Filed under: Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Aquatic Plant Care, Aquatic Plant Fertilizer, Aquatic Plants, Clean Out Pump, Clean Pond, Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Season Water Treatments, Cool Temp Koi Food, Detox, Fall Pond Tips, Fish Health, Fish Tank, Healthy Fish, Healthy Koi, Healthy Water, How Do I Clean My Water Garden, How Do I Clean My Water Garden | Koi Pond | Carters Nursery & Pond & Patio | Jackson, Koi Health, Koi Health Tip, Koi Health Tips, Koi Nets, Koi Ponds, Maintenance Tips, Pond Cleaning, Pond Cleaning Supplies, Pond Maintenance, Pond Maintenance Tips, Pond Supplies, Pond Tip, Pond Tip Tuesday, Pond Tips, Preventative Maintenance, Spring Cleaning, Spring Pond Cleaning, Spring Pond Maintenance, Summer Pond Tips, Tips, Unhealthy Water, Water Garden, Water Garden Maintenance, Weekly Pond Tip, Winter Pond Tips, Yard Ponds
The days are getting longer! Spring approachith… Soon it will be time to start our pond maintenance crews to doing the yearly work of cleaning Ponds & Water Gardens for the season. People are already calling in to get their names on our maintenance list to insure they get their Ponds Serviced for the season! Its always exciting to get ready for another great year with our Koi Ponds and Water Gardens, and a proper Late Winter/Early 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.
For the all the DIY’s out there, here’s a little checklist to help you be ready. My experience has taught me that projects of any type benefit from advanced planning. Having all the necessary supplies on hand before you get started always makes it go faster and easier.
HELPFUL TIP: it’s good planning to get your Aquatic Plant fertilizer tabs now, BEFORE draining your pond and then realizing you should have got them when you bought your low temp bacteria and dechlorinator. This keeps you from running to the store in the middle of your clean-out (which can mean a whole day of work instead of a half day) and it allows you to fertilize your plants while the pond is drained instead of later when the pond is full again.
Planning ahead a little just means you can spend less time working on your pond and more time ENJOYING it!
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 will be ready for a Great outdoor season.
It won’t be long now! Spring is Coming!
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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Filed under: Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Cold, Cold Blooded, Cold Pond, Cold Water, Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria, Cold Winter, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Temp Koi Food, Fall Pond Tips, Feeding Koi, Fish Health, Hand Feeding Koi, Health, Healthy Fish, Healthy Koi, It’s Cold!, Koi, Koi Feeding, Koi Feeding Schedule, Koi Fix, Koi Health, Koi Health Tip, Koi Health Tips, Koi Pond, Koi Ponds, Koi Supplies, Maintenance Tips, Pond Maintenance Tips, Pond Tip, Pond Tip Tuesday, Pond Tips, Protect Your Koi, Seasonal Koi Feeding Temperatures, Seasonal Koi Feeding Times, Stop Feeding Koi, Tips, Tuesday, Unhealthy Water, Weekly Pond Tip, Winter Pond Tips
Fall is in full swing! The sun is setting earlier every day & the temps are falling… And soon, the saddest part of the season will be paying us a visit… The time when we STOP feeding our Koi for the season 😢
My Koi have eaten well this year & have put on a good bit of fat to get them through the Cool Season ahead. Now is the time that many of my clients and fellow Koi enthusiasts start asking a very important question…
– When do I stop feeding Cool Season Koi Food to my Pond Pets?
– My Answer- Remember the rule of 50!

When the water temperature stabilizes below 50 degrees Fahrenheit you should stop feeding your Koi… Even Cool Season Koi Food… We like to call it the ‘Rule Of 50’… | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Switching to a Cool Temperature Koi Food is very important for the health of your Koi! So is knowing when to stop feeding!

Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometer. Our finned friends are cold blooded & water temperature is very important when it comes to seasonal feeding times. Pick one up at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
So to wrap it up, keep a check on your water temp (via a Pond thermometer) & when your water temp stabilizes below 50 degrees, you should transition from Cool Season Koi Food to NO More feeding for this season. That’s the “Rule of 50”…
Viva La’ Fall!
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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Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: #fishyfriday, Butterfly Koi, Comets, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Temp Koi Food, domestic koi, Elite Koi, Feeding Koi, Fish, Fish Cave, Fish Feeding, Fish Food, Fish Health, Fish net, Fish Safe EPDM, Fish Safe Liner, Fish Sale, Fish stocking rates, Fishy Friday, Friday blog, Friday From The Road, Friday Off, Friday Report, Friday’s, gold fish, Healthy Fish, Healthy Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, It’s Finally Friday, Koi, Koi Fix, Koi Food, Koi for sale, Koi Health, Koi History, Koi Pond, Koi Ponds, Koi Shack, Koi Supplies, Koi Terminology, Pond Fish, Shubunkins, Thank God It’s Fishy Friday, Thank God It’s Friday
I just LOVE fish! Koi and Butterfly Koi are probably my favorite… But, I love a big beautiful fantail Comet! And, Shubunkins are so much fun and are also beautiful fish… What is one to do? I know, get a few of them all and enjoy 😊

