Jump to content

Cleaning out the pond


eamonn321

Recommended Posts

I've always used the pond pump to empty the pond, but then I've always over-filtered and had something capable of emptying the pond in an hour or less. Better still, if you own or hire a pump with a bottom intake capable of handling solids, you can pump a lot of the silt out.

 

I'd be wary of dustbins, they have a relatively small surface area exposed to the air relative to the amount of water in them. OK for short term, but keep an eye on the fish for signs of distress.

 

I'd fill up with tapwater, but use a dechlorinating additive. They are all monstrous rip-offs, the main active ingredient being sodium thiosulfate (photographer's hypo) which costs them a few tens of pence per pound, but unless you can be bothered to obtain a supply and work out the dosage it's probably worth paying a tenner for a few pence worth of chemicals and water. In an established (dirty) pond there will be enough organic matter about to get rid of any chlorine pretty quickly anyway, but I'd rather not have it killing off beneficial bacteria on all of the surfaces of the pond and filter in the process.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gravel Gravel Gravel

 

When I emptied my pond last year I took the opportunity whilst cleaning to add about 3 inches of gravel to the bottom - I bought a washed (chalk free) white pebble from the builders yard. I needed quite a bit, but it pretty much traps silt down on the bottom and stops the fish stirring it up. It also has the added benefit of providing a breeding ground for bacteria, to breakdown the trapped waste AND baby fishies/tadpoles etc can use the nooks and crannies for cover.

 

Looks nice as well - fish show up better against the white background.

 

Ian

Ian W

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not actually sure how old my pond is but I moved to this house about 8 years ago and I'm guessing it must have been about 10 years old then. Do you think the liner is up to being scraped and walked in after all this time? I don't know how much new liners cost but the pond is about 10' x 6' (though with a corner curved off) and about 30" deep in the middle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ultimate answer, of course, is a gravity-fed filter via a bottom drain. When we had one of those, the bottom of the pond was always pristine. That's what I'll be doing when I put the ponds in at the new house.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ultimate answer, of course, is a gravity-fed filter via a bottom drain. When we had one of those, the bottom of the pond was always pristine. That's what I'll be doing when I put the ponds in at the new house.

 

I've got to agree, i've currently got a 3 thousand gallon koi pond with two bottom drains in it, it makes life a lot easier and the fishes environment a lot cleaner.

 

Another point to mention about refilling the pond is to make sure that you do use a "tapwater conditioner" when refilling as a lot of the water companies now use Chloramine instead of Chlorine when treating tapwater and this is far more toxic to fish. If anybody wnats to know what exactly is in there tapwater your local water companies will be only to pleased to provide you with a full list.

 

Cheers

Steve Merlin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.