Pond Maintenance Services

Pond Maintenance

Pond Maintenance Bristol

Discover more about our range of Pond Services in Bristol, and if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, please feel free to get in touch with us – we will be more than happy to help.

For Maintenance Services Call: 07391312762 or Email: info@allthingsgardenandpond.co.uk

Please click on the links below to find out more information on each service that we can provide

Routine Pond Maintenance

Our routine maintenance services have been designed to look after your fish pond or wildlife water feature all year round. We can design a routine package working to your specific requirements, or we can recommend services that would be beneficial for your current pond/water feature set-up. Our routine maintenance can be arranged for monthly visits, quarterly visits or yearly visits.

We include the following services within our routine maintenance packages: Water Changes / Pump and Filter Cleaning / Pond Vacuuming / Algae Control / Pond Plant Trimming

Please note pond treatments / fish treatments that may be required will be at an additional cost.

Pond Consulting Service

We understand that sometimes our customers are only looking for advice or information on how to keep your pond clean, clear and healthy all your round, and for this reason we provide a full consult service.

This service is designed to visit your pond, and spend time going through your set-up and then discussing the best way to look after the type of pond you have and the aquatic life that lives there. We have listed the following topics we cover and provide demonstrations on any filter systems you have installed, or are looking to install, so you are confident in carrying out these important routine jobs for your pond all year.

Full pond measuring service:

We work out the pond water volume for you as this is important for any water treatments the pond may require in the future or during water changes. We also provide information on the recommended pond liner size just for future use if needed.

Pond Pump / Bottom Drain / Filtration System:

We will go through your existing filtration set up with you, and explain how this works alongside your pond, and depending on the type of filter etc you have installed, explain the recommended routine maintenance it requires during the year to keep the pond healthy and clear. We will provide demonstrations on how certain mechanical parts are replaced or cleaned to ensure you are confident with this going forward, and also provide UV bulb replacement advice. We will also provide the name and model of your filter system including pumps and UV bulbs so you know for when replacement parts are required.

Pond Plants:

We will go through any plant life within the pond and identify them to provide you with the care recommended and how and when to trim the plants during peak seasons. We can also advise if we feel your pond will benefit from any new plants, as certain plants are a great way to create that perfect eco system.

Pond Water Testing:

As part of this service we will also carry out a full water parameter test, which covers PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels which tells us many factors about how your filter is working and how the nitrogen cycle is working within your pond.

Aquatic Life:

We will identify the aquatic life you have within your pond, from newts, frogs and fish, to ensure we advise on the best plan how to take care of them going forward, as fish ponds require a bit more attention than a wildlife pond, but still very important to keep clean and healthy water for both, so your ponds aquatic life can thrive throughout the year.

After our visit has been completed, we will provide a full report on your pond and document any advisories that would benefit you and your pond in the future, or if the pond is well established and operating correctly, we will provide you with information on how to keep the pond clean, clear and healthy. We can also answer any questions you may have on the day of the visit, to ensure you are happy and confident with your pond.

Please contact us for more information on our consultancy service.

Pond Cleaning

Although pond filters do their best to keep our water clean, clear and pond stocks healthy, they do not clear all of the organic waste that will eventually build up on the pond floor or if increased nitrates are present the growth of string algae on side walls, and the debris from pond plants. If you do not feel a routine service is for you, then why not choose our single pond cleaning service. This service is designed for ponds that are in need of a full tidy up before the winter season, maybe at the start of spring to help start your pond for the summer season, or if in the spring and summer season your pond is not clear and your fish do not seem themselves and you could benefit from a fresh start then this service is recommended.

We carry out the following steps as part of this service to ensure your pond or wildlife water feature is looking its best all year round

Prepare holding tanks for pond fish and plants. If we need to drain the water to reach sediment collecting on the pond floor we will remove the fish and plants to avoid harming them. We set up enough holding tanks to hold all of them. We will keep all holding tanks in a shady location, and fill them with pond water. We will keep the water temperature consistent when transporting any fish so they don't go into shock and aeration will be supplied.

Transferring water: We will then start to transfer a percentage of the water from the pond to 3 locations:

1. The holding tanks for all fish and plant life

2. A water storage tank allowing us to then return this filtered existing pond water back to the pond when finished as well as fresh dechlorinated water to refill the pond.

3. We can water your garden with pond water also if requested. (The remaining water will be pumped straight to the nearest drain)

We use either a vacuum or a submersible pump depending on pond size to transfer water, however we always protect the fish and wildlife in the pond by putting a mesh cover over the suction inlet.