You can buy fish at Carters Nursery 5 days a week during normal business hours. But, on Friday, we do a little something special. We call it ‘Fishy Friday’ and all the fish you buy are 20% off! 💥
Fishy Friday’s | Koi | Shubunkins| Comets | Butterfly Koi | Pond Fish | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN




Have a great weekend!
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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Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: 50 Degree Rule, 60 degree Rule, Cold Blooded, Cold Pond, Cold Water, Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria, Color Enhancing Koi Food, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Season Water Treatments, Cool Temp Koi Food, Eating Healthy, Fish Food, Fish Health, Food, Good food, Great Food, Health, Healthy Fish, Healthy Koi, Healthy Water, High Protein Koi Food, Koi Food, Koi Health, Koi Health Tip, Koi Health Tips, Maxi Growth Koi Food, Pond Tip, Pond Tips, Rule of 60, Seasonal Koi Feeding Temperatures, Seasonal Koi Feeding Times, The Rule of 50, The Rule of 60
I post seasonal Koi information, temperatures and best practices for your Koi’s health every year about this time. Sure enough, we have made another trip around the Sun and it’s Spring time again! 😊 People are already asking “can we start feeding our Koi now”… I always tell em’ to Check your Pond thermometer & “Remember the rule of 50”!

“I’ve been hawking my Pond Thermometer these last couple of weeks! The temperature of the water has been slowly rising as the days get longer and we approach Spring. As usual, I will start the feeding season with Cool Temp Koi Food when the water temperature has stabilized at 50 + degrees. The “rule of 50” I like to call it…

This is my favorite season of the year! Everything is waking up! Including my KOI! They have been VERY active! Literally begging for food 🐟 It’s so hard to wait… But, it’s part of the process & it’s so important for our finned friends health and well being.

So, to wrap it up…
The Rule of 50 = Let the water temp stabilize for a week at 50+ degrees Fahrenheit before you start to feed your koi in the Spring. AND, when you do start back to feeding, use a quality, Cool Season Koi Food! And don’t over feed! Happier days are here again.
Happy Pondering
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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Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Beneficial Bacteria, Clean Pond, Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria, Color Enhancing Koi Food, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Temp Koi Food, Debris Net, Dip Net, Elite Koi, Feeding Koi, Fish Food, Healthy Fish, Healthy Koi, High Protein Koi Food, How Do I Clean My Water Garden, How Do I Clean My Water Garden | Koi Pond | Carters Nursery & Pond & Patio | Jackson, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, Koi, Koi Fix, Koi Food, Koi for sale, Koi Health, Koi Health Tip, Koi History, Koi Keepers, Koi Nets, Koi Pond, Koi Ponds, Koi Shack, Koi Supplies, Koi Terminology, Maintenance Tips, Maxi Growth Koi Food, Pond Cleaning, Pond Cleaning Supplies, pond filtration, Pond Lighting, Pond Maintenance, Pond Maintenance Tips, Pond Supplies, Pond Tip, Pond Tip Tuesday, Pond Tips, Ponds, Spring Cleaning, Spring Pond Cleaning, Spring Pond Maintenance, Tips, Weekly Pond Tip
6 Things Koi Keepers Always Do In Their Ponds | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
1- Koi Keepers always keep a Debris Net handy! Murphy’s Law applies to your Pond! IF it can get in your Pond, it eventually will… So having a sturdy Debris Net handy, is a must!

2- Koi Keepers always add Beneficial Bacteria to their Ponds. It does a great job of helping you keep the water clean and healthy with minimal effort.

3- Koi Keepers always keep an eye on Aquatic Plant growth. They have learned that spending just a few minutes a week touching up their plants, makes them perform beautifully throughout the season!
4- Koi Keepers feed their “Finned Friends” top quality Koi Food! They make sure that their Koi Food is high quality and doesn’t have corn 🌽 in the top 3 ingredients.

