Fixing an old pond can mean a lot of different things: repairing a leak, enlarging the original pond, redesigning a layout that doesn’t work well, or just renewing a long neglected pond in that house you just bought. Those first options should involve a discussion with a pond professional to assess the situation and help you decide your best approach, so let’s stick with the “new house, old pond” scenario for this discussion.
Your first step will be to take inventory of the situation. Is the pond currently filled with water? Does it have any live residents? What is it constructed of? Is there any equipment still attached or laying around? Are there any obvious problems you can see (leaks, tree roots, crocodiles)? If leaks or tree roots are interfering with the structure of the pond, it’s best to contact a pool professional for an assessment. (For crocodiles, you’re on your own.) If the structure is in basically good condition, you’ll want to check out your equipment next. There have been major improvements over the years in design and efficiency of pond pumps, filtration systems and even skimmers. The cost of a new pump could very well be covered in electric savings over a single year. At any rate, if anything is broken, plan to replace or upgrade it. Next, you’ll want to empty and completely clean out the existing pond. Begin by moving any surviving residents to a safe holding spot while you work. Once that’s out of the way, you can use a bucket or a pond pump to remove most of the water, then a shovel to scoop out any thick sludge at the bottom. Gently scrubbing the walls, bottom, and any rocks or features that were too big to remove should be sufficient for cleaning - you want to remove string or other large growths of algae, but do your best to avoid using toxic chemicals that could harm returning plants or fish. Once it’s spiffy and clean, hook up your filter, pump, aerator and any other equipment you’re planning to use and add water. Tap water should be accompanied by a water conditioner since evaporation won’t remove chloramine, which is used by many utilities today. Add some aquatic plants to help establish and maintain a good balance of nutrients, and if you’re in a hurry, you can follow up by adding some beneficial bacteria to get a start on establishing your biofilter. Test your water over a few days until you reach equilibrium, then add your fish slowly, checking your water chemistry as you go. Final step: pat yourself on the back for a job well done and enjoy your new pond!