Removing plants: As water is removed from the pond all plants will be exposed so we will move them to the holding tanks and clear out decaying plant matter.

* At this point we will repot plants and divide others that have begun to take up too much space in the pond.

Netting and transferring fish: We use a soft net to catch and transfer all fish into the holding tanks.

* We place them in a shaded holding tank containing pond water to reduce stress.

* We place a net over the holding tanks to contain jumping fish such as koi and orfe, and to avoid low flying birds.

Vacuuming floor debris and sludge: If the pond requires a full vacuum we will then start this process removing all sludge and debris from the pond floor, and either use this organic waste to feed your garden plants or we will add it to your garden waste bin.

Scoop out plant matter: For ponds that can be managed by hand, the sludge at the bottom of the pond will be removed by sweeping with a soft broom and a large dust pan. To protect pond liners will always use soft brushes and rubber dust pans to remove sludge and debris.

Scrub the pond liner: We then use a scrub brush dipped in pond water to loosen any leftover sludge for removal and large amounts of string algae on the walls of your pond. After completion you may still see algae covering the liner, we will not always remove this fully depending on the season. This algae, as long as it is on the liner, protects against discolored water as it helps remove the nitrates in the pond water. The only time we consider removing the algae on the liner fully is if you don’t like the way it makes your pond look. Otherwise, we will only remove long strands from the walls and any rocks.

We do not use harsh chemicals to attack algae, since this can harm fish. We either remove string algae off rocks and liners using a pressured hose and pick up the string variety by hand or with a pole and algae brush. We only use safe treatments in your pond if algae has been a constant problem for you, and this will always be discussed before use.

Filter and Pump Cleaning: We will clean through your pond pump and the mechanical filter media using pond water only to avoid using mains water which has chlorine present, and any in-let pipes to ensure the water is always moving at the desired flow rate. Please note: We will not clean or disturb your biological filter media when your filter clean is being carried out, unless it’s a new system or if the clean is at the start of the pond season in spring, we then would add a beneficial bacteria solution into your biological filtration system. The gel based solution will stick to the filter media, allowing the nitrifying bacteria it contains to rapidly colonise in your filter ready for the spring and summer months.

Returning fish and plants to the pond. Gradually we start to pump water back into the pond first from the water storage tank returning the plants as we go, and then we add a non harmful water dechlorinator solution and refill the pond fully from your mains water supply. When the pond is at the correct level and we have checked the temperature, we transfer the fish back into the water.

On every occasion All Things Garden and Pond take the upmost care and attention to the work carried out at every customers location, business or residential property, and we will always try to reduce the stress levels of any wildlife or live pond stock (fish, birds etc) whilst carrying out any works in and around the pond as instructed by the customer. We will not use any harmful treatments that would risk the health of your wildlife pond or live stock (Fish, birds etc) and we will always advise the solutions and their usage information in all our services mentioned above before applying them to the pond.

Water Treatments and Algae Control

As part of our fish care services we can provide a complete water treatment service which can assist with your pond water quality all year round. We provide a full water parameter testing service that takes a detailed look at how your pond water is currently operating with the fish stock you currently have, and this shows if there are any potential issues with how your filtration is functioning and allows us to find any continued algae growth issues you may be experiencing. We can then discuss (if any parameter issues are present) how we can help with working with your pond water to bring it back to a safe level for all wildlife and fish stock going froward, and how to maintain the water quality thereafter. We only use natural products that have been tested in the pond industry for many years, and we will always discuss any treatment before applying to the pond water.

Algae Control: Algae control is a topic of most pond keepers conversations, and in truth algae will always be present in any body of water that is outdoors in the elements and with direct sun light, however it’s how we control it that makes a difference. With our routine service you will see a major difference over the months as we control the algae with Water Changes, Pond plants, filter cleans and UV Sterilisers, and most of our routine ponds we care for now do not have any string algae present. However we do keep a balance of the type of algae in your pond, as some algae that forms on your pond walls actually assists in the removal of nitrates, which helps stop string algae from growing. We also have a few select non harmful treatments that have been tried and tested over many years that we can use on severe cases, however we will always discuss this prior with our customer before use.

Water Changes - Why we carry out water changes? What are the benefits for Your fish stock

All different types of filters are working alongside our ponds to house millions of beneficial bacteria, which work to break down harmful ammonia and nitrites from waste into less harmful substances which is a process called the nitrogen cycle. However after both ammonia and nitrites have been broken down we’re still left with something called nitrates, which can’t always be fully removed by biological filtration, or having plants in the water, therefore this gradually leads to background pollution, poor water quality, and weaker fish.

