Water Feature Cleanings
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At Cool Ponds, we have professional technicians who have cleaned hundreds of water features. Our cleanings are performed efficiently, safely, and will set up your water feature for a great season.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cool Ponds' cleaning process?
How are cleanings scheduled?
What is the price of a pond cleaning?
How often should a water feature be cleaned?
Can I clean my water feature myself?
Click button next to question to see answer or scroll down.
Our Cleaning Process
The main objective of a pond cleaning is to remove waste from the pond that would normally feed algae.
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During our cleanings, we complete the following process (with great success!):
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Remove all the water from the feature with our high capacity pumps, placing your fish in a holding tank that we provide.
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Remove large chunks of debris by hand.
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Clean your filters and pump.
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Rinse and drain creek and pond (or only creek if you have a pond-free waterfall) until the majority of sludge is removed.
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Add our dechlorinator and beneficial bacteria.
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Fill with fresh water and return your fish to the pond.
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You'll notice that we drain absolutely all the water every time. Only partially draining the feature is just a waste of your time. We also "rinse" with just a high pressure nozzle on a garden hose. Power washing is not necessary and can be harmful!
Watch our time lapse video of a pond cleaning below...
Scheduling Pond Cleanings
Time of Year
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We clean water features in the spring March through April and in the fall September and October.
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The key is to have your pond cleaned when the water temperature is cooler. Biological activity is lower at those temperatures.
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Scheduling
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We begin scheduling spring pond cleanings in November. Fall pond cleanings begin scheduling in July. Spring cleanings are a popular service for us, so we recommend strongly that you book early, especially if you have a preferred month or day of the week! By the end of February, we are usually booked through April.
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Time of Week
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Our pond cleanings are performed Tuesday - Friday, from 8:00am - 6:00pm. Our techs leave our shop around 8:30am - 9:00am.
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Pond Cleaning Pricing
We charge by the man hour for pond cleanings, which is $150 per hour. We have a minimum charge of $300.00.
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We cannot give estimates for how long a cleaning will take. It depends on a lot of things: how often you've fed your fish, whether you use high quality water treatments during the summer, your water pressure, etc.
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For a properly built water feature that is maintained throughout the year, an annual cleaning will take an average of 2 - 5 hours. Average ponds range in sizes from 500 - 1500 gallons.
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For the most part, our techs work in teams of 2 people. Throughout our over 20 years in business, we have found the 2 person team to be the most efficient for water feature cleanings.
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Additional Distance Fees
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We will perform maintenance services within 50 miles of our Indianapolis shop. If your address is further than 25 miles driving distance from our business, we charge additional fees.
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25 - 50 miles $75 additional fee
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How Often To Clean
Think of cleaning your water feature like cleaning your house. If you do regular upkeep on your housework, then you probably don't have to do a major deep clean but maybe every year or so, right? But if you let the dust accumulate, let the dishes sit on the counter, and keep the vacuum in the closet untouched, then it's a possibility that two deep cleanings a year may not be enough!
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For ponds, you should clean if you see a thick layer of debris built up on the bottom. Usually this is once a year or every two years. For pond-free waterfalls, a cleaning every three to four years is adequate.
Cleaning On Your Own
Once you understand the mechanics of cleaning, it is not terribly difficult. If you're interested in learning if you can clean your pond yourself, watch our pond cleaning demo video.
Keep in mind-- pond cleanings are MESSY, and it's usually very cold! Cleaning also requires some bulky equipment you may not want to store.
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The short answer? No, you don't need to hire a pro. But if you want to save yourself the effort, we're ready to help!
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It's also quite popular to have us clean once so that you can watch and learn how to clean your pond yourself the next time. If you have questions about pond care, this is a great option! Our techs are happy to teach you anything you need to know.
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