Pond Vacuum or Shop Vac ?

[Trix]

Hello, I am a new member here. I am also pretty new with ponds and fish. We built a pond last year ( about 6'x8'x3' ).I have several baby koi fish (about 2" long as of this past summer). I have been on the net reading about pond vacuums ( found mostly they are quite costly-smile) . I began to wonder if I could use a shop vac instead? Also I have a question as to what keeps either one of them from sucking up your fish?? This may sound like a stupid question to most of you, but I have always been told that "a stupid question was one that was not asked"( or something like that - smile). I would really appreciate any suggestions anyone may have.I noticed that my water was brownish and I am sure there is lots of muck, dead leaves, and such on the bottom. I put a net over the pond before the leaves started to fall, but I can reach my hand into the water and pull out bunches of them. I am trying to get ready for spring and want to purchase something (not too expensive ) that will help clean and clear the water. I also use barley extract, that seemed to help quite a bit. The real questio here is ........shop vac or pond vacuum ?? I have babbled enough .........thanks for listening and your help. :100:
Trix

 

[pondlady]

Shop vacs do work but they lack the suction for very deep water and you have to stop and dump them by hand. A pond vac works of the same principal as the shop vac. It has a more powerful motor so you get better uptake in deeper water and it dumps its self. All you do is put the drain hose where you want the water and gunk to go. Some you have to wait for them to dump and the turn itself back on others have 2 chambers so it switches from one to the other without you stopping vacuuming. I love mine, they don't work so good with gravel bottom ponds.

 

[Trix]

Thank you Pondlady, sorry I have asked this question again ( I am still learning how to find posts ) So I guess I just need to save up and buy what I need, it sounds like the pond vac would be easier ( I have had back surgery, so the less stress the better- smile) My pond is only about 6'x8'x3'. I already wish I had made it bigger !! There is no gravel on the bottom...... just dead leaves & muck . I can't wait for spring to get here!!

 

[pondlady]

if you go to user CP it will help you find your posts. Come on spring, in march the covers can come off. YES!

 

[Trix]

Thank you Pondlady for the CP info.............that was so much easier !! lol always learning ( smile) At the present time, my pond is frozen. Poor lil fish. I put some holes in the ice. I don't know if they need air holes but I figured it wouldn't hurt. The sun has come out today and I noticed the ice is slowly melting. The squirrels are having fun on it though. I didn't know they were fond of ice skating ! ( smile) Yep, it won't be much longer now......counting the days ...............take care & thanks again

 

[pondlady]

A hole in the ice is a must, gasses build up int the water if they cannot escape. These gasses can kill your little fish friends. An air pump and stone is the best way to keep an area clrar of ice and lets the gasses out.