MAINTENANCE
Pond Cleanings
It’s a Dirty Job —
But We’re Happy To Do It
All water features require maintenance. Whether your pond has excess algae, muck, plants, or debris, we can provide a comprehensive cleaning to reestablish clear and healthy water (just like you see in our pictures). Experiencing other issues as well – like diminished pump flow or water loss? A cleaning is usually the first step in resolving or heading off these problems.
Why Every Pond Needs To Be Cleaned
Ponds are ecosystems full of nutrients. As leaves, fish waste, and other contaminants break down in the water, nutrient levels rise — providing food for unwanted algae and harmful bacteria. By performing regular clean-outs where we physically remove any decay, we create the ideal conditions for a pristine, well-balanced ecosystem to flourish while simultaneously starving out the bad stuff that otherwise leads to dirty water.
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Principally, our goal is to replicate the type of aquatic environments you’d find in the mountains (picture Lake Tahoe, fast-moving rivers, or other ultra-clear bodies of water). While excess nutrient removal plays a primary role here, we need to ensure a few other things are in place too. At the top of that list is aeration, biological filtration, and mechanical filtration. When these are present and properly maintained, your pond will stay clear for a long period after our service visit (typically, one year).
If we built your water feature, you can rest assured that it already has all of these components and more. If it doesn’t — or you’re new to this stuff — don’t worry. In addition to being great water feature builders and services providers, we are also educators who will take the time to show you what you need to know during your cleaning / service visit.
ANNUAL CLEANINGS
Your Water Feature’s Most Vital Service: The Annual Drain & Clean
Just like a car that needs an oil change every 5,000 miles, most ponds in Massachusetts need a cleaning every 12 months to preserve their beauty and optimal functionality. We typically perform these in early springtime, when water features are at their dirtiest coming out of a New England winter.
Here’s What’s Involved →
STEP 1
Pumping out the entire pond and safely relocating any fish you have to our 500-gallon holding tank.
STEP 2
Removing any and all debris (especially in those hard-to-reach areas at the very bottom) and trimming back aggressive aquatic plants.
STEP 3
Pressure washing the rocks and gravel while simultaneously draining muddy water that occurs from the high-volume flushing.
STEP 4
Servicing the pump and corresponding filtration system, which typically includes a BioFalls unit, skimmer, filter pads, and bio-balls.
STEP 5
Before filling the pond back up, we’ll add fertilizer tablets for the water lilies and make minor adjustments to loose rocks if needed. We’ll also inspect and clean any light fixtures at this time.
STEP 6
With the cleaning portion complete, we can now refill the feature and reintroduce the fish. Whenever we replenish a pond, we always add a detoxifying agent to neutralize any chlorine that may be present in the water and pose a threat to your finned pets.
STEP 7
Before leaving, we’ll fire your feature back up and make sure it runs like new. With the falls flowing, we’ll apply an application of beneficial bacteria to kickstart healthy biological filtration.
DRAIN & CLEAN ESTIMATES
Pricing Guide for Water Feature Cleanings
Pond cleanings begin at $699 and can climb to over $2,000 depending on its size and condition. See which bracket best describes your feature below, which also includes separate categories for pondless waterfall cleanings and fountains if applicable.
Note: an additional mileage fee may apply if you live outside of our immediate service range.
CHOOSING A SERVICE
Which Service Do I Need?
Annual Drain & Clean
For returning clients who have stayed on top of regular maintenance with us, our most competitive “Annual Drain & Clean” prices apply to you.
Exploratory Cleaning
If you’ve had a water feature for several years, but we haven’t professionally cleaned it before, then it requires an “Exploratory Cleaning.” These cost more than the prior tier because they are dirtier, often problematic, and are built in such a way that makes them more difficult to clean. Typically, they also need more than just a touch-up, so we’re prepared to investigate any potential issues you may be experiencing as well during this service.
New Homeowner Cleaning
If you recently bought a home that came with a pond – and are totally new to water features – you’ll want to consider our “New Homeowner Cleaning.” In addition to receiving the same level of care as our “Exploratory Cleanings,” we’ll also educate you on how to take care of your pond and make a customized crash-course video that you’ll always have access to.
