How to Take Care of a Water Feature

 If you are looking to add an element of tranquility to your backyard landscaping, one way to do so is with some kind of water feature. Like most things, however, having that thing is just one part of the equation; taking care of it is the other. So, how exactly do you take care of your water feature so that you can enjoy it for years? That’s what we are going to discuss in this post. From the tools, to the terms, and even seasonal “gotchas” that can be easy to overlook, everything you need to take care of your water feature is right here.

A Good Skimmer
A good skimmer does exactly what the name implies; it skims the surface of the water to removing any floating debris (e.g., leaves, grass clippings, dead bugs, etc.).

• The Debris Basket: This is the part that actually collects the debris. It’s a pretty low-maintenance part of the whole equation. Cleaning it out every other week or so takes just a few minutes. That said, just because it is easy doesn’t mean cleaning the debris basket should be overlooked. If it becomes too full, it can impede the normal flow of water in your water feature. This can lead to excess wear and tear on the pump. Also, water that is not moving becomes an invitation for mosquitoes.
• The Filter Mat: The second part of the skimmer is the filter mat. Located under the aforementioned debris basket, the filter mat’s job is to collect any miscellaneous debris that gets past the debris basket. Since the debris basket does the majority of the heavy lifting, the filter mat won’t need maintenance as often as the debris basket. You can usually get about two years from a filter mat. As they get older, they can become discolored. That’s normal. They should continue to work just fine. If you are noticing tears or general deterioration of your filter mat, that is a clear sign that it is time for a new filter mat.
• The Pump: From time to time, you might notice that your water isn’t flowing like it should. If you have already checked to ensure your debris basket is cleaned out and your filter mat isn’t torn, the filter screen on your pump is likely the culprit. Cleaning the filter screen on your pump is a relatively easy fix that should only take a few minutes. Just unplug the pump and take it out of the skimmer. Then, clear out any debris that has collected on the bottom of the pump. Easy peasy.

Be Mindful of Your Water Level
No matter the type of water feature you have, you will experience some degree of water loss and evaporation; the degree of which will depend upon several factors, including: air temperatures, direct sunlight on the water feature, general splashing, stream length, and waterfall height. In the thick of summer, when the mercury is high, you’ll want to combat natural evaporation by replacing water weekly.

One quick and easy way keep track of your water level is to reference it against the mouth of the skimmer. Ideally, you’ll want a water level that sits about 3/4-inch from the top of the skimmer mouth. You’ll also want to be sure to assess your water level whenever you are emptying your debris net. Buildup in the debris net can displace water and give a false impression of how much water is actually present.

Pesky Leaks
Once you have a baseline of your water feature’s normal water loss rate, it is fairly easy to tell when it is losing more water than it should. Telltale signs of a leak include more-frequent-than-normal water refills and/or your water fill valve running all the time. The latter will make a hissing sound. Leaks are most commonly found around waterfall and stream perimeters. This is because, in time, the ground around your water feature settles and the water starts to spill over the liner edge. Fortunately, leaks like this are pretty easy to fix.

• The first step is to locate the leak, which can usually be done by finding unusually wet ground around the perimeter of the water feature. That’s a pretty good sign that the water is coming from the water feature and not nature.
• Inspect the flow of your stream/waterfall to see if there any backups being caused by any twigs, leaves, or other miscellaneous debris that hasn’t been trapped by the skimmer. On occasion, this can create a dam-like effect that backs up your normal water flow, causing the pump to push the water right over the liner’s edge.
• When you have identified the leak, you can start by packing more dirt under the liner. This will raise the lip of the liner to get it above the level at which the water flows. This will expose the liner. You can cover that back up by putting some mulch or gravel over it.
• Now and again, a leak might not actually be the culprit. Check your filter, too. Sometimes plants can start growing in there. They can displace water, which will lead to it spilling over the filter’s back side. If this is what is happening, simply remove the plants to get the water level back to its normal level.

Seasonal Care for Water Features
Autumn and Winter
When the leaves start to fall, you’ll need to empty the debris basket more frequently—perhaps even daily. Tannins that come from leaves, as well as tree bark, and other organic matter can cause the water in your feature to turn brown. When this occurs, do your best to remove as much debris as possible and add some activated carbon to bring the water back to its normal state. The amount of activated carbon you will need depends upon the amount of water you have. The packaging for the activated carbon will indicate how much to add for your feature.

Because winters get really cold and last a long time in Michigan, you will have to shut down your water feature at some point.

To do so, start by unplugging the pump and taking it out of the water. For the duration of winter, you’ll want to store it, submerged, in a bucket of water, to keep the seals from drying and cracking. Keep this bucket with the pump in a location that won’t freeze (e.g., basement, heated garage, etc.).

One option, because cold temps last so long in Michigan, is a floating de-icer. This is perfect for those early and late frosts we get in autumn and spring. A floating de-icer uses a thermostat and kicks on once the water temps reach freezing or below. Then it heats the water to above freezing and shuts off. Again, this is not an “all-winter” solution, but a safeguard against the inevitable, unseasonable cold spells we can get in Michigan.

Spring
In spring, it can be common to find a layer of gunk has formed on the bottom of the pond. The water will also likely not be as clear as it was before winter. If this is the case, you’ll want to do a complete clean-out to start the season. Ideally, you’ll want to do this before the water temperature is holding at 55 degrees.
To do a full clean-out, you’ll start by draining the water. Next, you’ll use a basic garden hose to rinse any gravel and/or rocks that are part of your water feature. It’s most efficient to start at the top and work your way down. During this process, you’ll want to turn on the clean-out pump from time to time. This will ensure that the dirty water is being pumped out before any sediment has time to settle again. Keep that pumping process going until the water runs clear. When the water is clear, remove the clean-out pump out and start filling your pond!

In Conclusion
In all, taking care of a water feature is usually pretty simple and doesn’t take much time. Still, it’s best to be mindful of this maintenance before you make a decision to spend money on a water feature, only to find out you don’t have the time or tools to properly care for it.
When you ready to get started with an interesting new water feature to your landscaping, we would love to talk about it with you. Just contact us or give us a call at (517) 990-0110 today.