If you're in the landscaping or lawn care business and looking for a high-margin service to add to your lineup, pond maintenance might be the most profitable move you can make. We’re not talking about building ponds—we’re talking about maintaining them. This niche is in high demand, low competition, and surprisingly simple to learn.
What Is Pond Maintenance and Why Is It So Profitable?
Pond maintenance is the process of cleaning and servicing already-installed backyard ponds and water features. This includes things like removing debris, inspecting pumps, servicing filters, and doing seasonal cleanouts. Most homeowners with ponds love how they look—but they don’t want to deal with the dirty work.
That’s where you come in.
You don’t need to be a professional pond installer. Maintaining ponds takes far fewer tools, much less technical knowledge, and generates significantly more income per man-hour than basic landscaping services.
How Much Can You Make with Pond Cleanout Services?
According to industry experts like Aquascape, the average contractor doing pond maintenance services earns up to $250–$300 per hour. Compare that to $25/hour for basic lawn care, and it becomes obvious why this is one of the best-kept secrets in the green industry.
“If you can maintain your own lawn mower, you can maintain a pond,” says Stan from Dirt Monkey.
What You Need to Start a Pond Maintenance Business
Starting a pond cleanout service doesn’t require a huge investment. Here are the essentials:
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Pressure washer (2,500–3,000 PSI)
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Muck boots and rain suit
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Safety goggles
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Hand tools (pruners, screwdrivers, utility knife)
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Tool storage like a Milwaukee Packout
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Collapsible holding tanks (for fish and water)
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Cleanout pump with 100 feet of hose
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Buckets with drainage holes
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Optional: koi sock (for handling large fish)
These tools are enough to perform standard seasonal cleanouts on most backyard ponds.
How to Perform a Standard Pond Cleanout
Most typical ponds—such as an 8x11 with a 10-foot stream—can be cleaned by a two-person crew in about 2–3 hours.
Here's an overview of the pond maintenance checklist:
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Drain the pond into holding tanks using a cleanout pump.
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Safely move fish into those tanks using the preserved pond water.
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Remove and clean filters, skimmers, and biological media.
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Pick out debris like sticks, leaves, and algae.
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Pressure wash the pond rocks and stream (no flipping or re-stacking).
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Reassemble components and refill the pond with saved water and dechlorinated tap water.
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Reintroduce fish after temperature acclimation.
The process is straightforward, fast with experience, and can be priced anywhere from $750 to $4,000, depending on pond size and condition.
How to Find Pond Maintenance Customers in Your Area
If you want to market your pond cleanout services effectively, try these tips:
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Add a “Pond Maintenance” page to your website and list it on your service trailer.
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Search real estate sites like Zillow using keywords like “koi pond” or “water feature.”
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Target neighborhoods with larger yards or landscaped homes.
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Post before-and-after cleanout photos on social media.
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Run local Facebook or Google ads using terms like “pond cleaning near me” or “pond service contractor.”
Qualifying Leads with the Right Questions
Before quoting a job, it’s important to qualify the pond. Ask these questions up front:
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When was the last time it was cleaned?
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Was it professionally built or DIY?
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Do you have a recent photo or short video of the pond?
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Are there trees nearby? Any leaf buildup?
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How many fish are in the pond?
These questions help you determine if you need to charge more, require an investigative consultation, or avoid the job entirely.
Download the Free Pre-Cleanout & Pond Evaluation Checklist
Want to streamline your quoting process and look more professional?
Download our Pre-Cleanout & Pond Evaluation Checklist + Questionnaire. It’s the same form we use to qualify ponds before ever setting foot on the property.
This checklist will help you:
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Ask the right questions during client intake
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Spot red flags that could cost you time and money
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Set accurate expectations with the homeowner
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Confidently quote your services
Final Thoughts
Pond maintenance is the most profitable, least saturated niche in the green industry. With minimal startup costs and a fast learning curve, this is a service nearly any blue-collar worker can add to their business—and start making $250+ per hour.
The tools, the training, and the demand are all already out there.
