Restoring an Old Water Garden with Proper Garden Pond Care

Corrine K. Dolezal

It’s possible that someday you may move into a home with a
backyard water garden. Even if it looks scummy and run down when
you first buy the home, with a little knowledge of garden pond
care, you’ll be able to have it up and running again in no time.
After all, someone has done all of the hard work for you of
digging and setting up, and somewhere under the mess there’s a
beautiful water feature waiting to emerge.

Cleaning a pond that’s been allowed to deteriorate is no fun,
and knowing where to start can be difficult. However, there are
some guidelines for you to use to get the ball rolling. Even
under the best circumstances, a water pond is a dirty thing.
Plants grow in dirt, deposit old, moldy leaves and debris in to
the water that falls to the bottom, and if you have fish,
they’re going to poop and add to the general mucky mess on the
bottom of the pond. In addition, if the pond you are cleaning
has been neglected for any period of time, there may be dead,
rotting fish and uncontrolled populations of algae in it, too.

The first thing you need to do is drain the pond. This may mean
carrying buckets full of sludge out and throwing it down a
sanitary sewer somewhere, but it has to be done. Wear heavy
rubber gloves and a face mask if you have to, but get the job
done. Then, remove any rocks that have been placed in the bottom
of the pool, because all they do is trap debris and add to the
problem. Clean out all of the muck on the bottom of the pond,
then check the pond liner to make sure it is still intact. If it
is, good news! If not, you’re going to have to replace it.
Although it isn’t an expensive job, it will still take some
time. Be sure to get a heavy-duty liner made of PVC or EPDM,
because they will hold up best in adverse weather conditions.

With a solid new foundation, you’ll be off to a great start in
renovating your pond. Next you should determine the type of
filter that has been installed. Before you can ever hope to keep
the pond clean, you are going to need an external filter that’s
on a direct feed from the lowest spot in the pond. Buy the best
filtering system you can afford and make sure it’s installed
correctly. A good filter will require cleaning about once a week
during pond season. You will know that if your filter doesn’t
get dirty, it isn’t doing the job it’s designed to do.

Now, when you refill your pond with water, you stand a fighting
chance of keeping it clean. Don’t hesitate to add both fish and
plants, because this will actually create a cleaner eco-system
than just having one or the other. With your pond up and
running, it will still require ongoing maintenance, but there
will still be plenty of time in between to relax and enjoy
sitting in your lovely water garden.

About the author:
For more information on water gardens
including tips on pond heaters, visit

http://www.crystalwatergardens.com