We recommend that you clean your pond in the Fall or early Spring when temperatures are 45-70 degrees. Avoid cleaning pools during the Summer (unless absolutely necessary due to foul weather or chemicals accidentally contaminating the pool), as the fish will stress very easily.
Assemble:
Holding tank for fish
Stiff brush
Pump and tubing or hose
Bucket
Fishnet
Netting or boards to cover holding tank
Medi Fin
DeChlor or Aqua Safe NH/CL
Measuring spoons
Extension cord (UL outdoor approved)
Tetra Luft and Air Rock
Process:
- Set up holding tank for fish in a shaded area. Clean plastic trash cans, tubs, or child’s wading pools are all suitable. If possible, provide aeration.
- Fill holding tank with original pool water.
- Transfer livestock to holding tank. Cover with netting or boards.
- Pump excess water out of the pond. (Be careful not to flood your or your neighbor’s yard.)
- Remove and cover any plants with wet newspaper or burlap and keep in the shade.
- Bail out remaining water.
- Be sure to remove sludge that has accumulated at the bottom of the pool.
- Scrub the pool floor with a stiff brush and clean water. Do not remove any beneficial algae from the walls of the pool.
- Rinse pool and drain.
- Refill pool with fresh water.
- Add DeClor or Aqua Safe.
- Add Medi Fin to eliminate any potential parasite problems.
- To reintroduce fish, temper them by adding new, treated pond water to holding tank so that the holding tank water temperature is within 2 degrees of pond water.
- Release fish into the pool.
- Repot plants, if necessary, and put them back into the pool.
- Clean filter and reinstall in the pond.
For any questions, please come into the store, email, or call us. We’d be happy to help!