It sounds like a subject off Jerry Springer, doesn’t it? This is something we hear more often as more and more homes are being sold with ponds already built.

Don’t blame the former residents of the house. Ponds do not come equipped with an instruction sheet. Every pond is different and there’s no universal system.

Like pools, ponds can either add value to your property or become a deterrent when trying to sell. Ponds have a way of capturing the soul and many times a pond will help secure the sell of the home when it’s up and running properly.

If you are trying to sell your home make sure the pond is at its best when it’s being seen. If you can, take time to show the new owner how the pond works and let him know what to expect. One of the best transitions of pond ownership I’ve seen involved giving our telephone number to the new residents. We were able to talk with them about their new pond — a pond with which we were already familiar. I applaud the sellers for their efforts.

Unfortunately, many times the pond is mis-represented in a deal. Make sure, if you are planning to purchase a home equipped with an existing pond, that the seller specifies in writing what hardware and which fish stay with the house. I’ve seen whole filtration systems removed and the new owners left with nothing but a water hole — not even a pump to circulate the water.

With that aside, here are a few basics on what to expect from your new pond:

The water must circulate. A pump is necessary unless you want mosquitoes setting up housekeeping in your swamp. Leave the pump on 24 hours a day.

The water must be filtered. Unless there is no fish and there will be no fish in your pond you must maintain a biosystem. A biofilter is a necessary item for the health of fish.

The pond must be cleaned. Clean the pond thoroughly at least once a year. This includes taking the fish out, draining the pond and cleaning all filter material. During spring and summer you’ll need to clean the filter at least once per week, even if you have a bead filtration system.

Feed the fish. A malnourished fish is a sad sight. It’s true that they eat algae and can live with no added nourishment but most ponds are overcrowded and there’s not enough food to satisfy their hunger. Plus, you’ll receive more enjoyment by watching them eat. The only time to not feed the fish is when the water temperature is at 50° or lower.

You WILL eventually get green water unless you have an ultraviolet water clarifyer (aka UV Light). As the water warms up algae grows. Expect an algae bloom to occur if there is no UV installed on your system. This is natural. This is okay for the fish except that you cannot see them to see any problems they might have.

Test your water once a week. When the water begins to warm up the biosystem will begin to start functioning but will not be fully operational until the good bios are established for the season. Test for Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates and pH. Any amount of Ammonia and Nitrites and an unbuffered (meaning unstable) pH could be deadly. Until recently we did not take Nitrates (basically fertilizer) into consideration but new research is showing that a high concentration of Nitrates can cause health problems in fish.

You will need to periodically add to or change the water. Water does evaporate in hot weather and topping off the pond about once a month is normal. Add dechlorinator to any water from the tap. Chlorine burns the gills of the fish and will kill them. A 50% or more water change can be necessary if you have any problem with ammonia or nitrites. As we pointed out in the paragraph above, having any readings on either test can and often kills fish.

We’re here to help you. Now that we’ve gone over generally what to do with the pond you’ll notice there was no specific instruction as to "how" to do it. Ponds are as unique as snowflakes. You may have an outside filter and pump or they may be submerged. You may have 100 gallons or you may have 1000. You may have been left with a full load of fish or the seller may have taken all the "big" ones and left you with a few pond comets. Our best advice is for you to come by and talk with us and we’ll help you with your particular pond.

Do your homework and know as much about the pond as you can when you visit. Read the labels on the pump and filters. Know the gph (gallons per hour) of your pump. Know the size of your pond (length, width and depth) so we can determine the amount of water you have. Know the fish load and look over the fish for signs of distress. (A fish is in distress if it has ulcers, sores, missing fins, ragged fins — if it’s hanging by the water return or alienating itself from the rest of the fish.)  Most often parasites are the leading cause of these disorders.  It would be a good idea to treat the pond for parasites.  Our Parasite Pak makes it easy to treat your pond safely.