The number one thing you must do is keep the water clean and keep testing it. You need to test the pH, hardiness, ammonia, nitrates, and nitrite levels. This testing is important to keeping your fish alive.

There is three different types of pond filters. These are mechanical, chemical, and biological. The biological comes in up flow, down flow, and lateral flow. Adding a skimmer is something to think about. This helps you clean debris off the top of the pond.

You also need some type of aeration other than your filter. Some decorative types would be a waterfall or a fountain. If you don’t have these you can also add a regular pump.

One of the hardest things to beat is algae. Algae can take over your pond. Especially if it is in the direct sunlight. It can also be caused by high nitrate levels. Try adding a UV sterilizer and doing a partial water change.

New ponds are like new aquariums because both take time to get established. It can be up to 6 weeks before your water is safe to add fish. You can be adding some plants during that time though.

Consider adding an overflow pipe and a bottom drain to your pond. This can save you a lot of problems later on.

Cleaning the pond is critical. You need to remove leaves from the top and vacuum the dirt that collects on the bottom. If you have a bottom drain you can open it to remove dirt too.

Springtime is when you need to do the heavy duty cleaning. In the summer you need to watch the algae growth and do partial water changes.

Spring is a time for cleaning. Summer is when you need to monitor algae growth and do partial water changes. Fall is when you need to watch for falling debris. Remove any debris and dying plants in your pond.