Pond Maintenance Question

[Paul Franklin]

My new homestead has a pond. I'd guess about a quarter acre and 5-6
feet deep in the center. I'm educating myself about maintenance but
am looking for wisdom from any experienced pond owners our there.

It has a fountain aerator, and at least at the end of last year did
not appear to have any major algae issues. There were a few areas of
green glop, but most of the surface was clear. It's home to the usual
frogs, turtles, some fish, a mallard couple, and is visited by the
occasional Great Blue Heron (which is awesome!)

I'm in NE Ohio. My specific question has to do with the cattails that
line part of the bank. It appears the stalks have died off over the
winter, and I wonder if it's best to cut them off at the waterline
before the new growth sprouts up. My thinking is this will avoid
adding a bunch of organic matter to the pond that might contribute to
algae.

I'd appreciate your thoughts and any other advice on pond maintenance.

Paul Franklin
(e-mail address removed)
(you know what to leave out)

 

[Steve B]

My new homestead has a pond. I'd guess about a quarter acre and 5-6
feet deep in the center. I'm educating myself about maintenance but
am looking for wisdom from any experienced pond owners our there.

It has a fountain aerator, and at least at the end of last year did
not appear to have any major algae issues. There were a few areas of
green glop, but most of the surface was clear. It's home to the usual
frogs, turtles, some fish, a mallard couple, and is visited by the
occasional Great Blue Heron (which is awesome!)

I'm in NE Ohio. My specific question has to do with the cattails that
line part of the bank. It appears the stalks have died off over the
winter, and I wonder if it's best to cut them off at the waterline
before the new growth sprouts up. My thinking is this will avoid
adding a bunch of organic matter to the pond that might contribute to
algae.

I'd appreciate your thoughts and any other advice on pond maintenance.

Paul Franklin
(e-mail address removed)
(you know what to leave out)

Check with local universities and agriculture department services. Many
times they have free programs to help you do just such a thing.

Steve

 

[Oren]

Check with local universities and agriculture department services. Many
times they have free programs to help you do just such a thing.

Steve

Add to this mosquito control. Communities want to reduce the bastards.

 

[Jim Z]

I think a pond that size should not be very hard
to manage with your aeriator and some chemical
treatment. The volume of water is small enough to
make it cost effective.

The plant you need to avoid is Eurasian milfoil which
has messed up a lot of small lakes and ponds throughout
northeast Ohio. It responds to only one chemical,
called Sonar. It costs around $2000 a gallon.

I belong to a lake community, in Rome Ohio,
and we are going to be spending big bucks to rid ourselves of this green
bastard.

Good luck

 

[Colbyt]

My new homestead has a pond. I'd guess about a quarter acre and 5-6
feet deep in the center. I'm educating myself about maintenance but
am looking for wisdom from any experienced pond owners our there.

It has a fountain aerator, and at least at the end of last year did
not appear to have any major algae issues. There were a few areas of
green glop, but most of the surface was clear. It's home to the usual
frogs, turtles, some fish, a mallard couple, and is visited by the
occasional Great Blue Heron (which is awesome!)

I'm in NE Ohio. My specific question has to do with the cattails that
line part of the bank. It appears the stalks have died off over the
winter, and I wonder if it's best to cut them off at the waterline
before the new growth sprouts up. My thinking is this will avoid
adding a bunch of organic matter to the pond that might contribute to
algae.

I'd appreciate your thoughts and any other advice on pond maintenance.

Paul Franklin
(e-mail address removed)
(you know what to leave out)

The less matter that goes into the eco-system, the less you have to counter
balance later.

I would trim them. On my smaller yard-sized pond I also skim leaves and
stuff in the Fall.

You keep the Heron. I am not willing to let him eat my fish.

 

[virginiaharms]

My new homestead has a pond. I'd guess about a quarter acre and 5-6
feet deep in the center. I'm educating myself about maintenance but
am looking for wisdom from any experienced pond owners our there.

It has a fountain aerator, and at least at the end of last year did
not appear to have any major algae issues. There were a few areas of
green glop, but most of the surface was clear. It's home to the usual
frogs, turtles, some fish, a mallard couple, and is visited by the
occasional Great Blue Heron (which is awesome!)

I'm in NE Ohio. My specific question has to do with the cattails that
line part of the bank. It appears the stalks have died off over the
winter, and I wonder if it's best to cut them off at the waterline
before the new growth sprouts up. My thinking is this will avoid
adding a bunch of organic matter to the pond that might contribute to
algae.

I'd appreciate your thoughts and any other advice on pond maintenance.
https://pondpumps.guide/fall-pond-maintenance-koi-pond-care/
Paul Franklin
(e-mail address removed)
(you know what to leave out)

Hi all,

Complete newbie here looking for some advice that probably already has been discussed. I apologize in advance if it has. I'm a new trustee to a HOA and I've been tasked with trying to make our community pond visibly appealing.

Our pond is approximately an acre in surface area and it serves as a detention pond for the stormwater runoff from houses, driveways and roads in our development. Its approximately 8' deep at the center. Most of it is very shallow.

the pond has been maintained by a pond service company for several years, but it appears that no improvement in the water quality is ever achieved. The aquatic plants are out of control. The pond service company has added aeration about 4 years ago (just one aerifier) and have dye added on a regular basis (sometimes weekly). This is a tough pond to maintain due to when it rains, a lot of the treatments wash out at the overflow. as far as i know, there have not been any chemicals added to kill off the vegetation.

Based on the photos attached, what do you recommend as a good process for cleaning this pond up? Residents would like a weed free pond that looks visibly better and can be fished from.

I appreciate any and all advice.