Hi. I hope somebody can help me. I've moved into a new house which has a stream in the front garden. It is essentially stagnant water and more like a pond unless we have a decent amount of rain which then makes it flow. It just realised that there is at least 2 ft of sludge / silt which I would like to remove as I think it is dangerous for my little girl. I went to a garden pond shop and was advised to spend £300 on a pond vac which simply is not up to the job. Any advice would be much appreciated. Cheers Pete
Help - Need to remove large quantity of pond sludge / silt
- Thread starter Peatfish
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Welcome.
I'm always on the side of safety, and agree 2 feet of sludge and stuff is not kid or adult friendly. A picture and dimensions might help. Is the stream natural so it then continues on its way or was it constructed with concrete or a liner?
Offhand, I'd suggest you get a bucket, a shovel, a pair of gloves, wear old clothes, and start bailing the muck, via wheelbarrow, to someplace you don't mind it sitting as it dries out and it won't go back into the stream when it rains. Maybe lure a couple of friends with a couple of "pints"? Mud wrestling competition?
Depending on whether you want a pond, if it's a low spot, you may want to do some creative re-grading so the water keeps flowing rather than silting up.
Cheers back.
I'm always on the side of safety, and agree 2 feet of sludge and stuff is not kid or adult friendly. A picture and dimensions might help. Is the stream natural so it then continues on its way or was it constructed with concrete or a liner?
Offhand, I'd suggest you get a bucket, a shovel, a pair of gloves, wear old clothes, and start bailing the muck, via wheelbarrow, to someplace you don't mind it sitting as it dries out and it won't go back into the stream when it rains. Maybe lure a couple of friends with a couple of "pints"? Mud wrestling competition?
Depending on whether you want a pond, if it's a low spot, you may want to do some creative re-grading so the water keeps flowing rather than silting up.
Cheers back.
Drain the pond. Get a pressure washer a couple buds/ whoops mates and a shop vac safety goggles and shorts and a gonna Getty to play in the mud bog attitude. Drain pond use pressure washer to cut channels through much try and remove by hand if not turn it into a Mudd slushy and use the shop vac. Muddin we will go
Mmathis
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Hello and welcome.
Agree that pictures would be helpful. What kind of lining does the pond have: a liner, concrete, or dirt/mud/clay?
Are there any fish? If not (or if you have a way to contain the fish temporarily), drain the water out (rent a sump pump), and shovel out the muck. Repurpose the drained water and muck in flower beds, compost piles, etc.
Agree that pictures would be helpful. What kind of lining does the pond have: a liner, concrete, or dirt/mud/clay?
Are there any fish? If not (or if you have a way to contain the fish temporarily), drain the water out (rent a sump pump), and shovel out the muck. Repurpose the drained water and muck in flower beds, compost piles, etc.
j.w
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Is this a natural stream? If so then I presume it always has water running in and out even if it is really slow when the rains aren't happening. So that means you really can't drain it. You can still muck it out w/a bucket and shovel tho I would think or like @Mmathis suggested to rent a sump pump. Would love to see pictures of it.