Pond cleaning

[Lizabeth Harris]

When should I clean the bottom of my pond? I have a pond vac and when I used it last year I hoovered up some tiny fish. They have not reappeared so I think I killed the poor things. The pond is mature 6 to 7 year at least and has 17 goldfish.

 

[Lisak1]

Well I'm assuming it's winter where you are, bu maybe not? Most pond owners will worry about cleaning the pond bottom during the warmer spring and summer months. As to HOW you clean the pond bottom - that's an area that's open to debate. I use a pool net and scoop the leaves and debris that might blow in over winter. Otherwise I leave the bottom alone.

 

[addy1]

I quit cleaning the bottom ages ago, never got enough stuff to bother with.

 

[Mackie Byars]

My pond is small, 800 gallons. I’ve got cords, aerators, pumps, rocks, and plants on the bottom. I don’t see how you could net or sweep anything now. In spring I ’ll set everything up and scoop away. This will be my 1st yr l don’t empty the pond and clean it! I’ve read so many posts about not killing the good bacteria, I’m trying to change my ways!

 

[brokensword]

pond cleaning? what's that?????

 

[brokensword]

My pond is small, 800 gallons. I’ve got cords, aerators, pumps, rocks, and plants on the bottom. I don’t see how you could net or sweep anything now. In spring I ’ll set everything up and scoop away. This will be my 1st yr l don’t empty the pond and clean it! I’ve read so many posts about not killing the good bacteria, I’m trying to change my ways!

it's more about not killing the algae+biofilm on the sides of the liner, structures, etc with pressure washing. No problem getting out any accumulated muck, leaves, etc from the bottom in a slow, slow, s l o w manner.

 

[420benz]

Every year i empty the pond after removing the fish.I remove all of the gunk from the bottom and clean the pumps. I refill the pond add Prime and wait until the water temps are the same as the pond water i put the fish in. I don't know if i should add this ??

 

[j.w]

Every year i empty the pond after removing the fish.I remove all of the gunk from the bottom and clean the pumps. I refill the pond add Prime and wait until the water temps are the same as the pond water i put the fish in. I don't know if i should add this ??

IMO, I would not be doing what your are doing w/emptying the pond and cleaning it and I would not add any chemicals either. You could be tempting fate I fear and your fish could be shocked due to that big change of water. How long have you been doing this and do you ever have any fish deaths?

 

[420benz]

3 years in a row. No fish lost. Maybe this year i will try to do a half empty .

 

[Mmathis]

@Lizabeth Harris Just curious, but what season are you in right now? Most of us here in the US are looking at winter, and I think most will agree that (when and if we clean), we either “clean the bottom” in spring when the pond wakes up, or in fall, before we close down for the winter. Just my 2 cents. How big is your pond? If you are afraid of losing fish, and your pond isn’t too massive, maybe consider the “net the bottom” method.

 

[j.w]

3 years in a row. No fish lost. Maybe this year i will try to do a half empty .

Most here don't take out water, they just top it off if some evaporates. You can use a long poled net to remove the muck or a pond vacuum. Sometimes I have allowed water to slowly run into the pond while pumping the same amount slowly out. I don't have a perfect filter system and sometimes my water looks like it needs freshing up a bit. I need a bog but alas this will not be happening. Just have my pot filter and a submerged prefilter on my pump that collects the muck. Works fairly well if cleaned often.

 

[420benz]

750 Gallons.

 

[420benz]

BTW: I don't do any cleaning until around May. I am in Ga. Zone 8

 

[yorkshire pudding]

@Lizabeth Harris Just curious, but what season are you in right now? Most of us here in the US are looking at winter, and I think most will agree that (when and if we clean), we either “clean the bottom” in spring when the pond wakes up, or in fall, before we close down for the winter. Just my 2 cents. How big is your pond? If you are afraid of losing fish, and your pond isn’t too massive, maybe consider the “net the bottom” method.

in the uk we are in winter right now.

 

[Lisak1]

Every year i empty the pond after removing the fish.I remove all of the gunk from the bottom and clean the pumps.

Fish death is just one outcome that's possible when you are breaking down a pond annually. (Obviously you can do it without killing fish - the pros do it for a living.) But the other unintended consequence is "new pond syndrome" - you're starting over every year with water that needs to now cycle and mature and develop bacteria and so on and so forth. All the good things we tell new pond owners to wait patiently for to get their pond to the point where it's self sufficient. With a new pond - or a pond full of fresh water - you'll likely fight algae, which then leads to algae treatment which then becomes one big vicious cycle. There's a tendency to think "fresh water is better" but your fish will disagree.

@420benz - you do what works for you... just sharing this for others who may read your post and think that's a common or necessary practice.

We were told once by an old time ponder that mature pond water is like gold - never ever get rid of it if you can help it.