Hints for Maintaining Your Backyard Pond

While a backyard pond is certainly attractive and enjoyable for your family, friends and frisky pup, maintaining it can be a hassle. However, staying on top of the tasks involved in keeping your personal pond looking good will make it easier to keep your outdoor space inviting for years to come.

Battling Pond Algae

One of the biggest hurdles to maintaining your pond is algae; proliferate and pesky, keeping the algae under control is a must. While choosing the right kind of plants and fish will keep the algae somewhat well-controlled, those looking for a different approach may want to install a pond filter; make sure to give a long-term filter enough time to work before taking more drastic measures.

Keeping Out Sludge and Weeds

One of the quickest ways to rid yourself of pond sludge is to avoid getting it in the first place; nearly 85 percent of sludge can be prevented by simply using a pond skimmer to remove surface debris before it sinks to the bottom of the pond, which will require far more drastic measures for removal. Invasive plant species can lead to a serious weed problem for pond owners, which makes aquatic weed control an issue for those who are striving to keep their ponds relatively weed-free. Whether you choose to go it alone with products to control weeds or you hire a professional for the job, keeping your underwater weeds to a minimum is a must for successful pond maintenance.

Choosing Fish for Your Pond

There are several types of fish that typically do well in a backyard pond, including goldfish, koi carp, sturgeon and sunfish, among others. Make sure that the fish you select are eye-catching, appropriate for your climate and not likely to reproduce so rapidly that they run out of space.

Pond Maintenance is Worth the Effort

While keeping your backyard pond in good shape takes a great deal of work, it is most definitely worth the time. From increasing property value to making your outdoor space more enjoyable, backyard ponds are a great investment.