Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, Pondless Waterfalls, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Aquatic Plant Care, Aquatic Plant Fertilizer, Aquatic Plants, Beneficial Bacteria, Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Clean Out Pump, Clean Pond, clean up, Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria, Detox, Do it right the 1st time, Filter Mats, Filter Pads, Fish Health, Fish net, Fish Tank, How Do I Clean My Water Garden | Koi Pond | Carters Nursery & Pond & Patio | Jackson, Koi, Koi Health, Koi Health Tip, Koi Health Tips, Koi Nets, Koi Pond, Koi Ponds, Koi Supplies, Low Maintenance, Maintenance Tips, Multiple Waterfalls, Pond Cleaning, Pond Cleaning Supplies, Pond Maintenance, Pond Maintenance Tips, Pond Supplies, Pond Tip, Pond Tip Tuesday, Pond Tips, Ponds, Preventative Maintenance, Spring Cleaning, Spring Pond Maintenance, Spring Pond Tips, Summer Pond Tips, Tips, Tranquil Tuesday, Tuesday, Water Garden, Water Garden Maintenance, Water garden supplies, Weekly Pond Tip, Winter Pond Tips, Yard Ponds
Spring is no longer a rumor… It is HERE! People are calling in a frenzy to get their names on our maintenance list to insure they get their Ponds Serviced for the season! Its always exciting moving in to Spring Pond Season! Getting ready for another great year with our Koi Ponds and Water Gardens ❤️ Guess what? A proper Spring Pond Cleaning is the key to success!

We clean a LOT of Water Features for our Clients. But, many do their own clean out. So for the all the DIY’s out there, here’s a great little checklist to help you prepare for your clean-out. Experience has taught me that ALL projects benefit from advanced planning! Having all the necessary supplies on hand before you get started always makes it go faster and easier.

Planning ahead a little just means you can spend less time working on your pond and more time ENJOYING it!
Here’s a list of supplies you will need! 👇🏻
1. Fish Nets – Before you drain your pond for the spring clean-out, you’ll need to catch and relocate your fish. Purchasing a good quality net means doing this without injuring your fish during the catch and release.
2. Planting Pots – Spring clean-out is a great time to thin and divide plants that have grown out of bounds or crowded a pot. Make sure you have some aquatic plant pots & aquatic plant soil handy so you can re-pot and share your new plants with other water gardeners.
3. Extra Gravel – After the freeze and thaw of winter, you’ll inevitably find rocks and gravel that have shifted, exposing bare liner. With an extra bag or two of gravel, you can cover exposed liner in a jiffy.
4. Aquatic Plant Fertilizer – Take advantage of the water-free accessibility of water lilies, lotus, and other plants that may need to be fertilized, by having a container of aquatic plant fertilizer tabs on hand when you’re doing your pond clean-out.
5. Container for Plant Debris – Grab an old plastic plant pot or bucket so you can easily dispose of any debris that you gather from the pond bottom or from dead plant matter.
6. Rubber Gloves and Boots – Spring clean-outs can be cold, wet, and messy. Arming yourself with boots and gloves will go a long way toward making this chore much less unpleasant.
7. Fish Container – A large tub or tank will be needed so you can have a roomy place to keep your fish during the clean-out. Use water from the pond to fill the tank and use a small fountain pump to re-circulate the water.
8. Net to Cover the Fish Container – Fish, especially large Koi, jump, and they may very well jump right out of the container that you have set up for them. Be sure to cover it with a net that is pulled tight across the container to prevent them from jumping.
9. Pump and Discharge Pipe – To drain the water out of the pond, you will need a pump and some discharge pipe. It’s OK to use your pond pump, but even better if you have an extra pump to lessen the wear and tare on your pond pump. About 2,000 GPH, depending on the size of your pond, will do the trick.
10. High Pressure Nozzle – Use a pressure nozzle on your garden hose to dislodge debris and algae from the rocks.
11. Pond Detox – Always detox the newly filled pond before you put the fish back in.
12. Expanding Foam – Expanding foam may need a bit of a touch up in some areas. Be prepared with a can of it just in case.
13. New Filter Mats – Filter mats should be replaced approximately every 3 years. If you think it might be time, be prepared by purchasing replacements prior to your clean-out.
14. Pruners – Part of a spring clean-out is pruning back dead plant material from the previous season. Make sure you have a good pair of pruners and/or scissors to get the job done.
15. Plastic Rake – You can rake the leaves right out of your pond with a small plastic (child’s) rake. The plastic lessens the chance of damaging the liner and the small size makes it easier to maneuver in tight spots than an adult size rake.

After the Water Feature is thoroughly cleaned, re-filled, detoxed and running, carefully place the fish back in the pond & start adding fresh Cold Temperature Bacteria to the Pond to get the system up and running correctly.

With a little work you too will be ready for a Great outdoor season.
Its Springtime Baby! 🌼
Happy Pond Tip Tuesday!
Have a great day!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
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There’s an old saying in my business- “Everybody wants a waterfall, they just don’t know it… Yet”!
PS: It became an old saying, because it’s true!
“I’m wanting a backyard Pond”… I hear this quite often in my business. Usually they have seen a beautiful Water Garden or Waterfall and want one as well (that old saying comes true again)…
Come by the nursery one day soon and check out our Water Feature displays, Aquatic Plants and Koi. One of our wonderful staff members will answer your questions, help you with information and sign you up for a Personal Design Consultation. Then I will call you and set up a time to come by to design and create a custom Water Feature of your very own.
Our retail Garden Center and Water Feature Showroom is open Tuesday Thru Thursday from 8 to 5 & Friday from 8am. – 4pm. We are open Saturdays from 8-2!
Come by and see the possibilities!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw
Facebook pg. – https://www.facebook.com/mark.carter.775
Pinterest pg. – https://www.pinterest.com/cartersnursery/
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections | Tags: Always finish, Dad, Do it right the 1st time, Do your best, Great Dad, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Reflections, Sundays
My father taught me a lot of things. One of the most important was that no matter what you do, you always do it right the 1st time! And, that the final details are the most important. The devil is in those details! Sitting here this beautiful Sunday morning, reflecting in the silence of the garden, it’s so apparent to me that those lessons made me who I am today. Thanks Dad!

That’s me with my dad & my first dog Heidi – He let me pick out my very 1st. dog on my own 😊 I’m wearing his uniform hat and his coat… of course. He was & still is the BEST dad in the world! He taught me how to be a man!
ALWAYS FINISH
If a task is once begun,
Never leave it till it’s done.
Be the labor great or small,
Do it well or not at all.
~ Anonymous
Have a Blessed Day!
Mark C.