Clean Koi Pond Rocks
Rocks in Koi Ponds have been practiced for many years now. Rocks are added in Koi Ponds to create an aesthetic element to the pond. It consists of placing rocks, stones, and/or gravel on the bottom of a pond. It is very important for Koi ponds with these aesthetics should be well-taken care of. They should be cleaned regularly to avoid bacteria or parasites from surfacing and living in the ponds.
By having rock elements in your Koi pond, it helps generate a more natural look to the pond and also making the pond blend with the surrounding landscape of your house. If you manage to construct the Koi pond successfully and perform regular maintenance, you do not have any problem in cleaning your pond\’s rocks and if the need arises, the cleaning process will be much easier.
What you need:
- Use a smooth gravel to prevent the rocks from becoming dirty
- Add more plants in the pond
- Install a mechanical air filter
- Skimmer with a pump
- Clean the gravel and any organic matter
- Regular scouring brush
- Pressure spray nozzle on the hose
Method:
- In order to prevent your Koi pond rocks from becoming dirty, use smooth gravel which acts as a biological filter that traps and break down waste. By using a base of gravel, the large decorative rocks that you use will stay cleaner thus making the entire pond much healthier.
- You can also reduce the organic waste in your pond by placing some plants such as the watercress, water lilies and water hyacinths in the Koi pond.
- If you have some extra budget, you can install a mechanical air filter and skimmer with a pump so that it will make and keep the water clean. You can also install a waterfall along with the mechanical filter for a more aesthetic look.
- You should perform regular cleaning on the pond and skim out larger debris by hand especially during the fall and spring seasons. This method will enable you to remove decaying leaves and other organic matter which can cause heavy film on your rocks.
- In order to clean the gravel or any unwanted organic matter that builds up on your gravel; you can use a bottom drain and filter.
- You can also scrub all the larger decorative rocks either by using your hand or using a regular scouring brush. Always use plain water from the pond itself whenever you need to rinse the rocks that you want to clean as to not damage the water quality.
- Pressure wash rocks to remove stain by using the pressure spray nozzle on the hose, but remember the rocks must be placed away from the pond when you are performing this method. You must also allow mucks that come out from between the rocks to be flushed down until it reaches the bottom of the pond.
Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2190799_clean-koi-pond-rocks.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/koi-pond-maintenance.html
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/caring-for-koi-pond-cleaning-instructions
http://www.ponddoc.com/WhatsUpDoc/Seasonal/SpringOpening.htm
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danwas_here/3965632256/
