Every spring here in Morris County NJ area we receive hundreds of inquiries for "How much does a spring koi pond cleaning cost?"  In this Weekly Ribbit we are going to address that very question and share with you many of the variables that can affect the cost of a spring koi pond cleaning cost.  After you have read our publication you will be able to make an educated decision on who you should call to help you with your spring pond cleaning!   

In Morris County New Jersey and many northern climates winter poses some challenges for our fish ponds and water features.  Our ponds and fish are subject to extreme cold temperatures, snow, and debris flying around and landing in our ponds and water features.  Spring arrives and all we want to do is get those features running to enjoy them throughout the spring, summer and fall.  It's a daunting and disgusting task, is a pond/water feature cleaning really necessary? 
 
By the time you’re done reading this blog, you'll be able to ask yourself if having a spring koi pond cleaning is the right choice for your pond.  

PERMITS... its almost a 4 letter word in NJ except it has 7.  Ok, really, we've all dealt with them at one time or another when we are looking to do that exciting project on our home.  If you haven't yet, consider yourself fortunate.  Permits can be frustrating and sometimes turn an exciting project from exciting to not so so exciting quickly.  You're thinking about installing a koi/fish pond or water feature, but will you have to deal with getting a permit from the town to have this beautiful addition to your landscape installed? 

​Quite often we receive calls and are asked “I have a hole in my liner, how much does it cost to patch the hole in my liner?” This is just too broad of a question to come out and answer.  It’s similar to asking, How much does a pond cost? A preformed plastic pond isn’t going to cost you much...as you may be able to get one from a neighbor or at a local garage sale, maybe even for free.  However, that custom ecosystem pond is going to be a bit more.  

​When and if your pond or water feature pump quits running there are a series of necessary steps and precautions to take. The topic that was featured on this Weekly Ribbit dealt with what those steps are. If your pump were to quit running it is best to conduct a thorough check in detecting where the problem is. Before contacting a professional, it can be helpful to narrow down the possibilities. If you do not trust yourself to do so, then contacting a professional may be your best option. 

The question that a viewer had that was answered in number 32 of TheWeeklyRibbit was: can I put smaller fish in my pond with larger fish? That was a great inquiry.  With any creature there is always a fear of the possibility that the larger creature will eat the smaller one, similarly to survival of the fittest.

We've talked about how pond lighting and outdoor lighting in general is the most underutilized addition to many landscapes, however will pond lighting affect our fish?   We are asked this quite frequently throughout the year when a hobbyist is interested in adding this wonderful feature to their existing or newly created koi pond.  Do you think adding lights to your pond could harm your koi/pond fish?  

The waterlily is one of the most popular additions to any fish pond or water garden.  They are beautiful, have wonderful flowers, and of course the the most favored area for our favorite pond inhabitant, the frog, to hang out.  
While these "jewels" of the water garden are beautiful they do have have a few requirements for them to grow big and beautiful.  Have you ever noticed from one year to the next they just aren't doing as well or maybe you noticed it's not blooming?  

We live in a world of hustle and bustle, our time is at a premium and most of that time is taken up by daylight.  Often, we work long hours during daylight and just don't have the time to sit back and enjoy our koi ponds or water features during the day.  When the sun turns off, it doesn't mean we have to stop enjoying all the beauty our water features and koi ponds posses.  The night koi pond and water feature is like no other.  

Skimmers... it's a word often associated with swimming pools, however they are a integral piece of the filtration puzzle for koi ponds and water gardens.  Koi pond skimmers perform the mechanical part of the filtration process.  Koi pond skimmers are a line of defense in keeping leaves, twigs and other debris by catching this debris in an easy to empty debris basket.  In addition, the great koi pond skimmer also houses the pump, the heart of any koi or fish pond.   Why is any of this of any importance for the koi pond hobbyist?