Pond start-up
Get your pond off to a good start in the spring
Prevent algae and cloudy water with the right approach. Clear water starts now.
Why spring is the most important time to get your pond ready
In the spring, your pond slowly comes to life. With the POND CARE maintenance kit, you can immediately kickstart bacterial activity and bottom cleaning, reducing the chance of algae growth and ensuring your pond starts the season off on a stable footing.
What you do now will determine whether you can enjoy the rest of the season or continue to struggle with problems.
Prevent algae and cloudy water
If you set up your pond properly now, you’ll avoid problems later in the season.
Give your plants a head start
In the spring, plants are still growing slowly. With the right start, they have a chance to outcompete algae.
A solid foundation now = less maintenance later
Clean soil and active bacteria break down sludge and debris. This keeps your pond stable and clear.
Your Pond start-up 10 Steps
Follow this checklist for a healthy start to the season. See what you need to do for each category!
Restore the ecological balance
Restart your pond to restore its biological balance after winter. This is the foundation for a healthy season.
Check the pump and filter
Thoroughly clean and inspect your pump and filter. Replace sponges or filter media as needed.
Fill with water to the maximum level
Fill the pond with tap water until it reaches the maximum level. A proper water level is essential for your filter to function properly.
Clean the bottom of the pond
Use Insta Clean to clean the bottom and break down sludge. This prevents algae growth.
View the Pond Care KitTip: Clean the bottom of the pond in the spring and fall for best results. Insta Clean helps prevent algae growth.
Fill in empty spaces with marsh plants
Check the marsh area and the plant filter. Add new marsh plants where necessary to fill in any gaps.
View marsh plantsPlace additional oxygenating plants at the bottom
Add new oxygenating plants to the deep section, and perhaps a water lily as well. Oxygenating plants on the bottom grow more slowly than algae on the surface.
View oxygen-producing plantsPlant low-growing plants
Plant plenty of low-growing vegetation, preferably oxygenating plants. This will allow the marsh and filter to become fully overgrown, reducing the chance that the sun will heat up the water quickly.
Fertilize for rapid growth
For rapid growth and flowering, we recommend our pond plant fertilizer. Healthy plants = less algae!
View the Pond Care KitNote: Dense vegetation helps prevent the sun from heating the water too quickly, which significantly reduces the risk of algae growth. Prevention is better than cure!
Pond bacteria
Now it’s time to add bacteria: 1 bottle Bacta Clear ponds up to 20,000 liters. Use Bacta Tab for smaller ponds and mini ponds.
View the Pond Care KitFor algae: remove by hand
If algae do start to grow excessively, remove them manually until the Aquatic plants have suppressed Aquatic plants algae growth.
Learn about algae controlScientifically proven: Bacta Clear two strains of special Pond bacteria break down suspended debris and ensure crystal-clear water.
Check the number of fish
Too many fish? Consider removing some. Carp in particular can quickly pollute the water by stirring up the bottom.
Make sure there is enough oxygen
For many fish, it is advisable to purchase an oxygen pump. This prevents oxygen deficiency, especially during hot weather.
View oxygen pumpsUse floating Fish food
Choose floating Fish food prevent fish from disturbing the bottom. Our Fish food everything fish need.
View Fish foodRule of thumb: A maximum of 1 kg of fish per 1,000 liters of water. Too many fish = cloudy water and an unhealthy pond environment.
All-in-one: POND CARE maintenance kit
This kit helps you get your pond off to a good start in the spring. The products work together to ensure clear water and a clean, healthy pond bottom.
How it works:
When should it be used?
You should use this treatment twice a year: in the spring and in the fall. If you notice algae, cloudy water, or a lot of sludge, you can repeat the treatment more often.
Having trouble with algae? Add some oxygenating plants.
They consume food that would otherwise go to the algae.
In the spring, plants grow slowly while algae proliferate rapidly. By adding extra oxygenating plants, you give your pond an immediate head start. This helps prevent overgrowth, saves you money on replacements, and keeps the water clear more quickly.
3 Challenges and Their Solutions
Not sure if your pond is set up properly?
Then start with the basics
Follow our Clear Water Plan and discover, step by step, what your pond is missing in terms of oxygenating plants, marsh plants, or substrate. A pond that becomes unbalanced over the course of the year is usually not fully or properly set up.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pond start-up
In the spring, oxygenating plants grow slowly, while algae tend to spread quickly. By adding extra plants, you can prevent algae from overgrowing the young plants. This will save you the trouble of having to buy new plants later—and spare you some frustration.
After adding it, the water may become slightly cloudy or white for a short time. This is normal and means that the bacteria are becoming active.
After about 30 days, you'll usually see the real results: less sludge and clearer water.
Patience is important. A pond needs time to regain its balance.
The first dose activates the bacteria and initiates the breakdown of sludge and debris.
After about 30 days, add the second dose of INSTA CLEAN so that the bacterial population can continue to grow and the pond becomes truly stable.
Yes. POND CARE is 100% natural and contains only bacteria and natural minerals.
The product is safe for fish, frogs, insects, and Aquatic plants and contains no chemicals.
For many filamentous algae, it helps to first remove as much of the algae as possible by hand or with a net.
POND CARE then helps restore balance to the pond.
With green water (floating algae), manual removal is not possible.
Choose the package that best suits the size of your pond:
1,000–20,000 liters
20,000–40,000 liters
40,000–60,000 liters
80,000–100,000 liters
Not sure? It's better to choose a slightly higher dose.
POND CARE helps keep the water clear, but to keep it that way, your pond needs to be properly set up.
So be sure to follow the Clear Water Plan, which includes plenty of plants and substrate.
After that, use POND CARE twice a year (in the spring and fall) for maintenance.
What others are saying
“After using the POND CARE kit, my pond water was crystal clear within a week. I highly recommend it for spring!”
— Jan from Groningen
“Finally, no more green water in April. The Clear Water Plan really helped me get things set up right.”
— Linda from Utrecht
“I got some great advice on oxygenating plants. My pond has never been in better shape than it is this year!”