Unlike nets, skimmers are better long term investments as they can remove much finer debris which isn’t always easy to see and are also able to work 24/7 to keep the surface clean. So plant the pond quite heavily initially with a combination of marginal, oxygenating and deep water plants to naturally purify the water, help to prevent algae, or if the pond is already full of algae, they will help to fight it off. First thing to clean in a pond is any floating surface debris, as … The only way to determine what is right for your new pond is to perform a broad range water quality test; specifically taking note of the readings for ammonia, nitrites, pH and KH. If so, what are the results showing? Do I need to drain my pond water to clean efficiently? Drain or siphon it into a large container, like a plastic trash can. We have to hose off the filters as they are full of muck twice a day. Purchasing a sinking sturgeon feed is obviously better long term (including some of my recommendations below! 2) Perform a water quality test and note all parameters 3) Perform a 25-50% water change (reduces ammonia/nitrites and replenishes KH/Alkalinity) 4) Perform another water quality test and note all parameters 5) If parameters are still not ideal, take further steps (i.e, slowly reduce silt, increase aeration, supplement bacteria) 6) Monitor fish for stress, injury or illness (are they eating? We provide large pond maintenance and products specifically for these problems. Please help. Control weed growth by using a product that breaks down and is safe for wildlife. Maintain a healthy fish population. Our community’s sanitary sewer authority considered using them several years ago only to find winter water temps here in northern NJ are too chilly. We have a small garden pond with a waterfall, which the birds love. Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) are small freshwater fish that eat mosquito larvae. Full function filter, pump, and fountain. Beneficial bacteria can only do so much and can easily be overloaded in ponds with massive amounts of waste build-up, so water changes can sometimes be a good option for maintaining water condition. You’ll also need to cut back any plants or weeds that are hanging into the water. Make Use of Pond Plants. ), but they’d also eat the koi feed as soon as it sinks and hits the pond floor. We have a .25 acre pond that has a lot of silt on the bottom. Also, vacuums are designed to be used in contact with the pond liner, and since fish don’t actively lay on the bottom, it would be very unlikely to get sucked up that way! It is pear shaped and about 14 meters long, being 6 meters at one end going down to 3 meters at the shallow end with a concrete base. A single visit might be as little as $250 to $450. Algae can also be controlled in the long run by adding more plants to your pond, as they directly compete with algae for nutrients, gradually slowing it’s growth. String algae, which looks like strands of hair floating on the water or clinging to the walls, harms the pond’s ecosystem. We have many goldfish which breed prolifically (we keep the numbers down by giving some away every year). I suggest this simply as a “hybrid” line of inquiry you might find worth pursuing. Fully draining pond water should always be a last resort, and it’s certainly not something you need to do if you want to clean your pond. To keep a pond healthy, you've got to do several things, he says. How to Clear Weeds From a Large Pond With a Rack. Even though algae isn’t technically waste, it should still be controlled and cleaned out so it doesn’t cause issues with water quality and sludge build up. Hi. To combat free-swimming algae we recommend installing a UV clarifier which will filter water and destroy algae at the cellular level. Subsurface aeration works from the bottom up, by using a compressor to pump air down to the bottom of the pond, through a diffuser which produces fine bubbles that rise to the surface of the pond. Use a pond rake to capture unwanted materials from the center of the pond. If you have a small pond, however, and don’t mind keeping on top of daily cleaning, a pond net should be more than enough! Benefits: Controls algae growth, adds more oxygen content, and helps … As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Since you don’t want fish, simply performing a good bottom clean of the muck and a partial/full (50-100%) water change would be a good way to re-fresh the system – both of which can indeed be done with a pond vacuum. How would I clean all the rocks? Learn how to remove this in our short video, from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Thank you very much, your site is very informative. … And if I need to remove, must I use the expensive vacuums? You starve out the algae from food by cleaning up the sludge and muck by using the PlanktoniX faithfully. The rocks do get covered with sludge/algae as well. You should be just fine! We have been here 8 weeks and have only just started seeing these each evening, I believe we should be feeding them something other than Koi food so will be getting something in the next day or so. Water changes (removing and adding water) may be beneficial in some circumstances, but we never recommend a full pond water change (full drainage) as you’ll be effectively resetting the nitrogen cycle. ), I don’t think there would be a problem here. This process is known as eutrophication . For general cleaning, which includes bottom muck, algae, and floating debris, you should not need to remove any water to get the job done. If you have a particularly deep pond, you’d want to look for a model which can keep suction at good depths and which has an extendible handle for easier cleaning. Essentially, an aeration system will blow air into the bottom of the pond, pushing that still water up to the surface. Basic models will lose suction the deeper you go, and although they may be ideal for smaller ponds, they may not be up to the job of cleaning the deepest points of larger ponds. Pondinformer.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca, and amazon.co.uk. API Pond-Zyme Sludge Destroyer – Editor’s Choice. We live in northern Georgia. Below is what I would probably do in your situation to determine the current condition of the pond:-, 1) Get equipment up and running (which you’ve done!) Although filters should be rarely cleaned as it can harm bacteria living in the box, it’s sometimes necessary if the media has become completely clogged. What do you suggest? Should I perform a water change when I clean? There are trees and some vegetation around the sides. 