Nitrates are used by plants as natural fertiliser, but plants only consume a small portion of overall nitrates in fish ponds due to the volume of waste produced. Generally ponds are considered a closed eco-system, which means eventually you will end up with substances being deposited in the pond which cannot be fully broken down via natural processes or through your filter system... Nitrates are one of these substances, and those that aren’t used by pond plants, simply start to accumulate within the pond unless manually removed. Although nitrates are far less dangerous in comparison to ammonia and nitrites, they can still become a problem if levels are left to rise, just like with ammonia and nitrites, nitrates in high concentration will eventually lead to sores, burns, and incredibly stressed fish. Excess nitrates will also lead to other issues, including the growth of algae which will quickly deplete dissolved oxygen and contribute to organic waste.

As well as removing nitrates, water changes will also help remove any chemicals, pollutants, or residues from treatments or medicines, many inorganic chemicals can’t be broken down naturally, and like to linger within the pond long after the treatment has been finished. Performing regular water changes stops this from happening and the substances interfering with water quality. From experience and research, fish which were subject to a higher volume of regular water changes grew healthier than in more static conditions. In particular, the chance of your fish stock contracting illness, infection, or parasites is much lower in ponds which had regular water changes; as the reduction in waste, proteins, and pheromones that fish produce is beneficial to the health of fish.

Fish Parasite Detection and Treatment

As part of our fish care services we can provide a complete Fish parasite detection and treatment service which can assist with looking after your fish stocks health all year round. There are many pathogens that live in the pond with our fish, but if your fish’s immune system is fully functioning then they will be able to keep most parasites at bay.

Keeping pond fish healthy should start with the water quality of the pond. (Please visit our Water Treatments and Algae Control for more information)

Fish who live in ponds with poor water quality are more likely to have raised stress levels in response to their environment, which in turn weakens their immune system, leaving fish vulnerable to attack from a wide range of infectious organisms in the pond – known as pathogens. Other ways that we may suppress a fish’s immune system are by overstocking the pond, not providing enough dissolved oxygen, not monitoring pH and KH or feeding inappropriately.

Your fish’s immune system however works to seasonally-induced temperature changes, and this is one factor that we can’t really control. Research shows that the important antibody response is suppressed in koi fish in water temperatures below 14⁰C. However, most pathogens also become less active in cooler water; for example the white spot parasite life cycle turns once every 6-7 days at 20⁰C, it may take months below 10⁰C. As water temperatures rise in spring, pathogens can rapidly become more active, though the immune system of the fish can take longer to catch up, which allows a window of infection when the fish is vulnerable to attack. Good pond monitoring is the best way to keep an eye out for signs of fish infection. These signs can include flicking, flashing, excessive mucous covering, lethargy, respiratory distress and ragged fins.

As part of our service we provide a complete water parameter test and fish parasite detection and treatment plan to help with any current issues you may be experiencing within your pond. We use the latest testing kits and microscopes to detect any water or fish parasites and we can then advise a treatment plan that is right for your fish and pond, as treating a pond with limited or no evidence of bad water quality or fish infection can cause more harm than good, so we ensure we have the facts before any treatments are advised. We also always advise not to search how to treat fish (DIY) on the internet, as this can result in the wrong product being purchased, which can harm your fish and also the biological filtration, which in-turn creates a much bigger problem to resolve.

Please contact us for more information on our Fish Parasite Detection and Treatment service or if you would like to discuss any current issues you may be experiencing with your pond or fish stock.

Pond Water Change Dechlorination, & Considerations (Safety Terms)

We will always dechlorinate your mains water before it’s added to your pond when we refill the pond to it’s normal water level, especially on large water changes, as mains water will have traces of chlorine in, which in large volumes can be toxic to fish over time. Alongside chlorine, which is actually easy to remove, we have another new substance called chloramine to consider. Chloramine is the chemical combination of chlorine and ammonia, which doesn’t evaporate like chlorine and remains active in water for a very long time. Older treatment methods, such as letting water stand, no longer work on mains water containing chloramine, so specialised non-harmful treatments are used to effectively remove it during water changes for the safety of all live stock and wildlife in your pond.

Please note: We use either a vacuum or a submersible pump depending on pond size to remove water, however we always protect the fish and wildlife in the pond by putting a mesh cover over the suction inlet. In terms of the frequency of water changes and volume of water changed, would depend on your fish stock, the size of pond, filtration quality, and various other factors. Therefore we would always discuss this after visiting your pond, to enable us to make the correct recommendations.

