Pond Maintenance Questions and Answers

• Location: Select a spot in your pond that offers a clear view and compliments your property.

• Maintenance: Provide easy access for maintenance and cleaning.

• Pond Depth: Make sure the pond is not too deep for a fountain. If it is over six feet deep you may need to consider an aerator instead.

• Power Supply: Is power easily accessible to the fountain, if not consider adding a Solar Power Fountain.

• Visual Appearance: Do you want unique spray patterns and colored lights? Be sure to purchase these before you begin the installation process.

• Noise Level: Higher horsepower motors will move more water shooting a log of water, this large quantity of water will make more noise as it falls back to the pond.

Pond Lake Management sells Pond Fountains in our eCommerce store and installation in Central North Carolina.

The pump size matters depending on what you want your pond fountain to do

1. If you need to move a high volume of water, i.e. you want your fountain to push water high into the air, you will need to choose a fountain pump with more horsepower./h5>

2. You intend to use premium fountain nozzles that will require a high volume of water to create a unique pattern.

Just about any size of pump can be used in any pond. What you expect your fountain to do for your pond is the deciding factor. Still not sure which size pump you need? Call us at 336-669-1016 or complete a pond assessment form if you are in Central North Carolina and we will help.

For more information read our blog post on how to choose the right size pump for your fountain. »

Consider adding fish to your Pond for the following two reasons

1. If you like to fish, add Bass, Blue Gill, and other sport fish for your fishing pleasure.

2. Add fish for a healthier pond. Green Carp help manage vegetation, and mosquito fish can help control the mosquito population by eating mosquito larvae floating on the surface.

Sign Up to learn about the next Pond Lake Management Fish Day! »

There are several ways to control weeds in your ponds including:

• Manual Intervention
• Control with Pond Chemicals
• Mechanical Intervention
• Install Pond Fountains or Aeration

For More Read: How to Effectively Control Pond Weeds »

A stormwater pond retention pond is intended to retain stormwater run-off from a community for a time.

By retaining the water the contaminants and sediment are allowed to settle to the bottom of the stormwater pond. Once the sediment is settled the water is cleaner and provides a healthier more environmentally friendly habitat for aquatic life and waterfowl.

Read our blog post on stormwater retention ponds »

• Keep your Pond free from Debris and Trash
• Do not fertilize close to the Ponds edge
• Add aeration or fountains for proper oxygenation
• Treat your pond with the appropriate Water Dyes, Algaecides, and Herbicides.
• Invest in a Pond Maintenance Plan

To learn more, read our 5 Pond Management Resolutions for 2023»

Do the following 5 tasks to help winterize your pond or lake.

• Drain your Pond? Maybe.
• Remove dead foliage
• Clean away vegetation and muck from aerators & fountains
• Keep your aerators & fountains running
• To help fish stay healthy, maintain a hole – we suggest 10% of surface – in your pond

To learn more, read our winter pond maintenance blog post.

Algae and Biofilm – What’s the difference?

Biofilm is not an Algae, although it is often mistaken for Algae.  Biofilm is typically a whitish-grey film that can appear on lakes or ponds.

Biofilm is made up of organic matter that has already died and has floated to the surface.  Because it is slow to decompose it creates a “film” on the surface and cannot be treated with Algaecides and Herbicides.

Surface Aerators or Fountains are your best to control this problem.

Visit our online store to view our selection of Fountains and Aeration products. Need help with Pond Maintenance? Call us 336.669.1016 or complete our Pond & Lake Assessment Form form.

Summer Pond Maintenance

Summer is here, the water temperature is heating up and weeds and algae are growing.  Here are five steps to take to keep your pond or lake thriving and healthy.

1. Clean debris from the pond’s edge to minimize decomposition.
2. Unblock spillways, and drains to maximize normal water flow.
3. Do not fertilize close to the edge of the pond to keep nitrogen out of the water.
4. Add submerged aeration or a fountain to your pond or lake to help add oxygen.
5. Apply Algaecides or Herbicides to lakes and ponds to control overgrown weeds and algae.

For effective pond management and maintenance Pond Lake management recommends hiring experienced pond maintenance professionals to assist with choosing and applying the correct Herbicides and Algaecides. Visit our online store to view our selection of weed control products. Need help with Pond Maintenance? Call us 336.669.1016 or complete our Pond & Lake Assessment Form form.

