Good maintenance of your pond is important to keep the water in your pond healthy for your fish and plants. In elk seizoen is the weather and climate different and does this impact your pond. In spring, temperatures rise again and the sun shines longer than in winter. Before spring arrives, it is important to make a few good preparations so that your pond remains healthy.
In this article, we will extensively discuss all the preparations and maintenance tasks during spring. This way, you can easily maintain your pond, keep your fish and plants healthy, and enjoy a vibrant pond in spring and summer!
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1. Effects of the weather in spring on your pond
In spring, the temperatures rise again and the sun shines more. This causes the ecosystem in your pond coming out of hibernation: the activity and metabolism of plants and fish increases and also algae and bacteria growth will rise again. Due to the higher water temperatures, there is again more oxygen exchange between the water in your pond and the air above it.
The warmer conditions and increase in activity can lead to an algae explosion in the first warmer, sunny days. Water can become cloudy and fish can become ill as a result. So make sure you are well prepared for the first warm days of spring.
2. How do you prepare your pond for spring?
Spring is about to begin! Sometimes the first warm days can occur as early as February or March. How do you ensure that your pond is ready for these higher temperatures and to welcome spring?
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Repair damage caused in the winter
It is possible that equipment, foil, or ornaments have been damaged in the winter due to freezing. Repair this as soon as possible. -
Check water quality
Check the quality of your pond by measuring parameters such as pH, ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite with a test kit. Make sure to refresh the water in case of outliers, ensure the filter is working properly, and consider using products to compensate. -
Turn pond equipment back on
Make sure your pond equipment is back on once frost periods are over and warmer temperatures are on the way. Have you stored it frost-free indoors? Put the equipment back in the pond. Set a screwed back adjustable pond pump back to the desired power. -
Replace UV-C lamps
Do you have a UV-C device, all-in-one filter of pressure filter with UV-C? Then renew the UV-C lamp. The UV-C lamp works for about 8,000 burning hours or one season, after which it is no longer effective. For optimal performance in the spring, it is therefore important to get a new one. Install UV-C lamp. Tip: buy two or more UV-C lamps directly for multiple seasons. This way you save on shipping costs. -
Replace filter material
Do you have a filtration system? Then check if your filter material is still sufficient. It may be that filter material gets damaged after a few seasons and works less effectively. You can then replace it. Do not do this too often, and it is always best to replace only a part, so you maintain the good bioculture for filtration. -
Remove (organic) waste from your pond
Remove twigs, leaves, and other organic waste from your pond. This ensures that they do not decompose and cause cloudiness in your pond water. -
Add new plants and fish
The beginning of spring is a good time to add new plants and fish to your pond. Plants have the opportunity to grow and possibly bloom later in the year.
As you can see, there are a number of steps you need to take to properly prepare your pond for spring. However, with good preparation, you will have to do less maintenance during spring and summer.
3. What maintenance do you perform during spring?
During spring, the activity in your pond is very high. Life comes out of hibernation, and you can also notice this in the maintenance activities. A warm first spring day can easily lead to a spike in algae. Good maintenance, regular checks, and the right equipment help keep your pond clear and healthy.
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Ensure good filtering
Regularly check the operation of your pond's filtration. Check the flow and whether there are any blockages. Regularly clean the debris baskets of pond pumps to maintain good capacity. Do you sometimes experience an algae bloom? Then a UV-c apparaat provide a solution. -
Regularly refresh pond water
Despite good filtration, certain harmful substances can accumulate. High temperatures can also cause a lot of pond water to evaporate. Therefore, regularly refresh the water in your pond and add new water. -
Add bacteria for balance
After hibernation, the balance in your pond is not yet optimal for spring. It may be that algae and other microorganisms take over on the first warm day. It may be wise to add good bacteria when starting up your pond in the spring to help with the ecosystem of your pond. -
Add fertilizers for plants
Plants need different nutrients to grow. Many of these can be obtained by plants from the waste products of fish and other organic materials (see also our article about the eco-system in your pond). However, it may be advisable to assist plants (especially in the spring) with extra fertilizers. This way, your plants grow faster and better, and they will bloom more beautifully later in the spring and summer.
