How to Clean Your Backyard Pond or Water Feature

Cleaning a pond or water feature is crucial for health, aesthetics, and function. It removes harmful debris, algae, and parasites, which prevents oxygen depletion, disease for fish, clogged pumps, and nutrient buildup. This ensures a balanced ecosystem and clear, beautiful water for plants, wildlife, and enjoyment. Neglect leads to murky water, sick inhabitants, and costly equipment failure, making regular cleaning essential for a vibrant feature.

Cleaning a water feature should occur every spring once the ice has fully melted and the ground has thawed. Below is our checklist to clean and prepare your water feature for the upcoming season.

Spring Water Feature Cleanout & Start Up Process:

1. Pump out existing water: we use a 2” discharge pump with vinyl hose to remove the water.

2. Manually remove and bag leaf debris: we will typically place two 5-gallon pails of debris in a thick garbage bag to be transported to the compost site. Otherwise, the debris is fantastic for compost.

3. Rinse entire water feature while pump discharges bad water: a garden hose with a spray nozzle is then used to rinse the entire water feature from the top down. During the rinsing process the discharge pump is placed in the lowest point of the water feature and is pumping out the dirty water and organic sludge.

4. Power wash boulders and rocks: it’s important to wear safety goggles or a face shield to protect your eyes and face. Wearing rain pants and a rain jacket is also a must.

5. Rinse entire water feature a second time while pump discharges bad water: the algae that was blasted off the boulders with the power washer now needs to be rinsed to the bottom of the water feature (pond) and pumped out.

6. Clean skimmer box, skimmer box filters/net/basket and clean headwaters: a small 1/3 horsepower pump connected to a garden hose works wonders.

7. Remove and discard dead animals: unfortunately the removal of dead fish, mice, voles, moles rats, squirrels, possums, frogs, turtles and so forth are part of the process.

8. Test pump to make sure it discharges water properly: prior to installing the pump(s) to the hoses they should be tested in a 5-gallon pail of water to ensure they are in proper working order.

9. Assemble pump back onto hose in skimmer or pump vault: most pumps are attached to a hose with a threaded collar or rubber coupler with hose clamps.

10. Fill up water feature with new water: water features are filled using a garden hose and if the pond is large a healthy dose of patience.

11. Add dechlorinator and start up bacteria to new water: if the pond will contain fish, which are removed and placed in a stock tank during the cleanout, and the house is supplied by city water, dechlorinator will need to be added to make the water safe for fish. Adding beneficial bacteria to the water feature is essential to create balance ecosystem.

12. Visually inspect water feature when running: once the pond is cleaned and running it’s important to visually inspect the water feature. Keep an eye out for water existing the system and for any potential repairs.

Pumping out existing water

Manually removing debris

Power washing rocks

We found a turtle while cleaning

Want to sit back and relax while the professionals clean out your pond to prepare for the spring? Sign up for our Spring Pond Cleanouts to get to relaxing.

So, what is a Pond Consultation?

“Learning is the only thing the mind never exhaust, never fears, and never regret”

— Leonardo Da Vinci

Leo as his friends would call him is regarded as quite the Renaissance Man, of course he was born during The Renaissance so it’s not surprising.  Kidding aside, what does Leonardo Da Vinci have to do with ponds in Minneapolis?  It’s all about learning, it’s all about doing better.  Our goal is for you to fully understand your water feature which will in turn lead to more enjoyment.

It’s not unusual to get a call from a frustrated new homeowner with a question about a water feature they’ve inherited.  They are looking for answers and oftentimes do not even know the questions to ask.  Can this be handled on the phone?  Yes, however being on site to see the water feature and to answer questions is always the best options.  Therefore, DIWhy offers evening on site pond consultations. 

A pond consultation runs approximately one hour, and we teach homeowners about basics of maintaining the water feature.  The consultation will cover filtration, aeration, water plants, fish, biological additives, how to improve the water feature, pest control and so much more.  Our goal is to provide everyone with the resources needed to care for their water feature and thus maximize the enjoyment.  The cost of a one-hour evening pond consultation is $100, but here is the kick, if there are improvements or repairs needed and you hire DIWhy to resolve these issues DIWhy will take the $100 consultation fee off that price (minimum $400 of work).

DIWhy services the entire metro area of The Twin Cities and The Twin Ports and we have worked on hundreds of water features.  Our experience comes from not only working in the field but also through workshops and networking with other pond contractors and pond suppliers and problem solving with some of the best…in the business.  We’d like to share this knowledge with you so you can enjoy your pond and the water garden hobby. 

“The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding”

— Leonardo Da Vinci

Stressless Oasis

Pond care can be a labor of love.  CAN BE.  It takes desire, time and knowledge to keep a water feature a healthy functioning ecosystem.  Keeping a pond in balance using the pond’s designed filtration (whether natural or mechanical) with water plants, fish and biological additives can be a delicate task. Many homeowners revel in this task and water gardening provides a great way to enjoy the outdoors and to relieve stress.  However, for others their pond becomes a source of frustration.  Keeping that oasis beautiful now becomes a summer chore.  That’s where DIWhy comes in.  Starting in April 2020 DIWhy will offer Seasonal Maintenance Contracts!