Please contact us today to find out more about our routine water treatment services.

Pond planting

Pond plants really can bring a pond to life, not only do they enhance the natural look of your pond, but they also help greatly in maintaining the health of the water. Pond plants can help shade a pond and absorb nutrients reducing the risk of algae bloom, (Which turns your water green and allows blanketweed to grow.) With any water feature or pond however, It’s important to achieve the right balance of pond plants to provide an all year round colour variety, as well as creating that healthy and successful ecosystem in the water.

Plants can also provide much needed shelter for fish and aquatic wildlife, a natural food source, and an area on which they might spawn each year, so the position of your pond plants is essential to creating a natural looking and healthy water ecosystem. Here are some key facts to think about when choosing the right planting scheme.

Some plants prefer to be in the deeper depths of your pond or water feature,
Some plants prefer to stay near the surface of the pond.
Take into account also the potential height of a plant, as some plants grow very tall and overtime will obscure your pond if not positioned correctly.

Planting Guides can be separated into 6 zones of the pond:

Zone 1: Bog Plants - Above water level in the moist soil.

Zone 2 and 3: Marginal Plants - Can be planted from 0cm - 15cm deep.

Zone 4: Water Lilies and Deep Water Plants - Deepest part of the pond.

Zone 5: Oxygenating plants - Can be planted bunched together upto 100cm or 0-15cm deep if just planted separately.

Zone 6: Floating Plants - These plants prefer to be left at the ponds surface, and generally spread as they grow.

The below image shows the 6 zones and how they all work.

With our pond planting service, we can help you match the right plant to your new or existing water feature and help maintain the plants all year round with our routine maintenance services. We work with a network of aquatic plant suppliers in the UK to ensure we are always offering the best quality plants at an affordable price.

Please contact us for more information on our pond planting service.

Pump and Filter Maintenance

Pond Pump Maintenance:

Have you had flow issues with your pond pump or has it stopped working completely, then you may require a pump service or even a new pump. Unless your pump is very old, the most likely causes of a slow flowing pump is it needs to be cleaned out and inspected, as the build up of organic waste on the pond floor can start to clog the pumps impeller and in-turn will slow the pump or even stop the pump working. As part of our pump maintenance service, we can inspect your pump and carry out a full clean of the mechanical parts to restore the pump to its normal operation.

*Please note if the clean and inspect service does not fix the pump issues, then we will always advise on a new pump (Please see our pump and filter installation section for more information)

Pond Filter and UV Maintenance:

Have you had issues with green or murky water recently, or the flow rate from your filter has slowed and returning dirty water to the pond, then this could be a sign of your UV bulb (If installed) needing to be replaced, (as its always advisable to change the bulb every 12months) and it could be that your filter requires a clean out as a build up of organic waste in the filter can cause it to slow down and reduce the efficiency of its operation to clean the pond water, which in-turn causes dirty water returning to the pond, and leaving you with murky water that can cause stress to your aquatic life within the pond. We can help with this, with our filter maintenance service, we can change UV bulbs on any UV unit you have installed either stand alone or integrated into the filter system, and provide a filter clean to ensure it is able to cope with the dirty water from the pond, and returning it clear and healthy. We have worked on the majority of filters on todays market, and stock most spare parts for these filters to avoid any delays in the required service including changing filter sponges, hoses and clips.

*Please note we would not disturb the biological media with our filter clean service, as this is vital in keeping the pond healthy due to the nitrogen cycle that the biological filter helps towards, and if we felt the biological media wasn’t maturing correctly we have solutions we can add to you filter to help with this process going forward. We would also advise if we feel the filter system is inadequate for the size of pond you have, or if we feel the filter requires replacing due to age or beyond repair (Please see our pump and filter installation section for more information)

Pump and Filter Installation

Are you planning a new pond build and require a new pond pump and filter installed, or do you just want to upgrade your existing older system, no matter what the reason we can help. We have a wide range of pond pumps and filters that we can install depending on the type of pond you have from small goldfish ponds to large koi ponds, we are confident we can advise and install the right system to keep your pond clean, clear and healthy.

A filter system is an important part of keeping any pond as it helps with the ponds nitrogen cycle, by removing ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates, which all can be toxic to aquatic life if not removed correctly. However there are a few factors when installing the correct filter system, and with our installing service we will carry out a survey to ensure we choose the right system that will be best suited to your pond, as we look at the following factors that are considered the most important:

Pond Size:

We first measure the ponds Length, Width and Depth to work out the total water volume as this tells us the size of filter required and the pump LPH flow rate that is recommended, it also tells us the UV Unit size, as again bulb size works to the ponds overall litres, so we match the right size unit to the pond.