5 tips for harvesting and keeping a live Christmas tree, See what’s trending right now on Living the Country Life. Leaving sludge and debris in ponds over time can cause all sorts of problems for fish, especially if water freezes over and no gas exchange can take place. Many people also just like the color. The entire bottom of our Koi pond is small rocks, larger than pebbles, but there is about two-three inches of pebbles on the bottom. Aim for a third of the surface of the pond to be covered by plants at all times. In instances such as this, harmful substances will slowly rise and oxygen content will be reduced, eventually leading to fish becoming sick or dying come spring. For fast control of algae, however, a combination of a UV clarifier and a vacuum should be enough to remove almost all of the plants without the need to drain any water. My question is similar to the previous one asked by S. T. Dupont. This would have to be done manually as we did not install a drain. Personally, I wouldn’t disturb the sludge just yet as this may kick-up harmful substances in the lower layers, which could cause further issues if water quality is already poor. The best pH level for fish is 7.5 to 8. © 2020 Meredith Corporation. I love having the ducks but don’t want the water quality to drop and effect the other creatures. If all look good, removing the sludge is a personal preference, but if you have plants and wildlife, you’d want to leave a bit so they have plenty of nutrients to root and continue to grow. If you have a wildlife pond and want to keep most of your sludge, you can instead just add extra beneficial bacteria to complement the nitrogen cycle. I can’t do anything about the rooks but I can clean out the pond as we do get mallard ducks here. People pay $450 on the low end and over $5,000 on the high, but the price is heavily subjective and based on the size and complexity of the pond's environment. To see all exchange delays and terms of use, please see https://www.barchart.com/solutions/terms. In terms of pond silt (sludge), there is sadly no hard-and-fast rule, and the same amount which may be healthy in one pond may be unhealthy in another. ), but they should be fine with either a koi or goldfish feed for the time being. Problems with algae occur when it’s left to grow uncontrolled and rapidly takes over the pond system. Pond vacuums will allow you to clean the bottom of your pond liner without having to drain water, and the best models will have a variety of different head attachments for cleaning hard-to-reach areas of the pond. I just love having this in my little garden and trying to have it not become a nuisance. It has a filtration system, which was badly clogged and not functioning when I bought the house, surprisingly no dead fish. Set the jar on the shelf and observe how fast the mud settles. Most sludge remover treatments work using highly concentrated bacteria which is able to break down organic matter throughout the pond. During one of our Pond Cleaning Services Mark recorded this video "How to clean a pond without draining it". Either way, a hole in the surface ice, … All winter long the water is crystal clear. Likewise, mechanical media can become damaged over time and may need replacing every few years to ensure optimum filtration is taking place. After cleaning the bottom muck out and letting things settle, if you’re still not satisfied with clarity, a few small water changes may be beneficial to further reduce waste substances and top-up natural alkalinity. A final thing to do when cleaning a pond is to ensure your water filtration is the best it can be to reduce future cleaning and maintenance. If you’re interested, further reading on murky ponds here – https://pondinformer.com/how-to-clear-cloudy-pond-water/. Another way to remove bottom muck, which is also much faster and easier, is to invest in a quality water vacuum. These are essential to ponds with fish, and form the basis of the “nitrogen cycle“, which helps keep the pond in balance. Here are some articles which may help with the new pond, but if you have any specific questions, I’d be happy to help if I’m able! Once the pond is drained and free of most muck (you can leave a thin layer, as it’s great for insects, wildlife and plant growth), let it re-fill naturally if you’re not in a rush or top it up with mains tap water. Likewise, a small clean can be carried out during spring when temperatures begin to rise and fish become more active. It sounds you’ve done a great job getting equipment working again, and since there are no sick fish, water quality must still be within tolerable parameters – which is good! Then, use barley straw, which is shown to prevent the growth of algae in backyard ponds. Add some bottom feeder and herbivore fish. Skim the Surface for Floating Debris. About 8 years ago we installed a pond with a waterfall in our backyard that has many frogs and well established plants. Yes, so long as the vacuum is designed for wet application it should be fine to use. Natural bacteria, such as in the products GreenEx or Microbe Lift PBL, can break down muck and sludge, cut down algae and aquatic weeds, and help reduce bad odors. Thanks for the comment! The water does seem to be clearing so we feel we are getting there however we have now noticed two large sturgeon in there. Glad it was helpful to you. Fecal matter can contaminate a pond, and large animals could damage the banks. We have just moved and have a pond in the garden, there are a number of fish in it but the water is so murky it is difficult to see how many, We have cleaned out the filters and replaced a faulty UV lamp and when we drain water of we get a green sludge even if we drain every four or five days, we are obviously not draining the whole pond just enough to get rid of the green sludge. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Have you performed a water quality test recently? https://pondinformer.com/pond-sturgeon-guide/ https://pondinformer.com/best-sturgeon-food/ https://pondinformer.com/best-pond-water-test-kit/ https://pondinformer.com/koi-pond-water-change-guide/ https://pondinformer.com/how-to-dechlorinate-pond-water/ https://pondinformer.com/best-pond-vacuum-cleaner/. Even though heavily draining water may be required under some circumstances, in terms of general cleaning, it is rarely a necessity so long as you have the right equipment at hand. Plugged it all in and viola! And thank goodness, no dead fish. Depending on how large the pond is, and how many fish you have, weekly 10-30% water changes may also be ideal to keep waste compounds low and water clarity good. What a wonderful tips thanks for the lesson. A balanced pond you will be able to see the bottom in about 18 inches of water. Congrats on the new house and pond! Any ideas?? Credit: STIHL-sponsored photo contest entry by Henry Hudson Ponds are a wonderful addition to a forest or tree farm, providing a source of water for animal, crops and people, as well as a place to swim, observe wildlife and, of course, fish. Alternatively, you could also make use of a regular aquarium siphon so long as the tub isn’t too deep. Monty explains how to remove it. We had our Koi pond professionally cleaned earlier this year. Small amounts of algae in ponds are actually beneficial, providing hiding spots from predators and making good snacks for goldfish. 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