Base your decision on two factors:

1.  CONVENIENCE: RGB lights are digital allowing you to change colors with a remote control from the convenience of your home. Composite lights require changing color filters on the fountain itself, usually requiring a boat to access the fountain in the pond.

2.  COST:  Composite is less expensive, while RGB is more expensive but typically more convenient.

View our offerings of Fountain Lights in our Online Store:

Aquatic Algaes and Weeds grow faster when water temperatures rise.  In warmer waters, more C02 is used and less oxygen is available for a healthy pond or lake.  To help keep your pond or lake healthy during the hot summer months, control algae and vegetation growth with Pond Lake Management’s full line of Herbicides. Algaecides and water dyes.

View our selection of Algaecides and Herbicides in our ONLINE STORE.  If you need help with controlling weeds and algae in our pond or lake, give Pond Lake Management a call at 336-669-1016 or submit an assessment request form.

For consistent pond health, visual appeal and cost efficiency an annual pond maintenance plan is recommended for the following reasons.

1. COST EFFICIENCY: Consistent pond maintenance spread over many months can lower your total spending.

2. VEGETATION CONTROL:  Consistent aquatic vegetation control keeps unwanted vegetation growth to a minimum, lowering your total maintenance bill.

3. VISUAL APPEAL:  Clearwater, no algae, thriving waterfowl, and more.

Call us 336-669-1016 or complete our Pond Assessment Request form.

Pond Water Dyes do not slow or stop the growth of aquatic plants such as cat-tails and aquatic plants that have floating plant leaves.  Examples of plants with floating leaves are Duckweeds, and Water Lillies. 

View our selection of Pond Water Dyes in our ONLINE STORE.  If you need help with choosing the right water dyes for your pond or lake, give Pond Lake Management a call at 336-669-1016.

There are a wide variety of lighting options for your pond fountain.  White lights, and colored lights are both options.  RGB Lighting with electronic controllers allows you to change the color of your lights from the comfort of your home.  You could choose less expensive models that require changing colored lenses at the fountain.  

View our selection of Fountain Lighting at Pond Lake Management Fountain Lighting in our ONLINE STORE.  If you need help with choosing the right Fountain Lighting and installation, give Pond Lake Management a call at 336-669-1016.

Ponds and Lakes are aesthetically pleasing and offer fun recreational use to an apartment complex, office park, or university campus. They add functional value to agricultural operations.  But without consistent pond maintenance service, the water can form a buildup of sediment, vegetation, and trash, leaving you with a foul-smelling and unappealing pond or lake.

Pond Lake Management is a full-service Pond Maintenance Company, we offer Lake Management Services, Stormwater Pond Maintenance, Farm Pond Maintenance and recreational pond management. We install and maintain water aeration and fountains. We offer monthly maintenance agreements that meet your specific needs.

The first step to a pond or lake vegetation control plan is to identify the vegetation growing in your pond. A licensed pond maintenance contractor such as Pond Lake Management can help identify the vegetation in your lake or pond.

Next, a vegetation control plan will be developed and identify which Pond Maintenance or Lake Management tools to use to eliminate harmful growth. In the short term, a combination of chemical treatment and weed harvesting may be suggested. For the long term health of your lake or pond, aeration is a good solution. Pond aeration adds oxygen to your pond or lake which helps minimize weed growth and muck build-up.

For the long term health of your pond or lake, contact Pond Lake Management,  we can tailor a Pond Maintenance agreement to meet your pond or lake needs.

We are a pond maintenance company that generally operates within a sixty-mile radius of Greensboro, North Carolina. We offer Pond Maintenance and Lake Management services in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Kernersville, High Point, Burlington, Asheboro, and more.

Below is a list of Counties where we provide Pond Maintenance Services.

Guilford • Forsyth • Randleman • Randolph • Rockingham • Davidson • Alamance • Orange • Davidson • Stokes • Caswell • Rowan • Durham

For complete pond and lake management services in the Piedmont of North Carolina give Pond Lake Management a call for complete Pond and Lake Maintenance services, aeration, and fountain installation.

Koi Pond Water Features Installation and Maintenance

Pond Lake Management focuses on Lake Management and Pond Management Services. Our pond maintenance contracts typically cover Fountain and Aeration Installation and Service as well as vegetation control.