How does a Seasonal Maintenance Contract work?  Every other week a DIWhy employee will be out to complete the following tasks:

·       Clean skimmer box net/basket/filters/brushes and pump 

·       Fertilize and trim and water plants

·       Change light bulbs

·       Add biological additives such as algicide, barley extract and beneficial bacteria

·       Weed along the peripheral of water feature

·       Adjust auto fill and/or pump auto shutoff

·       Net any floating debris

·       Visually inspect the water feature and make repairs if needed

·       Feed fish

Our maintenance visits begin after the Spring Cleanout & Start Up and run all season until the water feature is shutdown the last week of October.  So why choose DIWhy?  We are a full-service pond contractor that focuses on one thing, water features.  We build, repair and maintain water features and this has given us extensive knowledge in all aspects of water gardening.  We’ve worked with ornate fountains, bubbling boulders, pondless water features, small to large ponds, cement ponds, natural water filtration, mechanical filtration, uv filtration and so much more!  

So, what does it cost?  Each maintenance visit is $89.  The only other cost is the product (pond chemicals, light bulbs and so forth).  Large repairs are billed separately, and consent is given by homeowner prior to beginning the work.

Contact DIWhy for a Seasonal Maintenance Contract and transform your feature into a stressless oasis today!  Imagine stepping out your door and walking over to your water feature and simply enjoying the sights and sounds of the running water, the beauty of the water plants and the colors of the koi without adding to your to-do-list.

4 Reasons to Hire A Minneapolis Professional for Pond Maintenance this Spring

As spring shows its full colors in Minneapolis, it’s time to get your backyard pond out from hibernation. While there are many ways to get your pond ready, but only a professional can tell you how your pond is different and how to get it ready. This isn’t the only benefit to having the Pond Doctor help with maintenance. Here are some other benefits of hiring a professional for your pond maintenance.

Expert Advice

Whether or not it is your first DIY project, there may be complications. Not all backyards are the same, and making the pond work with your backyard is something that a professional can give you advice on. They can make suggestions, cater to your style, and show you the ins and outs of pond maintenance.

Special Equipment

Having the right equipment to clean out your pond properly might be a hassle. A professional will have all of the right tools when you need them, and they will know how to handle them correctly. Your pond professional could also give you advice on the best equipment to buy for your pond in the future.

Experience

Armed with experience from many years of cleaning, maintaining, and building ponds, a professional can share their wisdom and make sure your pond is ready for the summer. Experience and hands-on work with multiple types of ponds is helpful for fighting off algae and other harmful particles that grow in ponds. They also keep up with trends and new brands.

Identify Potential Problems

Every yard and pond could cause problems in the future, but professional pond maintenance will prevent it or provide solutions for you to weigh out your options. If you have any questions or are worried about potential problems, call the Pond Doctor for more information and have your questions ready.

If you would like the Pond Doctor to help out with your pond maintenance, call us today to get started. All of us at DIWhy are ready to help make your pond the healthiest it has ever been.

7 steps to shut down your backyard pond for a Minnesota winter

Shutting down your back yard pond for the winter is an important step for every Minnesota resident. Follow the steps below to shut down your Minneapolis pond in preparation for another year of enjoyment starting next Spring.

Shortcut: Just contact Tim and he can do it all for you!

Step 1

Use a thermometer to measure water temps throughout the late summer into the fall and winter.  When the temperature starts to drop, slowly start changing the food you feed your fish. Wheat germ based food is ideal for this, as the fish can digest it even in the cold of winter, when their metabolisms slow down.

Step 2

As the leaves begin to turn color and start to drop now is the time to add a net to your pond to catch the leaves. Make sure the net has been securely fastened around the edges, but don't let it sag into the water, as this can be harmful for the fish. If you prefer not to use a net, spend 10 minutes each evening removing the fallen leaves with a hand net. Empty the net in the skimmer box as needed.

“For a Minnesota pond, the first week of November is typically a good time to shut the pond down. However, this can change due to the weather. ”

— Tim the Pond Doctor

Step 3

Run your pump late into the fall as this will keep critters looking elsewhere for a place to hibernate during the winter. For a Minnesota pond, the first week of November is typically a good time to shut the pond down.  However, this can change due to the weather. Remove the pump, filters and UV clarifier and store in the garage or basement.  A good spray down from the garden hose is recommended prior to being placed in storage.

Step 4

Open any ball valves on your hose and blow out any low spots. Any sitting water in the hose is susceptible to freezing and thus cracking the hose and plumbing. Place a rag in the hose where the pump attaches to prevent critters from crawling up into it.

Step 5

If your pond is deep enough (38” or more) you will be able to winter over your plants in the pond. Prune any dead leaves and stems off of your deep water plants and move hardy plants around the edges of the pond into deeper water so that they will not freeze in the ice. If your pond is too shallow, you can place a bag over the pot and plants and store in your basement.

Step 6

If your pond is deep enough (38” or more) you will be able to winter over your fish in the pond.  You will not need to feed the fish during the winter.  Place a floating heater in the pond to keep the pond from completely freezing over. Add an aerator at the bottom of the pond to supply oxygen to your fish.

Step 7

Enjoy the winter and don't be concerned with the frozen water in the pond. That old water will be pumped out in the spring when it melts and you are ready to clean the pond. Also, the frozen water will help keep the critters at bay. Cuddle up and enjoy the beautiful Minnesota winter!

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