Wildlife / Fish Stock:

We will then go through the list of fish stock you have and any wildlife present already in the pond, or what you will be adding to your new pond, as certain filters only work efficiently with certain types of fish, for example a standard goldfish pond with a moderate amount of fish wouldn’t require a large filter system as the waste build up would not be as much as say a Koi pond, as koi fish require certain requirements due to their size and the amount of waste they create, so we always look at the fish stock in the pond, also considering frogs and newts, as frogs are well known to be messy and can create large amounts of pond waste. Once we have gathered this information we can make an informed decision on the type of pond filter you require.

Pump Head Heights:

Another important measurement we take is how far and high the pond pump will need to pump the pond water to the filter or water feature, the reason this is so important is a pump reduces flow the higher the head heights which in-turn will reduce the flow through the filter and UV unit and this can cause a slow return to the pond reducing oxygen and also when the pump has a build up of organic waste over time, it will struggle to provide the filter and UV and may even stop working completely. This tells us the LPH (Litres per hour) required when choosing the right pump.

Pond Plants:

We also consider the plant life in the pond or planned for the pond, as certain plants do not like splashing or fast running water, so for example water lilies tend not to enjoy water being splashed over them from a filter return or waterfall, so we keep this in mind when choosing the pump and filter, to avoid losing plants due to water flows.

Pond Location and filter location:

The location of your pond is vital to its success, and we look at this to see if the pond is under a tree or in the direct sunlight, so we can ensure the filter system is capable of working efficiently, as trees will cause large build up of organic waste by falling leaves, as if these leaves do not get removed regularly by a net or skimmer then they will sink to the pond floor, and over time will put pressure on the pump and water clarity. Direct sunlight is always looked at, due to algae bloom, so the UV unit has to be capable of assisting with keeping the water from turning green in the height of summer, also sun and heat contribute to reduced oxygen levels in the pond, so an increased flow of water may be required if your pond is located in sunny position.

The above is a brief overview of our process when looking at new pumps and/or filter systems, and we will always provide you with our recommendations when it comes to your new filter system, as a filter can be costly depending on the size or type of filter, and getting it right first time saves money in the future, and keeps your pond clean, clear and healthy all year round.

If you would like to discuss your pump and/or filter requirements please contact us for more information.

Pond Liner Repair or Replacement

Have you noticed recently your pond water level is dropping? Well there is a few reasons this could happen during certain times of year, from evaporation due to the heat, or wind that could be pushing water out of overflows and water features, or it could even be a leaking filter system (Please visit our pump and filter maintenance section for more information on filter leaks)

Patch Repair:

However if after topping up the pond, and this is a continued issue, you may have a liner leak. This generally is a hole in the liner where a plant root has grown through the liner or animals have been in the pond and claws have pierced the liner, where then water can escape out the pond and drain under the liner into the soil below. We can help! We provide a liner patch repair service, where we visit to carry out tests to locate the leak, and carry out a liner repair. We use the latest pond sealants that are completely safe for all fish, wildlife and plants you have in the pond.

We will always advise you on the best solution for your liner leak before carrying out any work, to avoid increased costs.

Please Note: We can only carry out a patch repair if the liner leak is due to small holes, and only in 1 or 2 areas, as if we find more that 2-3 areas, or if the hole is on the pond floor, we would always recommend a liner replacement as the patch repair will be under more pressure and may fail over a shorter period of time.

Pond Liner Replacement:

We can install new liners for newly built ponds, or we offer a liner replacement service for ponds that have leaks or if your liner is decades old and requires a fresh start. We provide and install high quality pond liners for all budgets, from PVC liners to EPDM liners:

PVC Liners: are suitable for small to medium sized ponds, having excellent flexibility and high puncture resistance.
Butyl Liners: are a synthetic rubber membrane with exceptional physical properties making it the ideal choice for lining ponds, lakes and streams.
SealEco EPDM / Firestone PondGard: Very similar to the butyl liner the EPDM liner has different chemical compositions, but look and feel the same, however as a result of higher current levels of production, EPDM has become more economical than the Butyl liner.

All our liner installations come with a heavy duty underlay, not only to protect the liner from shape stones, roots etc, but also to reduce excessive localised stretching of the liner when ground settlement occurs over time.

We provide a full measuring service to ensure the correct underlay and liner is advised, and also to look over the area the pond is located to advise on the best type of liner to use.

If you would like any further information, please contact us and we will be happy to help.