While we do not work on smaller water features we can help refer you to experts who can. Pond Lake Management collaborates with our good friends at Pond Professors. The water feature experts at Pond Professors can install, repair, and maintain your KOI pond or other water feature.

Providing enough oxygen to your lake or pond is vital to maintaining a healthy aquatic environment for fish, controlling unwanted vegetation, and eliminating algae growth. A good aeration plan minimizes the need for chemical intervention to solve issues caused by low oxygen such as aquatic weeds, fish kills, poor water clarity, midge fly swarms, foul odors, and bottom muck.

We install and maintain aerators and fountains from manufacturers such as Vertex and Kasco.

Good pond and lake aeration plans will help circulate the water forcing oxygen to filter throughout the lake reducing algae, reducing muck buildup, and improving the health of your water. Pond Lake Management is a licensed Lake Management Company in North Carolina, we can develop an aeration plan for your pond, install the units, and provide ongoing pond management with our monthly lake management and pond maintenance contracts.

• Pond Fountains and Aerators are very different.
• Floating Pond Fountains provide minimal aeration. They move water around the surface of a pond or lake and improve pond oxygen levels on the surface of a lake or pond. They typically do not aerate the water further than their spray pattern and Lake Fountains do not add oxygen into the depths of your pond or Lake. Fountains are excellent options if you need minimal aeration and desire an appealing aesthetic for your pond or lake.
• Pond Aeration Systems have two lines that come off of the pump, one for electrical power, and an airline. The Aerator diffuser sits on the pond or lake floor and diffuses oxygen into the water at the bottom of the or pond or lake. Bottom diffused aeration “turns the lake or pond over”, adding oxygen at all levels, in the most efficient and cost-effective way to achieve a healthy balance.

To feel confident about your choice of an Aerator or Fountain call the experts at Pond Lake Management we will review your Pond or Lake needs and provide solutions for your water-way.

View more about fountain installation and pond aeration.

Pond muck or sediment is the accumulation of materials such as decaying vegetation, waterfowl and fish waste, and any other organic materials that settle on the bottom of your pond. This sediment can grow into layers of potentially harmful muck that traps gases that when released can kill fish. The thick, dense sediment can become home to leeches and worms and it can lead to a smelly unattractive pond or lake.

Pond Lake Management suggests one of the following options to dissipate the muck.

1). Install Bottom Diffused Aeration
2) Manual Removal
3) Apply Microbe based Products

Read our post to learn more

The addition of pond or lake dye can make your pond more visually appealing by adding a tint of color to the water. Murky water that is brought on by algae growth and naturally occurring debris can lead to a smelly, dirty pond. Pond scum can turn your pond or lake a green or brown color and potentially harm the aquatic life.

Using pond dye is one of the tools you can use to prevent a smelly pond and keep your lake looking clean and odor-free. Dyes are just one tool used by professionals to provide proper Pond Maintenance and Lake Management.

Read our post to learn more

Yes. Consider your pond maintenance or lake management objective to determine the right combination of fountains and aerators. The size, depth, and layout of your pond will determine the quantity and proper placement of your fountains and aerators.

Fountains generally work better in Lakes and Ponds that are shallow and are used for improving the aesthetics of a pond. Fountains are a great solution for moving water on the surface of a lake and adding a lighting feature.

Use submerged diffused aerators to move water from the bottom of the pond, the turnover of the water helps reduce muck and adds oxygen to help combat sediment buildup and control vegetation. Aerators do not have the visual appeal of a fountain, they turn the water over from the bottom of the pond and move water a greater distance. Need help? Call Pond Lake Management we can help with your Pond Maintenance or Lake Management needs.

During warmer months the sun heats the surface water while deeper water remains cool. Typically the warm and cool layers do not mix. This disrupts the circulation of oxygenated water from the surface of the pond to the bottom. 

“Turnovers” in ponds and lakes occur naturally as the air temperature starts to cool. The drop in temperature slowly cools the water at the surface and the cool and warmer waters in the pond mix gradually. Gradual mixing is not a problem. A rapid “turnover” – mixing of cold and warm water – can kill fish by swiftly reducing oxygen levels. Rapid turnovers can occur when cold rain or the blowing winds from a thunderstorm cause rapid mixing of warmer and cooler waters depleting oxygen levels and can result in a fish kill.

