Spring is here! The ice is off most ponds and lakes here in the U.S. and it’s time to start preparing for optimal pond health. It can seem like a daunting task, especially if you are dealing with an older water body, but it doesn’t have to be!
Ponds with a little age on them tend to accumulate muck on the pond bottom. This muck forms over time as leaves, weeds and other organic materials settle on the pond bottom. Ponds that lack aeration tend to have anaerobic conditions on the pond bottom which leads to more muck!
Muck is a lot like composting (if you don’t turn the heap). Muck is nutrient rich (i.e. phosphorous, nitrogen…) and works like a fertilizer. It can increase algae bloom, cause excessive vegetation growth and create murky water.
Creating a Plan of Action for a Healthy Pond in Two Simple Steps!
1. Aeration
Aeration is key to a healthy pond. Get that water moving! Whether it be diffused aeration from the pond bottom (AirPro, AirEco or Shallow Pond Aerator) or a display aerator (SS2 or Endur), the key is getting that water on the pond bottom to mingle with the rest of the pond. Once your pond bottom gets circulating and becomes an aerobic environment decomposition of the organic materials in your muck is going to happen at a much more rapid pace.
2. Biological Treatment Products
Biological products add additional microbes and aerobic bacteria to the water. The microbes and bacteria in these products consume excess nutrients and aid in the breakdown of muck while restoring balance to your water body. Aqua Control’s Predator Line of biological products consist of three separate products formulated for maximum efficiency based on water temperatures, guaranteeing an earlier start to treatment and therefore quicker results.
It is good to remember that if you are dealing with a big aquatic weed or algae problem it sometimes is necessary to use an algaecide or aquatic herbicide initially and then follow it up with a biological treatment plan. Anytime you kill a significant amount of vegetation off your pond has to work in overtime to get back in balance. Biological products aid in the decomposition of the plant matter and consume the nutrients so they don’t aid in regrowth.
Are you ready to tackle your pond preparation? Contact Aqua Control, Inc. or your local Aqua Control Distributor to get started!
