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Spring clean-out · Richmond, VA

Spring pond clean-out in Richmond, VA

Jordan's Water Garden Solutions is a pond clean-out service for Richmond, Henrico County, Chesterfield County and Charlottesville. Jordan Blanton, an Aquascape Certified Contractor, drains the pond, clears a winter's worth of sludge, checks the pump and puts your fish back into clean, treated water. Spring clean-outs start at $925. It is the biggest visit of the year in pond cleaning and maintenance.

$925to start, for a spring clean-out

Get on the spring schedule Call or text (804) 719-4761
A half-drained backyard pond during a spring clean-out, with goldfish in the shallow water and hoses and a shop vac on the edge
Halfway through a clean-out: the water down, the fish still in the pond, the floor about to be cleared.

Why spring

Why the pond needs a clean-out after winter

Everything that fell into the pond since October is still down there. Leaves, seed pods, the muck that settles between the rocks. Over winter it turns into a layer of sludge on the floor, and when the water warms, that sludge is the first thing the algae feeds on. Clear it out in March and you spend the summer looking at fish instead of green water.

The fish come out of winter thin and slow. A clean-out is the one time a year the pond is drained, so Jordan can see each one up close and catch a problem while it is small. He also pulls the pump, looks over the plumbing and the check valves, and cleans the skimmer and the biological filter so the whole system starts the season at full flow.

  • Sludge off the floor. Rotting leaves and fish waste that would feed algae all summer.
  • Fish checked up close. Color, fins, how they move, before the water warms and the season starts.
  • Pump and filter checked. The pump pulled, the plumbing looked over, the skimmer and biological filter cleaned.
  • Ahead of the algae. Clean water and fresh bacteria in March beat a green pond in June.
Pump plumbing and check valves exposed on the muddy floor of a drained pond
The pump and plumbing on the floor of a drained pond, checked before they go back in.

What is included

What a spring clean-out includes

Spring pond cleaning follows the same steps on every pond, from a small goldfish pond to a large koi pond. Most of a day for an average pond, and Jordan does the work himself.

  • Fish caught and held. Netted gently and kept in aerated holding tubs of their own pond water while the work goes on.
  • Pond drained. Pumped down so the floor and the rock can be reached.
  • Sludge and debris removed. Off the floor and out from between the rocks, where most of it hides.
  • Rock and gravel rinsed. A low-pressure wash, so the good bacteria stays and the muck goes.
  • Skimmer and biological filter cleaned. Baskets emptied, filter pads rinsed, the filter media checked.
  • Pump checked and reinstalled. Plumbing and check valves looked over while they are out in the open.
  • Refilled and treated. Dechlorinator and beneficial bacteria go in so the fish go back safely.
  • Plants trimmed and reset. Lilies and marginals cut back, divided if they need it, set back on their shelves.
  • A walkthrough with you. What Jordan found, what to watch for, and what the pond needs before fall.

When to book

Late February to April, and the schedule fills

In Richmond the clean-out season runs from late February into April, while the water is still cool and before the fish are fully awake. Earlier is kinder to the fish. Later, and the algae has a head start.

Jordan does the clean-outs himself, so there are only so many days in that window. Homeowners who book in January and February get their pick. Those who call in April take what is left, and some end up waiting into May. If you want the pond clear for the first warm evening, get on the schedule now.

Get on the spring schedule Call or text (804) 719-4761
Water lilies and lily pads on a clear backyard pond edged with a weathered log
Lilies come back strong in a pond that started the season clean.

The other half of the year

Spring is half of it. Fall is the other half.

A pond that is netted in October and checked before winter has far less on the floor by March. The two visits work together, and a plan bundles them.

Fall

Fall clean-out and netting

A net over the pond before the leaves drop keeps most of next spring's sludge out of the water. A fall service visit checks the fish and the pump before winter.

From $725

Fall clean-out and netting

Plans

Maintenance plans

The Bronze plan bundles the spring clean-out, a mid-summer tune-up, fall netting and a fall service visit. Gold and Platinum VIP add monthly or biweekly visits. Plans are quoted on the call.

Compare the plans

What it costs

Spring clean-outs start at $925

$925 is the starting price for a spring clean-out on a backyard pond. The final figure depends on how big the pond is, how much sludge is on the floor, and how easy it is to get a pump and a hose to it. A large koi pond that has gone a few years without a clean-out costs more than a small pond Jordan cleaned last spring.

Something smaller, like a pump that stopped or a skimmer that needs a look, is a service call from $275. Tell the estimate calculator which one you need and it shows the starting price before you book a free phone consultation.

Get on the spring schedule Service calls and pump repair
from $925
Spring clean-outFish held, pond drained, sludge removed, filters and pump cleaned, refilled and treated, plants reset.
from $275
Service callOne problem, one visit: a pump, a skimmer, a filter or a water check.

Starting prices. Pond size, the amount of sludge and access set the final figure, confirmed on the call.

Questions

What Richmond homeowners ask about spring clean-outs

Anything else, ask Jordan on the call.

How long does a spring pond clean-out take?

Most of a day for an average pond. Jordan's Water Garden Solutions drains, cleans, refills and treats the pond in one visit, and a large koi pond in the Richmond area with heavy sludge can take longer. The fish wait in aerated holding tubs the whole time.

Is a spring clean-out safe for my fish?

Yes. Jordan's Water Garden Solutions nets the fish gently and holds them in aerated tubs of their own pond water while the pond is drained and cleaned, in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield or Charlottesville. The refilled water is treated before they go back, and Jordan checks each fish on the way out and on the way in.

Do I need a pond clean-out every year?

Most ponds in Richmond do. Leaves, pollen and fish waste settle on the floor every year, and a clean-out each spring keeps that layer from building into the sludge that feeds algae. Jordan's Water Garden Solutions will tell you on the walkthrough if your pond can skip a year.

What if my pond has never been cleaned?

Jordan's Water Garden Solutions cleans ponds in the Richmond area that have gone years without a clean-out. The visit takes longer and costs more than the $925 starting price because there is more sludge to remove, and Jordan checks the liner, the pump and the plumbing while the pond is empty.

Can you fix the pump while you are there?

Usually. Jordan's Water Garden Solutions pulls and checks the pump on every spring clean-out in Richmond, and if it needs a repair or a replacement Jordan can often do it in the same visit. See pond pump repair and replacement for the details.

Keep exploring

See all pond care: Pond cleaning and maintenance

Based in Richmond, working across Richmond, Charlottesville, Chesterfield County and Henrico County.

Estimate calculator

Get on the spring schedule

A few quick questions, one at a time, and the starting price for your clean-out on the spot. Then pick a time for a free phone consultation with Jordan.

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