Water garden & pond maintenance

Clear water, happy fish, no hassle.

Pond and waterfall maintenance in Reno and Sparks: weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or semi-annual visits, and a full clean-out when your pond needs a reset.

Schedule maintenance

Call 775.343.5644

A Ponds By May technician in waders working on a boulder-edged pond

The pond clean-out

A full reset, top to bottom.

Once or twice a year, a pond needs more than a skim. We drain it, clean everything, check the fish and the equipment, and fill it back up.

Before: a tired backyard pond with a muddy edge and a garden hose — Before

After: the same pond rebuilt with clean stone edges, a stream and clear water — After

every clean-out

Pond clean-out includes:

Drain, rinse & pond refill
Pressure wash rock & gravel
Removal of excess debris & leaves
Fish health inspection
Thin out overgrown aquatic plants
Check underwater lighting
Clean pond filters & inspect
Inspect pumps & check valves
Check float valve
Pond, stream & waterfall face lift (adjust rocks & gravel)

Maintenance plans

Pick a rhythm. Call for pricing.

Available weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or semi-annual. We’ll suggest what fits your pond; you choose.

Weekly

The closest eye, for busy koi ponds and water features that get a lot of use.

Bi-weekly

A steady routine through the warm months.

Monthly

For lightly stocked ponds and Pondless® waterfalls.

Semi-annual

A spring wake-up and a fall clean-up.

Call 775.343.5644 for pricing, or ask for a free quote.

The pond year in Reno

What your pond needs, season by season.

High-desert ponds have their own calendar: dry summers, leafy falls, icy winters. Here’s the short version.

Spring March – May
Wake the pond up
- Spring clean-out: drain, rinse and refill, pressure-wash the rock, clear the winter’s leaves.
- Restart pumps, check valves, and clean and inspect the filters.
- Start beneficial bacteria once the water warms up.
- Ease fish back onto food as the water climbs past about 50°F.
Handy now: Clean For Ponds, Maintain For Ponds, Rapid Clear Flocculant
Summer June – August
Keep it clear
- Top off often: Reno’s dry air and sun pull a lot of water out of a pond.
- Keep algae down with bacteria, plants and an IonGen before reaching for chemicals.
- Thin overgrown water plants; check the underwater lights.
- Feed a little, only what the fish finish in a few minutes.
Handy now: IonGen System G2, Algaecide – 8 oz, Maintain For Ponds
Fall September – November you are here
Beat the leaves
- Net the pond before the leaves drop. It’s the easiest clean-out you’ll ever skip.
- Switch to cold-water bacteria as the nights get colder.
- Cut back water plants and empty the skimmer often.
- Feed less as the water cools, and stop below about 50°F.
Handy now: Protective Pond Netting – 14' X 20', Protective Pond Netting – 28' X 30', Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria
Winter December – February
Keep a breathing hole
- Run an aerator to keep a hole open in the ice so gases can escape.
- Never smash the ice; the shock is hard on the fish.
- Keep the waterfall running or shut it down for winter. We’ll help you choose.
- We plow too: residential snow removal when the storms roll in.
Handy now: Pro Air 60 Pond Aeration Kit, 10" Rubber Membrane Aeration Diffuser, Weighted Aeration Tubing – 3/8" X 25'

Questions

Pond care questions

How often should a pond be cleaned out?

Most ponds need a full clean-out once a year, usually in spring, and some do better with a second one in fall. Regular maintenance visits in between keep the water clear and catch problems early.

Do you check on the fish?

Yes. A fish health inspection is part of every clean-out. If we find sick fish, our fish rescue can take them in and medicate them.

Do you service ponds you didn’t build?

Yes. If you need pond or waterfall repair, get in touch and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Why is my water green?

Usually too many nutrients and not enough filtration or plants. Beneficial bacteria, a properly sized pump and filter, shade from plants and not over-feeding the fish all help. We can diagnose it on a visit.