Yes, solar-powered aeration units are available for use in remote hard to access ponds and lakes. Pond Lake Management is a distributor for ProLake products, ProLake makes Solar Powered aeration units for Ponds and Lakes from 1 – 4 acres.  Their patented battery backup systems are the ONLY solar aeration system that can operate day and night for as long as 20 hours.

Solar aeration is perfect for any pond or lake that does not have electricity at the shoreline. Solaer® systems run off of batteries, so you don’t need electricity.  Solar-powered aeration is a completely “green” and eco-friendly option, requires very little maintenance, and runs day and night—even on cloudy days!

Visit our Aeration Products page to learn about our full line of Aeration products.  If you need help with Pond Maintenance please complete our Pond & Lake Assessment request.

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation is a form of vegetation that lives under the water.  It can thrive in slow-moving and still waters with limited sunlight.  If left untreated, submerged vegetation can clog waterways, remove much-needed oxygen, and lead to pond muck and sediment build-up.

Visit our Algae & Weed Identification to learn more about Algae and Weeds that grow in our area and how to identify them. You will also find specific examples of Submerged Weeds and Vegetation on this page.

If you need help with a pond overrun by Weeds or Algae please give us a call or fill out our Pond Assessment Request

Lake Management services and Pond Maintenance are planned and executed in a similar manner. Lakes tend to have larger water mass and may involve more than one property owner which are factors Pond Lake Management takes into account when providing our services. Aeration and Fountain installation, as well as Weed Control, are handled almost the same as small ponds but with considerations for a larger body of water.

Other factors with Lake Management plans are potentially deeper water and more diverse fish populations. If you need help with Lake Management give us a call!

In a Lake or Pond “Emergent” Vegetation are plants rooted in the bottom of the Pond or Lake.  The plant’s leaves and stems extend out of the water.  Emergent vegetation typically grows in water that is 4 to 5 feet deep.  To learn more about Algae and Weed identification and specifically Emergent Vegetation visit our Algae & Weed Identification page. 

With proper Lake Management and vegetation control measures Emergent weeds can be controlled and you can expect to see a beautiful, healthy pond.   

If you need help with Pond Maintenance give us a call!

Algae in one form or another can be found in all Lakes and Ponds.  When it reaches nuisance levels it can negatively impact aesthetics, recreation watercolor, and ecological balance.  The first step in Algae and Weed control is the identification of the  Algae, visit our Algae & Weed Identification page to learn more.  Once the Algae has been identified a treatment plan can be developed to eliminate and maintain Algae levels in your pond. 

With a Pond Maintenance contract, we can provide ongoing control measures to manage algae levels and give your Pond or Lake a beautiful, healthy environment. 

If you need help with Pond Maintenance give us a call!

The size of your pond or lake will determine how many aeration units you will need to provide a healthy and clean water environment.  In addition to the number of units needed, the depth of the water will also affect the power level of the unit(s) you will need to place in your pond.

Properly mapping your pond – including the size of the water mass, and water depth will help 
determine the number of units needed as well as the correct placement within the pond. You will also need to consider power availability when

deciding on the placement and quantity of aeration diffusers you will need. Solar Poweredaeration units are the perfect solution for placements
in ponds without easy access to electricity.

Pond Lake Management uses drones to help us accurately map your pond from the air.  Based on this imagery we map a plan for your pond or lake.  Need help?  Request an assessment.  

Pond Lake Management can help you find and install in your pond or lake the correct pond fountains.  We work with manufacturers who provide the best outdoor water fountains. If you need outdoor water fountains for your pond we can help. 

Solar-powered fountains are available with several unique sizes of pond pumps available for every need. You can choose your own fountain water pattern and a variety of fountain lights colors. 

For help determining which Solar Powered Fountain is right for your pond call us or complete our pond assessment form.

Bar Guards are used in a pond or lake to keep vegetation, debris, trash, and rodents out of the water supply and overflow piping systems. Bar Guards come in a wide variety of sizes – Pond Lake Management supplies 4″ to 48″ – and colors. For larger piping, we can help with designing and sourcing custom-made bar guards.

Pond Lake management recommends hiring an experienced pond maintenance professional to assist with choosing and installing the right bar guard for your pond or lake. Visit our online store to view our selection of bar guards. Need help with Pond Maintenance? Call us 336.669.1016 or complete our Pond & Lake Assessment Form form.