How to clean a 1500 gallon Koi pond?

[Jacque44]

I'm wondering where I can look on this site to see the best way to clean my koi pond? Thanks for any help, I will check on the internet too! Jacque

 

[sissy]

I just use a swimming pool net to net the stuff off the bottom

 

[Jason]

Not sure what kind of pond style you have, are there rocks on the bottom or just straight liner? When I had my 450gallon pond up, I just cleaned my filter, then got in the pond and stirred the bottom up with a garden hose nozzle on blast and through a hose over the fence and let every thing get pulled out before a water change. But on my straight liner flat bottom pond, I do the same as Sissy suggested, just use a Koi net instead although a pool net would get much finer materials out!

 

[sissy]

and you forgot cheaper Jason ,you know I am cheap

 

[addy1]

I use a swimming pool net, leaf net, has a great lip for snagging the junk on the bottom

 

[Tula]

I too net out my pond debris. I did have my pond pressure cleaned last fall when I had the gravel removed.

 

[Catfishnut]

I'm wondering where I can look on this site to see the best way to clean my koi pond? Thanks for any help, I will check on the internet too! Jacque

Hi Jacque,

Just for starters, are you in an area of California that is drought stressed? Not that this has a great deal to do with your cleaning agenda, but I just wanted to break the ice and I am hoping that you are not under any water rationing mandates in your local area. i have been reading and hearing about water rationing in some areas of California recently. Having an ample supply of quality water is always key.

I wish to ask what is so dirty in your pond which requires cleaning? Are you referring to general maintenance procedures or do you have a battle going on with algae or dirt or discoloration of the water? Is the pond operating well (as is) at this time and you just feel that you should clean it because the bottom is accumulating debris? i.e. it is an old pond and it's about time to clean the muck out?

Do you have fish in the pond or is it just a garden pond with plants? Are there fish in the pond now and are they doing fine?

What do you have installed currently for your filtration system, pumps and plumbing etc?

I am no pond guru by a long shot, but I think everyone will need some extra information from you regarding the overall condition of your pond and what the nature of the problem you are detecting is. If there is no dire situation which exists and you just are looking for methods to clean out the bottom detritus and gunk and what not, then it should be relaitively simple.

If you have some major problem with unwanted bacteria, algae, fungus or have a water quality issue, we'll have to investigate that specific issue to derive the proper treatment agenda.

Allow me to cut to the quick here and just ask, what is the problem with your pond. We can go from there and condense the entire conversation and scope of the cleaning or treatment to focus in on the main issue if there is one.

Jacque, I wish to extract some more definite facts from you on this subject because I am not sure what you are requesting here. Will you please elaborate on your request? I would love to assist and I am sure a lot of others would, too. But, it is difficult to address the situation when we are not familiar with your pond setup and the current issue.

Can you shoot us back a more detailed description of the situation?



Thanks Jacque and good wishes for your water concerns out there. It has been pretty dry here in Nebraska for a while, too. We are getting by, coping, ever since about the summer of 2002. One thing that a lot of folks don't understand is that you can have a major flood right in the midst of a drought. That doesn't mean that the drought is over.

Hope you reply back and more folks will address your pond cleaning issue. I am sure that between all of us, once we understand the situation completely, will be able to assist you with some really good methods and ideas.

I wish you good luck and if I see your reply soon, I will come back to visit this thread and chime in if I have any good ideas.

Gordy

 

[Dave 54]

You can buy a pond Vacuum which will do the job for you , if your just building your I'd recomnd a 10" bottom drain which is what Val and I use.
The only other thing I can suggest is you put a strict maintenance routine into place once you have the vacuum and make sure your filtration is man enough for the job

Dave

 

[Waterbug]

Lots of cleaning options.
- My MuckMop vacuum.
- My Silt Vac.
- My page comparing some different methods.
Enjoy.