Water gardening is not a low maintenance hobby. It requires diligence, vigilance and constant care or it can really become quite messy looking. How it will look and small all summer has a lot to do with how well you start caring for it in the Spring.
Make sure you have a pond thermometer ready in the pond. Winter is officially over when the pond water reaches fifty degress. This also means that it is now time to “wake up” any wintering fish in the pond by feeding them.
As soon as strong sunlight starts hitting the pond it is then time to feed with friendly bacteria called Anacharis. This organic material eats up any algae growth. The rule is to use one bunch of anarchis for each square foot of pond surface area in the pond.
It is also the time to increase the water circulation by turning on the filters and pumps. You may want to start slow so that you do not distress your fish. If it is just an ornamental pond then turn up the pump full blast. If you have an ultraviolet sterilizer, turn it on once you are sure your mechanical and biological filters are working properly.
If there is any debris on the surface of the pond clean this using a pond skimmer or a rake. A Mini Vac can also be used to remove debris and sludge from the top of the pond
If the danger of frost has passed, Spring is the time to plant new water lilies, Repot and divide any clumps of bulbs if necessary. Raise any submerged pots to the pond surface. Add new floating plants such as water lettuce or water hyacinth in the Spring as well.
If the pond seems really dirty you might find it necessary to replace the water in the pond and refill it with fresh water. Replace as little of the water as you can, as changing as little as ten percent of it can upset the balance of life in your pond. You can easily remove this water with a Shop Vac. This step is only recommended if you have a real problem on your hands because this kind of readjustment almost invariably causes one element or another to die off in your pond. You should also add a dechlorinator to the new water to get rid of chlorine and seed it with new bacteria once you have refilled the pond again.