Art of the Yard in Denver wants to remind you that it’s time for Spring koi pond care. It’s not too difficult, and you can do it yourself if you want to tackle the job. Just follow these easy steps provided by our friendly experts and you’ll be ready to go.
Winter is coming to a close and welcome signs of Spring are beginning to appear, so let’s get your koi pond ready to come out of the deep freeze. Here are the steps you need to follow:
Step 1: The first step of Spring koi pond care is to complete a thorough visual inspection to ensure that winter hasn’t damaged your pond or any of the components.
Step 2: Next, you should clean the pond. Even if you thoroughly followed all the steps to winterize your pond, there is inevitably some debris that has fallen into the water over the past few months. You can scoop junk out by hand or use a pond vacuum for a more pleasant experience. You can even throw in some bacteria or enzyme products that will do an even more thorough job with all the small particles.
Step 3: If your pump was off, go ahead and start it back up again once the water reaches around 50 degrees. You should do this when you plan to be around the house for a few hours so you can keep an eye on it and ensure that the water is going back into the pond.
Step 4: If the pump for your koi pond was off, then clean your filter. If the pump was running, you don’t necessarily have to clean the filter, but in both cases, it is now time to add a few bacteria to boost the life in the water.
Step 5: Spring koi pond care also requires testing the water for ammonia and nitrite. If either level is not zero, then you need to add products to balance the water until they both read zero.
Step 6: During this process is when your fish are the most susceptible to contracting health problems. You can give them a boost with enzymes or pool salt to help ward off infections before they begin. It is much easier to keep infections from starting then it is to get rid of them once they’ve already set in so this is a crucial step. You can always consult with the experts here at Art of the Yard for the best products to put in your particular pond.
Step 7: It is almost time to start feeding your fish again, but keep a close eye on the temperature of the water. You don’t need to feed until you start seeing that the water remains consistently above 50 degrees. During this period, give them special springtime feed. Once the temperature gets to and stays in the 60-degree range, you can switch to regular summer feed.
Step 8: Also, once the water temperature reaches 50 degrees, your plants will need a little love. Fertilize them and divide them if they are getting too crowded.
That’s all there is to it! Spring koi pond care isn’t difficult, you just have to keep track of a few things and be ready with the right products at the right time. Remember that the experts here at Art of the Yard in Denver are always on hand to answer any questions. And if you’re still not sure about the process, simply give us a call and we’ll take care of the pond maintenance for you.