We have had a pond since 1997, and Cliff only discovered this trick about 3 years ago -- by accident.
We have a bottom drain with a 90 degree angle and a two 45 degree angle's. The bottom drain
gets clogged several times during the season with leaves, rocks, and pebbles (especially pebbles from
the koi foraging in the lily pots) Cliff would put two hoses together on the shop vac and force
it down past the two 45 degree angle's and the 90 degree angle..(not an easy task, to push, turn, and twist a hose
past these angles.) Then he would both vacuum and blow out the line.
One day he forced in the wrong end of the hose down the line by mistake. Once the house got
past the 45 degree angle's the fitting at the end of the hose got stuck, and would not budge. It was a nightmare...
Well, we were in big trouble, with a stuck hose that wouldn't budge...
After several hours of trying to get the house out, a light bulb went on in his head. He tied a
rag (boy scout knot) in the center of a very long strong nylon line. He dropped the line down from inside the first filter tub
all the way through, once it got all the way through, he tied the one end of the line to the dock.
Then he began pulling the rag through the line from inside the tub, then he tied the end of the line
to a crate just outside the first tub. Then pulled the line attached to the dock, again pulling the rag through all the way.
He alternated pulling both ends of the nylon line until the vacuum hose loosened and he was able to be pulled out the stuck
hose
The nylon line in now part of his regular maintenance...It is now so easy to keep
the drain line free from any debris.
The long nylon line (with the rag in the center) is now
permanently attached in our pond --- the nylon line is attached on one end to the dock and on the other
end to a crate (just outside the filter tub)
He pulls on it to loosen and remove leaves, pebbles, etc...as part of his normal maintenance. There is no longer a need
to drag out the shop vac and vacuum out the drain line,
when it gets clogged... Also, the clean drain line helps keep the pond running more effectively,
thus, there is less filter maintenance as the clogged lines always slow down the flow of water in the filter tubs.
He cleans the tubs a lot less since discovering this trick. Only once a week now.
BTW...he initially used a snake to get the line all the way through the drain line...
This is the deep section 3 1/2 feet deep. Cliff removed the dome on the BD and put two milk
crates on top of the drain and then a lily...see the rock mess the koi make, digging in the pots?
Well, it's no longer a big problem, the rag tied to the cord is under the crates and pulled on one side
from the small wood dock, and pulled from the other side from by the filter tubs...
This year they knocked over the new lily THREE times already. Now we have it surrounded by
big bolders...and even more rocks have to be scooped out of the pond floor!
Why do they do that!?!
We have a bottom drain with a 90 degree angle and a two 45 degree angle's. The bottom drain
gets clogged several times during the season with leaves, rocks, and pebbles (especially pebbles from
the koi foraging in the lily pots) Cliff would put two hoses together on the shop vac and force
it down past the two 45 degree angle's and the 90 degree angle..(not an easy task, to push, turn, and twist a hose
past these angles.) Then he would both vacuum and blow out the line.
One day he forced in the wrong end of the hose down the line by mistake. Once the house got
past the 45 degree angle's the fitting at the end of the hose got stuck, and would not budge. It was a nightmare...
Well, we were in big trouble, with a stuck hose that wouldn't budge...
After several hours of trying to get the house out, a light bulb went on in his head. He tied a
rag (boy scout knot) in the center of a very long strong nylon line. He dropped the line down from inside the first filter tub
all the way through, once it got all the way through, he tied the one end of the line to the dock.
Then he began pulling the rag through the line from inside the tub, then he tied the end of the line
to a crate just outside the first tub. Then pulled the line attached to the dock, again pulling the rag through all the way.
He alternated pulling both ends of the nylon line until the vacuum hose loosened and he was able to be pulled out the stuck
hose
The nylon line in now part of his regular maintenance...It is now so easy to keep
the drain line free from any debris.
The long nylon line (with the rag in the center) is now
permanently attached in our pond --- the nylon line is attached on one end to the dock and on the other
end to a crate (just outside the filter tub)
He pulls on it to loosen and remove leaves, pebbles, etc...as part of his normal maintenance. There is no longer a need
to drag out the shop vac and vacuum out the drain line,
when it gets clogged... Also, the clean drain line helps keep the pond running more effectively,
thus, there is less filter maintenance as the clogged lines always slow down the flow of water in the filter tubs.
He cleans the tubs a lot less since discovering this trick. Only once a week now.
BTW...he initially used a snake to get the line all the way through the drain line...
This is the deep section 3 1/2 feet deep. Cliff removed the dome on the BD and put two milk
crates on top of the drain and then a lily...see the rock mess the koi make, digging in the pots?
Well, it's no longer a big problem, the rag tied to the cord is under the crates and pulled on one side
from the small wood dock, and pulled from the other side from by the filter tubs...
This year they knocked over the new lily THREE times already. Now we have it surrounded by
big bolders...and even more rocks have to be scooped out of the pond floor!
Why do they do that!?!
Yes I am laughing at holding someone under water with a rake so they don't float to the top.:lol: