-wash pond, making sure to remove all stains/buildup on the rocks. Rinse pond down with a hose. Repeat this step multiple times if necessary.
10. While power-washing/rinsing use a trash pump and/or pond vacuum to remove sludge and other debris collecting at the lowest point of the pond.
11. Remove filter pads and any other biological media from waterfall filter, or any other open, non-pressurized filters you may have. Use hose to rinse sludge and debris down into your skimmer, or use a pond vacuum to remove debris directly.
12. Rinse or power-wash filter pads and media depending on how much sludge has built up. It is important not to remove too much bacteria from the pond/filters. This can destroy your ponds ecosystem and result in poor, even dangerous water conditions.
13. Pump water out of skimmer and clean out any debris that has collected.
14. Make sure any rocks, plants, lights, air lines, etc. that may have been moved during the cleaning are replaced.
15. Begin the refilling process with a combination of water from the holding tank(s) and fresh water. If the customer would like, use a water-meter to determine the volume of the pond.
16. Add de-chlorinator/stress coat to the water. This is especially important if using city water as it usually contains chlorine/chloramine, which is extremely toxic to aquatic life.
17. Acclimate fish to the new water, most importantly the difference in temperature. This can be done by gradually adding new water into their holding tanks (using dechlorinator), or by transferring them into smaller buckets/bags and letting them float in the pond water for about 15 minutes. Stress coat and pond salt can help with the acclimation process.
18. Add beneficial bacteria and any other treatments that may be necessary to ensure the best possible conditions for the pond and fish.
19. Clean up the area, and watch the fish happily swim in their clean pond!

Why Choose Fitz's Fish Ponds for Pond Cleaning?

Fitz's Fish Ponds specializes in the design and maintenance of waterfalls, ponds, and more. We realize that no two ponds are exactly alike, and as a consequence, our team is creative when it comes to problem solving involving pond cleaning, maintenance, and construction. We consult with each client carefully to understand their needs and concerns before implementing solutions. Our greatest strength is our creativity and dedication to both our craft and quality customer service. Whether you need us to clean a small or large pond, Fitz's Fish Ponds will ensure that the job gets done with a high level of efficiency, organization, and care. Contact us today and learn what we can do for you when it comes to pond cleaning!