Here’s What One Of Our Clients Had To Say About His Exploratory Cleaning
“I installed a large water feature years ago and ended up maintaining it myself for a number of years. When I found Jonathan, he and his crew did a better job of cleaning it in one day than I could do over several days. Not only do I get the time back to enjoy the pond, but the water remains clearer longer so it is more attractive. When my pump died, he picked a more energy efficient pump with variable flow so even more ways to enjoy it! On the rare occasions when a problem has come up, he has been right on it. To sum up: thorough, responsive, attentive, and knowledgeable. What more could you ask for?”
— Jim Nail (Medfield, MA)
WATCH THIS
New Homeowner Video
We Made For a Recent Client
When Deb moved to Dover in late fall last year (2022), she inherited a pond with her new house. Totally at a loss regarding its care, she called FallingWater Scapes for help. I spent over an hour teaching her about her water feature and answering any questions she had. We also talked about different maintenance packages available to her and formulated a care plan to give her peace of mind moving forward. After our discussion, I made this reference video that covers the key points we discussed, which she can access anytime.
MORE ENJOYMENT, LESS WORK
Ongoing-Care Plans
We offer a variety of recurring maintenance services throughout the year for our clientele. If you’re someone with a larger water feature, likes to travel a lot, or just wants to be totally hands-off, you’ve likely experienced some trouble in paradise from time to time.
Is an Ongoing-Care Plan Right For You?
To see if you’d benefit from joining our continuous maintenance program, ask yourself the following questions:
Are you overwhelmed by the amount of maintenance that comes with your feature?
Do you spend extended amounts of time away from home, which prevent you from giving your pond the attention it needs?
Would you like to be totally worry-free when it comes to your water garden and never get your hands dirty?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, keep scrolling down. By receiving regular service visits, there’s now a way to avoid any hiccups, which if ignored can become emergencies. What’s more, you’ll have an even healthier, cleaner pond that looks great year-round. Choose from three comprehensive packages below so you can start enjoying your water feature to the fullest and experience more peace of mind.
Essential Coverage Plan (x4 Visits)
FallingWater Scapes performs 4 key maintenance interventions throughout the year, which are crucial to promoting a beautiful, high-performing pond. These services coincide with each of the 4 seasons: starting with an annual drain & clean in the spring, a mid-summer checkup and water adjustment around July, a pond-netting service come fall, followed by winterization in December. While a pond owner still must perform some of their own basic maintenance checks as an ‘Essential Coverage’ subscriber, it’s noticeably less work – along with visually better water quality.
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Annual Drain & Clean in Spring where we clean the entire feature top to bottom.
Summer Check Up where we vacuum the mechanical filter media, trim back and fertilize aquatic plants, perform a water test, administer additional treatments, and provide touch-ups if need be.
Fall Prep Service in late September / early October to install netting over the pond, vacuum the mechanical filters again, and add water treatments.
Winterization in late November / early December where we remove the fall pond netting, install a pond de-icer, vacuum the mechanical filters again, add a winter water treatment, and perform a light cleanup to the pond area.
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Receive complimentary water treatment bottles at each visit
Never have to vacuum out your skimmer box again and reduce clogging
Makes week-to-week maintenance substantially easier for the homeowner
Netting, heater, and additional equipment provided by FallingWater Scapes
We also include off-site storage for the maintenance equipment, which means less clutter in your garage or basement – and one less thing for you to deal with
Priority scheduling for each maintenance service in the Essential Coverage plan
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Each visit includes a full-inspection of the entire water feature and its corresponding parts to ensure proper functioning. This checklist includes:
Clean & maintain filtration systems
Rinse, wash, & vacuum filter mats
Remove debris from the pond and filter
Fertilize water lilies
Perform water treatments as needed
Trim plants for healthy growth
Add beneficial bacteria
Resupply treatments in dosing system if applicable
Observe fish health
Test water quality as needed
Remove and/or treat for string algae
Maintain pump functionality
Maintain proper water levels
Maintain the IonGen System if applicable
Reseal waterfall rocks as needed
Premium Care Plan (x6 Visits)
For this package, you’ll receive all of the fundamentals included in the Essential Coverage Plan, but with some major upgrades. For each Premium Care member, we’ll also install and maintain an automatic dosing system so that you never have to add water treatments to your pond again! Gone are the days of forgetting to add your beneficial bacteria or coming home to an algae bloom after returning home from summer vacation. To properly maintain this worry-free system, we also increase our frequency of visits from 4 to 6 times per year.
