While one of the myths about water gardening is that it’s a big maintenance headache, with an Aquascape system this is certainly not the case. Our system is designed to be low maintenance by following natural principles of a balanced ecosystem. Bacteria, fish, plants, and algae are all living elements which make up this system. Here are the basic maintenance duties which are generally needed in our systems.

• Add bacteria to the water once a day for the first 2 weeks of pond operation, or after a pond cleanout. Usually twice a month when water is below 65, and once a month when water warms in summer.
• Add SAB (String Algae Buster) as a preventative once a month in season. If string algae is an issue use it more often. Note that SAB will not get rid of string algae, but rather makes conditions less favorable for its development.
• Clean out skimmer basket about once a week, more often in spring and fall and after storms. In areas with a lot of trees which is most of St. Louis, we usually like to have a fine mesh net over the water which greatly reduces the leaf accumulation in the water.
• Make sure the water level is good. If you ever replace more than 20% of the water with new you should add de-chlorinator.
• Remove any dead plant leaves.
• Winterizing - In St. Louis most people can use their waterfalls for most if not all of the winter. This will depend on the size and configuration of the system and the severity of the winter. There are 4 main issues to keep in mind in winter which are:
  1. Keep an eye on the water level.
  2. If you have fish, don't let the pond freeze solid.
  3. If you turn the waterfall off and you have a check valve, disconnect it from the supply line.
  4. If for any reason you remove the pump, keep it in a bucket of water in a place where it will not freeze
  We highly recommend filling your pond or reservoir the day before a surge of cold weather comes in. Try to find a system to keep your hose from freezing solid and then you may be able to use it even when temperatures are below freezing. If the water gets low or you hear the pump sucking turn the pump off and disconnect the check valve. If you have fish use a donut heater or bubbler to keep a hole in the ice which prevents ammonia from building up in the water. Also, be aware that if you have a stream without a lot of slope it could freeze up and create an ice dam and the water will create a new channel outside the liner. Leaves in the stream or overgrown plants can cause this as well. By the way, the fish will be fine under the ice.
• In spring we usually recommend a cleanout which removes leaves, debris, and sediment and cleans the rocks and filters and gets the pond ready for the new season.

A Word on Algae

When we talk about good water quality we are usually referring to the amount of algae in the water. Algae is part of the ecosystem and so we are not trying to eliminate it but to keep it in check. There are 2 types of algae in the pond, one causes the water to get cloudy and look like pea soup and the other produces long strings but the water may be clear. The pea soup type can be controlled fairly easily through the use of bacteria although it may take a week or 2 for the water to clear. The string type will form long strings on the rocks which grow quickly. Remember that string algae is stimulated by sunlight and excess nutrient. Ponds that have a lot of shade usually don’t have as much of a problem. SAB is a product that we use that has a preventative effect. It makes conditions less favorable for string algae to develop, but it will not get rid of it if it does occur. In those cases we recommend using Ecoblast in the pond and then repeating it in 2 or 3 days. For waterfalls and streams we have had good luck with white vinegar sprayed on the rocks. Turn off the pump and let the water drain out of the stream and then spray the vinegar letting it stand for about an hour. Remember that whatever you use try to remove the largest part of the algae because when it dies it adds to the nutrient level in the water. Sometimes reducing the amount of food or the protein in the food for the fish can make a difference. Try cherrios for a fish snack. And finally, we usually find that string algae is worse in the initial years of a pond. As a pond ages the ecosystem seems to mature and is better able to keep those annoying strings from developing.