It’s Time To Hook Up Your Pump and Filter
If your pond has finally thawed, it’s a good time hook up your pump & filter. Getting your pump and filtration system running as soon as possible helps to improve water quality for your fish and gets your pond looking its best. Don’t forget to double check all fittings and hose clamps to ensure everything is tight, you don’t want to have tubing come loose from a filter or UV and accidentally drain the pond. Also check your tubing for cracks or pinhole leaks. Tubing often becomes brittle after a few years, the older it is, the more prone it is to cracking. Once you have everything hooked up, check your water level, wait at least a few hours and then check it again to make sure it remains constant.
It is also a good idea to do a few partial water changes over the few weeks. Draining and refilling the pond about 20% helps to flush out some tannins, nitrates and other compounds that may have accumulated in the water over the winter.