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Annual Drain & Clean in Spring where we clean the entire feature top to bottom and set up the automatic dosing system, which regularly applies beneficial bacteria and additional water treatments to the pond.
Early-Summer Check Up where we vacuum the mechanical filter media, top off the water treatment dosing system, administer additional treatments, and provide touch-ups if need be.
Mid-Summer Check Up where we vacuum the mechanical filter media, top off the water treatment dosing system, administer additional treatments, prune aquatic plants, add fertilizer to water lilies, and provide touch-ups if need be.
Fall Prep Service in late September / early October to install netting over the pond, vacuum the mechanical filters again, top off dosing system, and apply other water conditioners if necessary.
Winterization in late November / early December where we remove the fall pond netting, install a pond de-icer, vacuum the mechanical filters again, add a winter water treatment, and perform a light cleanup to the pond area.
Deep Winter Check-Up in early late January / early February to ensure all components are functioning well. At this time, we’ll also add a concentrated dose of cold-water bacteria to the pond to promote healthier water conditions.
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We take care of every water treatment for you so you never have to think about adding beneficial bacteria, pond detoxifier, or other regulators again
Prevents skimmer clogs from occurring and promotes optimal pump performance
Reduces week-to-week maintenance to almost nothing for the homeowner
Extends your craftsmanship warranty from FallingWater Scapes by 1 year * to qualify, you must sign up for the program within 2 months of FallingWater Scapes having built your water feature and stick with the service for 3 years (the duration of the craftsmanship guarantee)
Includes a complimentary emergency call/service should you run into an issue
Dosing system, water treatments, netting, heater, and additional equipment all provided & maintained by FallingWater Scapes
We also include off-site storage for the maintenance equipment, which means less clutter in your garage or basement – and one less thing for you to deal with
Priority scheduling for each maintenance service in the Premier Care plan
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Each visit includes a full-inspection of the entire water feature and its corresponding parts to ensure proper functioning. This checklist includes:
Clean & maintain filtration systems
Rinse, wash, & vacuum filter mats
Remove debris from the pond and filter
Fertilize water lilies
Perform water treatments as needed
Trim plants for healthy growth
Add beneficial bacteria
Resupply treatments in dosing system if applicable
Observe fish health
Test water quality as needed
Remove and/or treat for string algae
Maintain pump functionality
Maintain proper water levels
Maintain the IonGen System if applicable
Reseal waterfall rocks as needed
Concierge Service Plan (x12 Visits)
For this package, we offer a 100% worry-free water feature by handling every aspect of your pond’s maintenance (so you’ll never have to lift a finger). In addition to receiving all of the services outlined in our Premium Care Plan, we also dial up our regular visits to 12 times per year – ensuring that your feature is always in pristine condition. Additionally, we offer 2 complimentary emergency calls with a 24-hour response time should you ever run into trouble.
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Annual Drain & Clean in Spring where we clean the entire feature top to bottom and set up the automatic dosing system, which regularly applies beneficial bacteria and additional water treatments to the pond.
X4 Summer Check Ups where we vacuum the mechanical filter media, top off the water treatment dosing system, administer additional water treatments, prune aquatic plants, add fertilizer to water lilies, and provide touch-ups if need be.
X4 Fall Services that start in late September / early October to install netting over the pond, clean up leaf debris that gets into the pond, vacuum the mechanical filters again, top off dosing system, and apply other water conditioners if necessary.
Winterization in late November / early December where we remove the fall pond netting, install a pond de-icer, vacuum the mechanical filters again, add a winter water treatment, and perform a light cleanup to the pond area.
X2 Deep Winter Check-Ups in January and February to ensure all components are functioning well. At this time, we’ll also add concentrated doses of cold-water bacteria to the pond to promote healthier water conditions.
