Easy pond clean out for spring

[j.w]

OK. I did a second application today and got some pictures. Hopefully they explain the process.

Before I start, I did think of one word of caution that I want to add to this conversation. Today was a beautiful, sunny, COOL day. I would not use SPC on my pond on a hot summer day. Would it cause an issue? No clue, but I've always felt the heat is stress enough for the fish. If the SPC reduces oxygen even for a short period of time, probably best to avoid in the heat.

Also I did find a thread on here where Meyer Jordan (RIP) expressed his disapproval of SPC because of the effect it could have on single celled organisms in the pond. Eventually we agreed that even removing algae manually will effect the smallest organisms in the pond, so unless you were hands off completely the potential for harm to some pond life existed on every level.

OK here's where I started - pond is nice and clear:

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Here's the view from the camera:
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Applied EXACTLY three cups of SPC to the pond and ran back inside the house to see this on the camera:

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Here's what I was seeing from outside - I could tell this was a fresh batch of SPC as it started lifting debris almost instantly:

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And the debris continued to float - I started scooping the surface at about the 10 minute mark and this is what I was able to scoop out:

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That was one large net full of leaves of all sorts and sizes. I continued scooping about every ten minutes and eventually had a pile 4x that size. Amazing how many oak leaves you can get when you don't even have an oak tree.

The pond is currently still good and cloudy, but by morning it will be back to clear. Did I get everything out? No. But I do believe that adding oxygen to the mix will help the debris that's still in the pond to break down more quickly. Also notice the fish are completely unbothered by the process.

Once I was done with scooping with my net, I turned the pump back on and just let the rest skim out of the pond. Here's a video of the debris just flowing out over the negative edge. If you have a regular skimmer you'd be able to just let the skimmer basket catch the debris. The small debris continued skimming out for about 45 minutes to an hour:

Very nice vid! Shows it all working in action. I don't have a skimmer but I have 3 filters going. I will turn those all off when I use this stuff and turn back on after I skim w/a net. Look at that crud flowing over into your skimmer! Good deal!

 

[Lisak1]

I could never be a content creator - I had to keep reminding myself to TAKE A PICTURE! HAHA!

 

[GBBUDD]

The Mrs asked what she could do and i said the one job i need you to do is just keep your phone with you and take picture pictures of every thing and nothing just take pics and videos' i think i got 6 and that was only after a friendly reminder

 

[Lisak1]

I’ve just decided in life there are people who remember to take the pictures and people who don’t. Im a don’t.

 

[addy1]

I'm a tooooooooo many pics, esp the pups

 

[High Desert Pond]

Well, this SPC sounds like a game changer! I went to the article that Pablo posted discussing SPC. I am concerned about this bit:
"SPC can be used to improve water quality by the indirect addition of oxygen and associated elimination of bacteria"

I am currently adding beneficial bacteria to the pond. Would I be destroying the bacteria, clearing the muck and then re-establish the bacteria?

 

[WaterGardener]

You don't need to add bacteria to the pond. Your pond has it already and the type you are adding isn't the type for growing the beneficial bacteria that you need for the nitrogen cycle. That bacteria needs oxygen to survive, so it would die fairly quickly sealed in a bottle sitting on a shelf.

What I imagine you are adding is what is recommended to break down the muck at the bottom of your pond. If you are considering using sodium percarbonate, it would seem that that bacteria is not doing it's job.

I'm not sure what bacteria that statement refers to, but I've never had an issue with having to restart the nitrogen cycle after using this or any other problems for that matter.

 

[EricV]

Amazing how many oak leaves you can get when you don't even have an oak tree.

Ain’t that the truth.

 

[tarry]

Fascinating discussion! Thanks, Lisak1, for the info. You mentioned that it might slightly impact single-celled organisms. Things like daphnia, that the fish are eating? I'm guessing that even if you wiped out 99% they'd recolonize quickly. But how about other small stuff? Water beetles I don't care about, and they'll also rebound quickly. But I have lots of dragonfly nymphs in the pond, which I really value -- any idea if it will hurt them?

 

[j.w]

@High Desert Pond

 

[Lisak1]

any idea if it will hurt them?

I am literally not an expert on that subject but my gut instinct is no. I've accidentally tossed the powder on frogs that leaped into my path and they've been unscathed. I think the idea with hydrogen peroxide is that it kills single celled organisms by oxidating them - easily penetrating the membrane of an creature that exists as a single cell will cause death. Bacteria, viruses, yeast, spores, fungi... all easily killed with H2O2. That's why I was able to use my garden bed again within a matter of weeks vs years when it was infected with wilt. I was told it would be impossible - it's not.

To make it a bit easier to understand, if I get hydrogen peroxide on my hand - especially in higher concentrations - it will kill the skin cells that it touches. But the greater organism - me - will survive.

 

[NiftyFifty]

THANK YOU Lisak1 !!!! Not only does this sound like an excellent idea, but I must have accidentally logged out and could not find this forum🥹 Thanks to the email notification of your post, I figured out how to get back in.

As for spring pond cleaning, I wasn’t really sure how to approach all the dead leaves and such at the bottom of my pond. I had considered draining just enough so I could get in and shovel or possibly figure out some type of vacuum situation. I really love your suggestion and I’ll try to not lock myself out again so I can come back and share with ya’ll how it went.

I’ve got a lot to catch up on. Thanks so much

 

[Terri E]

Could someone tell me exactly what they purchased or give me a link thank you

 

[GBBUDD]

Could someone tell me exactly what they purchased or give me a link thank you

Sodium Percarbonate (10 lbs) - 100% Pure - Solid Hydrogen Peroxide/Oxygenated Bleach - Multi-Use Cleaner for Home & Laundry - HDPE container w/Resealable Child Resistant Cap​

 

[j.w]

and welcome @Terri E