5- Koi Keepers keep their Ponds clean! Spring and Fall Pond Maintenance is a MUST! They always start the Spring season with a comprehensive Pond Cleaning. Then they follow up with partial water changes as needed and Fall Pond Netting.
6- Koi Keepers spend quality time out by their Ponds with friends, family and of course, their Koi! They have learned that the Greatest Thing About Having A Pond, is spending time around it. They have learned that ‘A Pond will change your life!’

Thanks! Have a wonderful 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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Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: 50 Degree Rule, Cold Blooded, Cold Pond, Cold Water, Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria, Cold Weather, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Season Water Treatments, Fall and Winter Water Garden Care, Fall Pond Tips, Healthy Fish, Healthy Koi, Koi Health, Koi Health Tip, Koi Health Tips, Pond Tip, Pond Tip Tuesday, Pond Tips, The Rule of 50, Tips, Weekly Pond Tip, Winter Is Coming, Winter Koi care, Winter Pond Problems, Winter Pond Tips
Fall is in full swing! The sun is setting earlier every day & the temps are falling… And soon, the saddest part of the season will be paying us a visit… The time when we STOP feeding our Koi for the season 😔
The Koi have eaten well this year & have put on a good bit of fat to get them through the Cool Season ahead. Now is the time that many of my clients and fellow Koi enthusiasts start asking a very important question…
– When do I stop feeding Cool Season Koi Food to my Pond Pets?
– My Answer- Remember the rule of 50!

When the water temperature stabilizes below 50 degrees Fahrenheit you should stop feeding your Koi… Even Cool Season Koi Food… We like to call it the ‘Rule Of 50’… | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
Switching to a Cool Temperature Koi Food is very important for the health of your Koi! So is knowing when to stop feeding!

Every Pond should have a floating Pond thermometer. Our finned friends are cold blooded & water temperature is very important when it comes to seasonal feeding times. Pick one up at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
So to wrap it up, keep a check on your water temp (via a floating thermometer) & when your water temp stabilizes below 50 degrees, you should transition from Cool Season Koi Food to NO More feeding for this season. That’s the “Rule of 50”…
Viva La’ Fall!
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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Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Videos, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: #fishyfriday, 50 Degree Rule, Feeding Koi, Fish, Fish Feeding, Fish Food, Fish Health, Fish net, Fish Sale, Happy Koi, Healthy Fish, Healthy Koi, Koi Food, Koi for sale, Koi Health, Koi Nets, Koi Shack, Koi Supplies, Moment of Zen, Monday Morning Moment of Zen, Monday’s, Morning Zen, Pond Fish, Quality Koi, The Rule of 50, Water Temperature, Zen, Zen Video, Zen Waterfall
It’s a bit warmer in the Koi house so they get to start eating a little earlier than Koi who live in an outdoor Pond. I know you all are ready to get back to feeding them again, but it’s not quite warm enough yet… So I though you might enjoy a glimpse of what’s to come 😊
Spring is coming quick! Are you ready?

Who’s ready to enjoy a ‘Moment of Zen’ by their pond again? 😊 | Just Remember the Rule of 50 & be ready, because Spring is Coming!
Have a Zen filled Monday & a GREAT week!
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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Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Waterfalls | Tags: #waterfallwednesday, 24 Hour Enjoyment, Color Changing Fountain Lights, Color Changing Lights, Custom Fountains, Falling Water, Floating Fountains, Fountains, Gentle Sounds, Healthy Fish, Healthy Water, I ❤️ My Art, I ❤️ Water, I ❤️ Waterfalls, Oxygen, Soothing Sounds, Sound Therapy, Spot lights, Water Features, Water Quality
Good morning! You know I LOVE Waterfalls! I love Designing & Building them & I love sitting by a Waterfall and soaking up the relaxing, positive energy they provide.
Today I wanted to spotlight another style of “Falling Water” – The Floating Fountain!

If you have a large, earthen Pond or Lake, these Floating Fountains will totally transform them! | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee

These are truly a 24 Hour Feature! The Lighting is Amazing! The sound of the falling water is Amazing!
And check out the New Color Changing Lights for our Floating Fountains!! 1 word – Magical!

Color Changing Lights completely change the game! Transform that backyard or barnyard Pond Or Lake with a Floating Fountain with Magical, Color Changing Lights | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
The beauty and Sound that these Floating Fountains create is Amazing! Farm Ponds, Barnyard Ponds, Backyard ponds, Front-yard Ponds, Stock Ponds, HECK… ANY Pond or Small Lake will benefit from a feature like this!
- Improved Water Quality!!
- Higher Oxygen Levels!
- Healthier Fish!
- 24 Hour Enjoyment!!!
Falling Water & Waterfalls on #Waterfallwednesday!
Have a Great Day!
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