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We handle every single aspect of maintenance for you: water treatments, pond cleanings, pump services, minor repairs, and even replacing lights at zero cost
Extends your craftsmanship warranty from FallingWater Scapes by 2 years * to qualify, you must sign up for the program within 2 months of FallingWater Scapes having built your water feature and stick with the service for 4 years (the duration of the craftsmanship guarantee)
Includes 2 emergency calls / trips should you run into an issue
Includes free replacement of underwater lights * to qualify, you must sign up within 2 months of FallingWater Scapes having built your water feature and remain on the Concierge Service Plan to qualify
Dosing system, water treatments, netting, heater, and additional equipment all provided & maintained by FallingWater Scapes
We also include off-site storage for the maintenance equipment, which means less clutter in your garage or basement – and one less thing for you to deal with
Go to the top of the line for any service call
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Each visit includes a full-inspection of the entire water feature and its corresponding parts to ensure proper functioning. This checklist includes:
Clean & maintain filtration systems
Rinse, wash, & vacuum filter mats
Remove debris from the pond and filter
Fertilize water lilies
Perform water treatments as needed
Trim plants for healthy growth
Add beneficial bacteria
Resupply treatments in dosing system if applicable
Observe fish health
Test water quality as needed
Remove and/or treat for string algae
Maintain pump functionality
Maintain proper water levels
Maintain the IonGen System if applicable
Reseal waterfall rocks as needed
ON-GOING CARE PRICING
Annual Cost of Service Plans
Note: an additional mileage fee may apply if you live outside of our immediate service range.
COMPARING THE PLANS
Essential vs. Premium vs. Concierge
| Essential Coverage | Premium Care | Concierge Service | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Visits | x4 (Quarterly) | x6 (Bi-Monthly) | x12 (Monthly) |
| Extended Warranty | None | 1 Year | 2 Years |
| Homeowner must still do some maintenance | Yes | Very Little | 100% Hands off |
| Annual Drain & Clean | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fall Netting | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mid-Summer Service | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Winterization | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Dosing System | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free Emergency Calls | No | x1 | x2 |
| Priority Scheduling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 24-Hour Turnaround | No | No | Yes |
| Free Light Replacements | No | No | Yes |
| Other Incentives | None | 15% off Pump Replacements | 25% off Pump Replacements |
DISCLAIMER
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Minimum sign up period is 1 year.
By completing the signup form you are stating your agreement to a minimum of 4 consecutive quarters of billing. You will not have to sign up again after a year to continue your service. Recurring maintenance plans will continue automatically, indefinitely unless you request in writing to terminate the agreement. A minimum of 60-days notice is required to stop all billing activity related to our ongoing care plans. Upon termination of your chosen plan, you will be notified via email.
If a client chooses to terminate their subscription to a recurring maintenance plan before the year is up, any unpaid fees from that quarter will be due in a lumpsum payment to complete termination of said maintenance plan.
The Premium Care & Concierge Service Plans provide extended warranties on our craftsmanship in addition to all Aquascape components in the water feature. The Extended Warranty is valid as long as you are subscribed to the chosen service plan. If you terminate the service plan, your extended warranty is voided. Resigning up for either care plan does NOT reinstate your Extended Warranty.
Due to the complex nature of leaks and elements out of our control; our recurring service plans do not cover leaks. That being said, if we are out on your monthly service visit, and we are able to easily resolve a leak problem, we will repair it on the spot for no additional cost.
Our recurring maintenance plans do not cover broken/failed equipment due to customer negligence or acts of God. Negligence is determined by a FallingWater Scapes technician. FallingWater Scapes reserves full right to determine negligence or an attempt to abuse warranties provided by the Premium Care and Concierge Service Plans.
The Premium Care & Concierge Service plans as described are only available to ponds, water features, and Aquascape equipment/components that are installed by FallingWater Scapes. If you own pond that was not built by FallingWater Scapes, you’ll want to consider our Essential Coverage Plan or inquire about customized programs for unique circumstances.
GET STARTED
Maintenance Request Form
