Follow these tips in our Spring Pond Checklist to get your pond ready for warmer weather.
1. Add or transplant your Water lilies, fertilize & prune: A 9″ or larger shallow no-hole pot works best for lilies. If your lily is already in a large pot, you can re-use the pot just change out the old soil for new soil. Water lilies are heavy feeders fertilize monthly, starting in spring through summer. Remove spent blooms & dead leaves from lilies & bog plants. A good rule of thumb to control algae naturally is 60% coverage. Aquatic plants will feed off the nutrients that would otherwise feed the algae. Be sure to add submersed, emerged & oxygenating plants
2. Fish Feeding: In warmer weather feed a higher protein food once or twice a week but only what they can consume in three minutes time.
3. Clean filters regularly: Depending on your filter system, clean them weekly to bi-weekly. Rinse skimmer nets & filters weekly.
4. Clean submersible pump: Time to take your sumbersible mag-drive pump apart & check the impeller & shaft to make sure they are in good working order. Many pond pumps have replacement parts available.
5. Replace blown light bulbs: halogen bulbs last 2-6 months depending on use and LED last up to two years. If you have halogen lights in your pond you may want to upgrade to LED, they use less electricity & longer lasting bulbs.
6. Vacuum muck from pond bottom: Leaves, fish waste & other decaying matter on the bottom of the pond is the perfect breeding ground for parasites & bad bacteria
7 Add Beneficial Bacteria regularly: Good bacteria will help reduce algae growth & will help balance the pond 
8. Change your UV bulb: If you have a UV clarifier keep in mind that even if the bulb is lit after 12 months it becomes ineffective. Change the bulb yearly to help control green water. Remember UV only works to control green water, no other type of algae
9. Add Water lilies & aquatic plants: Aquatic plants act as a natural bio-filter for your pond helping to control algae. Be sure you have a good balance of submerged, emerged and floating plants in your pond
10. Add algaecide if needed: If your pond is out of balance, too many fish, not enough plants, too small filtration system, or just simple over feeding, you will get algae. Of course, it is always best to correct the problem but a fish safe algaecide can also be helpful especially during summer months.
11. contact Backyard Getaway to schedule a pond maintenance. Pond maintenance is very important especially if you have fish or turtles in your pond. Regular water changes and removing the built up waste will help to improve water quality. To shedule your visit email us at lisa@backyardgetaway.net
Good article Lisa, very informative. Hope all is well with you, Dave and the animals.