Pond Maintenance, Cleaning and Repairs

• Draining of ponds
• Pond cleaning
• Pond renovations
• Re-lining of leaking ponds

All ponds eventually need to be drained and cleaned. ‘Does my pond need cleaning’ is a common question we hear. As a simple test, using a blunt ended pole, gently agitate the bottom of the pond in the deepest area. If a lot of bubbles are released we would advise draining and cleaning. The bubbles are methane gas produced as a result of anaerobic breakdown of the sludge at the bottom of the pond . It means that the sludge has got so thick at the bottom of the bottom that oxygen can no longer easily
penetrate it. The methane gas produced is toxic to almost all aquatic creatures and is the ‘rotten egg’ smell associated with unkempt ponds.
Nature ponds should be drained and cleaned in the autumn months to minimise disruption to amphibian and invertebrate lifecycle. Fish ponds should be cleaned when water temperatures are above 8 degrees centigrade so as not to disturb dormant fish.

Pond Cleaning