Water Feature Cleanings
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.
We are no longer taking requests for spring or summer cleanings.
Please click the link below to sign up for fall cleaning services.
Our Cleaning Process
The main objective of a pond cleaning is to remove waste from the pond that would normally feed algae.
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.
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 only not necessary but can be harmful!
Scheduling Pond Cleanings
Time of Year
We schedule pond cleanings in the spring March through April and in the fall September and October.
The key is to have your pond cleaned when the water temperature is cooler. Biological activity is lower at those temperatures.
Scheduling
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.
Time of Week
Our pond cleanings are performed Tuesday - Friday, from 8:00am - 6:00pm. Our techs leave our shop around 8:30am - 9:00am.
Pond Cleaning Pricing
We charge by the man hour for pond cleanings, which is $150 an hour.
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.
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.
Additional Distance Fees
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.
25 - 50 miles $75 additional fee
Other things to note:
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We will not clean ponds in July or August. This is because it is too difficult to get your pond to ecologically balance in the heat.
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We have excellent resources for you to learn how to clean your pond yourself.
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Scheduling a fall cleaning is another option. We perform fall cleanings for three weeks in September and October.
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!
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.
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!
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.