An outdoor water feature like a pond or fountain can be a beautiful addition to any property. That beauty comes at a cost, however, and one of those costs is the responsibility of maintaining it. There’s some standard upkeep that you can perform yourself, but the more advanced maintenance tasks may require the assistance of a professional. This is the kind of work where you don’t want to cut corners. Your outdoor pond or fountain will thank you for leaving jobs like these to experienced technicians.
Sometimes the signs are obvious. Anyone can spot a blemish on a fountain or skim up debris that’s floating a little too visibly on the surface and blocking your view of the fish. Some issues, however, require an expert diagnosis and the right equipment to fix.
The Hidden Causes of Murky Water
During a normal operational season, your pond or fountain will be exposed to any number of elements which might cause visibly murky water. The most significant cause is algae growth. Algae causes discoloration in water features, and left untreated, it will cloud your view of any life your pond is supporting. Sunlight, the abundance of nutrients, and subpar water filtration can all accelerate algae growth.
Mud and dead leaves are other factors to consider. These can easily wash up in your pond after periods of rain, and once they settle on the bottom, they can cause a buildup of muck that becomes harder to clean the longer it sits there. Inadequate filtration will unsurprisingly exacerbate the problem.
A professional cleaning can treat these problem areas and install a new filtration system in your pond or fountain if necessary.
The Presence of Foul Odors
Foul odors and murky water often go hand in hand. If the water in your pond or fountain appears dirty because of uncontrolled algae growth or the buildup of sludge at the bottom of the feature, it will almost certainly give off unpleasant smells in addition to making your fish and aquatic plants harder to see. In advanced cases, dealing with this problem is more complicated than simply skimming the surface of the pond or scrubbing the bottom with a brush, and in many cases, taking this task on yourself can only stir up the cause of the problem and make it even worse.
When guests or customers are visiting your property, the last thing you want is to expose them to foul odors. The state of your property’s features is a reflection of the owner, so you want your decorative pieces to impress rather than repulse. If your pond or fountain is giving off a bad scent, you need professional maintenance.
The Technical Difficulties of Faulty Pumps
Dealing with murky water and foul smells in a pond or fountain manually may treat the problem in the short term in some cases, but it’s by no means a permanent solution, especially if the cause of the problem is a faulty mechanical component. This includes filtration systems and pumps. If these components aren’t working correctly, your system will only continue to see a buildup of muck and algae, and your fountain will spray out dirty water and leave those unpleasant odors on the surrounding features.
In many cases, a new filtration system will prevent these problems from recurring. This is not the job for a do-it-yourselfer. Trying to install filtration systems and pumps without the requisite training may result in wasting money and making the problem worse in the long run.
First State Ponds & Fountains brings installation and maintenance services to residential and commercial customers in Delaware and Southeastern Pennsylvania. Get in touch with us at (302) 530-1868 to discuss your needs.
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