Do you see this when you go out to your water feature? 

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.  

​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. 

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?  

​Before we get right into it, let’s run through a quick scenario.

​You are in the process of or have recently just purchased your new dream home.  You and your family are ecstatic and elated with your new home and looking forward to creating long lasting memories together.  There just so happens to be this body of water which was called a fish pond or maybe you just have a fountain or one of those circulating waterfalls. 

You and the family stand outside gazing at this beautiful feature or maybe it’s not so beautiful but green, murky, and just plain stagnant.  Either way you look back at your home and then at the water feature thinking to yourself: 
What have I gotten myself into, I don’t even know where to start?  What now? 

July is hot, humid, full of sunshine, and fireworks here in New Jersey.   It's also the month we mark on our calendars to perform our Mid-Summer Pond/Water Feature Visits.   July marks the middle of our ponding season and the time has come to perform some important maintenance tasks to keep our fish ponds and water features running strong for the remainder of the season.  

Your New Jersey pond professional, or maybe you, has just finished installing a new koi pond and you are so excited.  It's beautiful and you can't wait to relax with your favorite beverage and take in the sights and sounds of your new waterfall.  Your fish are happy and stunning, you're just elated!  
A few days pass, your fish pond is doing great and you go outside one day and see something horrible.  Your newly installed koi pond isn't clear any more, not even cloudy, it's GREEN!  You can't see anything and you want to cry!  That beautiful pond is now UGLY and you can't figure out what went wrong or what to do.  What just happened? 

It's spring all the trees are blooming, tulips and daffodils have popped, and your pond or waterfall is running but your aquatic plants haven't started to grow or maybe just started to come to life.  You may be asking yourself, are my water lilies and other pond plants going to come back to life or do I need to replace them.  Ok, you assume they're not dead, but when will I see signs of life.  When are my beautiful water lilies and other pond and aquatic plants going to start to grow?