For an average pond measuring 6 feet by 8 feet and 2 feet deep, a proper mix of aquatic plants may be: 3 water lilies; 6 surface floating plants; 8 to 10 marginal plants; and 10 to 12 bunches of submerged plants. Many plants will live outside from year to year with little care. Other water plants may have to be taken inside to survive the winter. There are several good books available to give you additional information about selecting, propagating, and growing water plants. Download a copy of our Pond Plants handout for more information about water gardening.

The following tips may help you enjoy the perfect water garden.

1. Location: Choose a flat area away from large trees, to avoid falling leaves. Ponds need direct light for plants to grow but need cool areas to prevent algae from developing.
2. Digging: The ideal depth is 18" to 24". The deeper the pond the more likely your fish and plants will survive the winter weather. Deep ponds should be protected so children do not have access to them. The banks should be dug in a stepped manner, providing various depths (6"-8") around the edges for shallow-water plant life. The excess soil can be used for a waterfall mound.
3. Smoothing: Before the pond liner is installed check for rocks, or roots, which might puncture the liner. Apply a layer of sand or use an old carpet or padding around the bottom and edges of the pond.
4. Landscaping: Place rocks so that they slightly hang over the water, protecting any exposed liner from the sun.
5. Waterscaping: Fountain heads should be at least 2" above the water line. Water falls are an added benefit to any garden pond.
6. Stabilizing: Let the 'filled pond' stabilize for two weeks before adding plants or fish.
7. Cleaning: Regular filtering and/or cleaning is essential to maintain your garden pond. Bio-filters and UV Sterilizers are excellent to help control algae. back to top

Spring Check List

1. As pond temperatures warm into the upper 50 F, start feeding the fish with high carbohydrate / low protein food. As the water warms gradually work up to the higher protein foods.
2. Raise aquatic plant pots from the bottom to warmer surface water. Divide and repots plants as needed.
3. Early spring is the time to remove pond waste and leaves. As the pond temperature begins to rise, the pond detritus begins decomposing rapidly and releases nutrients into the water. Possible effects from this scenario are robbing the pond of oxygen, releasing toxic gases, and causing an algae boom.
4. Test the water for both pH and ammonia.
5. Check pumps, lines, and restart filters. Use an inoculant to get Biofilters restarted.
6. Remove filamentous algae by hand or by using a notched stick. If unicellular algae persists consider adding more scavengers, plants, or re-evaluating your filter system.
7. Begin fertilizing pond plants after they start to grow. Divide and repot them if needed.
8. Watch for spawning fish.
9. When plants are growing vigorously, fertilize them once a month until temperatures reach the eighties, then fertilize them twice a month
10. Do not put tropical plants into the pond until the water temperature is 70 F.
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Summer check List

1. As water evaporates, refill it as needed.
2. Fertilize the lilies every two weeks when the water temperature is in the 80's. Other pond plants only need fertilizer once a month.
3. Prune the old or decaying leaves and spent blossoms.
4. Feed the fish what they will eat in 5 to 10 minutes, this can be split into several feedings. Fish are active in the summer and will benefit from high protein and color enhancing foods.
5. Clean the filter as the pond dictates.
6. Check the submersible pump for debris in the impellers.
7. Be on the alert for unwanted summertime pests.
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Fall check List

1. Feed fish high protein food in early fall, switch to low protein-high carbohydrate food as winter approaches. Color enhancing food is not necessary in the fall.
2. Stop feeding fish when pond water temperatures lowers to 50 F.
3. If fish are to be left in the pond through the winter, make sure to keep an opening in the ice to provide a place for oxygen to enter and to allow other gases to escape.
4. Keep lilies well pruned, cut back frost killed foliage and set pots in the bottom of the pond for the winter.
5. Clean the pond as much as possible. Make sure you remove as much bottom debris as possible.
6. After two or three freezes check tropical lilies. Store tubers in plastic bags filled with water in a cool spot for the winter.
7. Remove falling leaves from pond as often as possible.
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Winter Check List

1. Consider a stock tank warmer, or a pond deicing device, to keep an open area free of ice.
2. Let a small pump run all winter with a tube near the surface, to prevent ice from completely covering the pond.
3. Do not break ice with a hammer. The shock waves may kill your fish.
4. Let a ball float on the pond. Remove the ball each morning and replace it every night to help maintain a hole in the ice.
5. Do not feed your fish during the winter.
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Pond Chemicals

Occasionally Mother Nature needs a little help keeping a pond in proper balance. There are a few products that are very effective to help restore, or to maintain, the proper balance in your pond. Stress Zyme. This product contains a natural bacteria that speeds up the biological development in the pond. It gives the fish a coating that helps reduce stress. It also helps speed up the natural decomposition of organic matter in the pond.

Stress Coat. This product is a chemical that covers the fish with a slime coating. This coating helps relieve stress and helps prevent parasites. Add this product any time new fish are added to the pond or when a substantial amount of water is changed.

Crystal Lagoon. This product clears cloudy water caused by algae, dirt, and bacteria by chemically forcing the materialssuspended in water to settle to the bottom of the pond. It clears pond water fairly quickly but does not change the conditions causing the cloudy water, it is a good short-term fix not a long-term control.

Bio-Zyme Digester. This product contains micro-encapsulated bacteria that feeds on the food sources that algae would otherwise use; it starves algae to death. It effectively eliminates organic materials on the bottom of the pond and uses up the ammonia and nitrogen in the water. This is an extremely effective product, but it is also a little expensive. Barley Straw. This is exactly what it says - Barley Straw. This type of straw continuously releases compounds into the water that prevents algae. It takes about four to eight weeks to start working so be sure to use this product before the water becomes cloudy.

Algae Fix. This product controls many types of algae including string algae and hair algae. It is safe for both fish ponds and fountains. Use this product every week or two, if needed, to prevent and eliminate algae. If you use this product as a supplement to a bio-filter, you do not need to use it as often.

Oxidizer. This product is for oxidizing and cleaning contaminants that form on waterfalls, rocks, and in fountains. It will not harm pond plants or fish. It is highly concentrated and is available in one pound containers.

Mosquito Dunks. This product prevents and kills mosquitoes. Use one dunk per 100 square feet of surface area. Each dunk remains active for 30 days. It is safe to use in birdbaths, fountains, and ponds.

Mosquito Free. This product prevents mosquitoes from being able to land on water. Mosquitoes must be able to land on water to lay eggs. This product forces the mosquitoes to go elsewhere to lay their eggs. It is safe to use in birdbaths, fountains, and all standing water. It will not harm pets.

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