Bad storm overflow from drainage ditch need help

[CeeJayH]

I have an Oase Pondvac which has an adjustable nozzle. I can set the opening to between 2mm and 10mm, so at the bottom end of the range, it will pick up gunk and leave pebbles behind.

 

[KJS]

Sorry to hear the news. Depending on the size of rock, the vacuum may not work very well. I love my pond vacuum, but it will suck up pebbles and block the tubing.

They range from golfball size to dime.

 

[KJS]

I have an Oase Pondvac which has an adjustable nozzle. I can set the opening to between 2mm and 10mm, so at the bottom end of the range, it will pick up gunk and leave pebbles behind.

Do you think I should vacuum and not drain. I will need to buy a vacuum

 

[KJS]

If you want to quickly clear the water, acquire some agricultural gypsum and sprinkle it over the surface of the pond. It will bind with any and all suspended solids and precipitate to the pond's bottom where it will stay until you can remove it.
In an eco-pond such as yours, a certain amount of silt (2 - 4 cm) on the bottom is not a bad thing. Any amount over this could very well cause future problems. Like Cas stated, vacuuming may prove to be a chore because of the gravel bottom. You may want to wait until the weather warms and do a clean-out.
If no signs of stress have been observed as yet your fish should be OK.

Ya we always have that little amount at the bottom we don't worry about but this is not alittle amount. My fish seem ok as of right now. I'm sure you are all like this to I will be sooo upset if I loose a fish. I have lost maybe 5 fish in the 8 years we've had a pond.

 

[KJS]

Welcome top the form @KJS did you say you had rocks on the bottom of your pond ?
If so you may have problems with suction getting the gunk/dirt out from the bottom of your pond I'm affraid

Dave

Yes I have rocks raining from golfball size to dime size.

 

[KJS]

I can not figure out how to post a picture that I have saved to my iPad?

 

[KJS]

I just went out to check on it and everything has settled so I can see the bottom but there's the layer of scum now left. If I can figure out how to post a picture I ca. Show ou

 

[cas]

They range from golfball size to dime.

That size will make it difficult to use the vacuum. The smaller stone (dime) will be sucked up into the canister and the golf size will plug the hose. That being said, I used my vacuum for 11 years with those size stones in my pond. It just took a little more time unplugging the hose and putting rock back into the pond that got sucked out.

 

[morewater]

A PondVac isn't going to help with the removal of silt. You're going to have to get in there and scoop it out by hand.

The Oase PondVacs return the water to the pond, trapping particles smaller than the outlet hose mesh bag. Suspended dirt will simply pass through the mesh bag.

 

[KJS]

A PondVac isn't going to help with the removal of silt. You're going to have to get in there and scoop it out by hand.

The Oase PondVacs return the water to the pond, trapping particles smaller than the outlet hose mesh bag. Suspended dirt will simply pass through the mesh bag.

What if we direct the water away from gng back into pond?

 

[morewater]

The purpose in using a PondVac is that you're preserving the water. A PondVac sucks the water from the pond, along with the suspended materials, and then passes the water/materials out of the outlet hose where the mesh bag traps the debris and the water (sans crapola) is then returned to the pond.

Simply vacuuming the water out of the pond and then dumping it somewhere doesn't require a vacuum. Hell, you can just use your pond pump to empty a pond.

My point is that if you want to remove the dirt/silt that was deposited in your pond from the run-off, you're going to have to empty the pond to remove the dirt, or partially empty the pond in order to scoop the dirt out by hand. Either way, it's a huge pain in the posterior opening of the digestive tract. The hard way is how I described, the easy way is to live with it.

What you need to think about is constructing some sort of a diversionary device, be it a dry well, a drainage ditch, whatever that will intercept any runoff that's going to get into the pond. Lawn fertilizer, for instance, will wreak havoc on a pond.

As to posting a photo, simply hit the tab "upload a file", select the photo and post.

 

[Dave 54]

Yes I have rocks raining from golfball size to dime size.

I'm a UK koi keeper which means we have very formal ponds [no rocks . no plants and we have a bottom drain] .
One of the main reasons for this is detritus builds up around and under the rocks which is something you dont want as it can after a while cause your fish problems especially coming out of winter when we enter what is termed "Areomonas alley" see link:-

http://www.kloubeckoi.com/blog/aeromonas-alley/


Dave

 

[cas]

What if we direct the water away from gng back into pond?

I understand what morewater is saying, but I have directed the water away from the pond when I have used the vacuum. I figure if your choices are a) draining the whole pond and cleaning the silt out, or b) drain some of the pond water out while vacuuming the silt out or c) live with it, I personally would try 'b'.

 

[KJS]

I'm a UK koi keeper which means we have very formal ponds [no rocks . no plants and we have a bottom drain] .
One of the main reasons for this is detritus builds up around and under the rocks which is something you dont want as it can after a while cause your fish problems especially coming out of winter when we enter what is termed "Areomonas alley" see link:-

http://www.kloubeckoi.com/blog/aeromonas-alley/


Dave

When we were going to expand our pond to make it bigger we did research and there were so many difference of opinions on this. What exactly do you have in the bottom then I mean just the liner is visible? In this case would you recommend me draining or vacuuming?

 

[KJS]

The purpose in using a PondVac is that you're preserving the water. A PondVac sucks the water from the pond, along with the suspended materials, and then passes the water/materials out of the outlet hose where the mesh bag traps the debris and the water (sans crapola) is then returned to the pond.

Simply vacuuming the water out of the pond and then dumping it somewhere doesn't require a vacuum. Hell, you can just use your pond pump to empty a pond.

My point is that if you want to remove the dirt/silt that was deposited in your pond from the run-off, you're going to have to empty the pond to remove the dirt, or partially empty the pond in order to scoop the dirt out by hand. Either way, it's a huge pain in the posterior opening of the digestive tract. The hard way is how I described, the easy way is to live with it.

What you need to think about is constructing some sort of a diversionary device, be it a dry well, a drainage ditch, whatever that will intercept any runoff that's going to get into the pond. Lawn fertilizer, for instance, will wreak havoc on a pond.

As to posting a photo, simply hit the tab "upload a file", select the photo and post.

I guess I didn't think the pond vac would take that much water to vacuum the bottom of the pond. Draining a 4,500 gallon pond is very very hard work. Was just trying to see if there was an easier way. If not then we will be draining it we want what's best for our koi. We've had the oldest one for 9 years I want them to be happy and healthy. Draining it right now and catching them all is super stressful on them since they are just coming out of hibernation. I'm having a hard time deciding what's best.