Questions regarding cleaning out pond and building bog

[Karin]

Hi, I have a two year old pond 8'x14' by 3' in the deepest area that has not had any filtration or running water. I am now adding a bog area and will have a pump and pipes running through the bog. I had gravel on the shelves which ended up in the 36" deep portion of the pond, which effectively is now 2' deep (not doing that again!) I want to scoop the gravel out and put it into the bog (which now has proper stone retaining wall for holding the pea gravel. Questions:
1. The gravel in the bottom of the pond is also full of decomposed muck. Do I need to wash the gravel before putting it into the bog area or will the bog plants take care of it?
2. I have drained the pond down 1 foot so I can work in the deep end getting out the gravel. Should I take the fish out before mucking up the water when I dig up the pea gravel or just work slowly? What is the best way to progress?
3. I have a 2" pvc pipe with slits cut in it ready for the bog section. The hose that connects to the pump is 1.5" black flexible corrugated pvc (that was the largest port size on the pump). But my thought is this: Could I simply cut holes/slots in the flexible tubing and run that all the edge of the pond shelf and into the bog area and forget about the 2" pvc pipe? Or should only the 2" hard pvc be used for running under the bog gravel? There might be up to 8" of gravel over the pipe - I'm not sure exactly because I readjusted the liner on the pond, so that it would be a little deeper.
Thanks so much! Very excited!!

 

[Casbah]

I don't have a whole lot of experience with ponds, but I do with muck. (got that in spades)

I would remove as much muck as you can, by any means that you can muster; shovel, rake, trash pump... I made a scoop out of a plastic gallon jug to get to the last of it in my pond. I'd also remove the fish before your final clean-out. The bacteria that feeds on muck can cause low oxygen levels and there can be concentrations of hydrogen sulfide when you stir it up while cleaning.

Somebody else will have to advise you on the bog.

 

[poconojoe]

I use a pool net to remove leaves, muck or any other debris. The large bag type net, not the flat skimmer type. I go real slow as not to stir things up too bad. The water does get cloudy, but clears by the next day. I don't remove my fish, it's too stressful on them and me. I just go slow with the net. You can dump the muck in your gardens, it's great fertilizer. Put on some rubber gloves and as you dump the muck, go through it with a stick or your fingers. I've saved many fry and trapdoor snails like that. Occasionally I may scoop up one of my fish, so as you lift the net from the water, check for that.
If your pond has a liner I would not use any tools such as shovels or rakes. The last thing you want is a hole in your liner.

 

[Lisak1]

What kind of flexible tubing? Like flex PVC? Or like sump pump hose? The weight of the gravel would be the consideration.

 

[Karin]

The name of the tubing is Sealproof 1" Dia. Corrugated Pond Tubing 1-Inch ID, 20 FT Length, Black PVC Kinkproof Strong Flex Tubing. I got it from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0765CLQ6D/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A2K5XY9S5HR0EI&psc=1
It hasn't arrived yet, so I am not sure what I am getting as far as how strong it is.

 

[poconojoe]

The name of the tubing is Sealproof 1" Dia. Corrugated Pond Tubing 1-Inch ID, 20 FT Length, Black PVC Kinkproof Strong Flex Tubing. I got it from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0765CLQ6D/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A2K5XY9S5HR0EI&psc=1
It hasn't arrived yet, so I am not sure what I am getting as far as how strong it is.

I wouldn't bury that type of flexible tubing under gravel. Too much weight. Use rigid PVC.
Standard schedule 40 PVC is easy to work with and very cheap, including the fittings and the primer/glue.

 

[GBBUDD]

Hi, I have a two year old pond 8'x14' by 3' in the deepest area that has not had any filtration or running water. I am now adding a bog area and will have a pump and pipes running through the bog. I had gravel on the shelves which ended up in the 36" deep portion of the pond, which effectively is now 2' deep (not doing that again!) I want to scoop the gravel out and put it into the bog (which now has proper stone retaining wall for holding the pea gravel. Questions:
1. The gravel in the bottom of the pond is also full of decomposed muck. Do I need to wash the gravel before putting it into the bog area or will the bog plants take care of it? Take advantage of the opportunity to clean the pond. but i wouldn't go crazy just remove the heavy sediment. what is muck to us is dinner to bacteria.

2. I have drained the pond down 1 foot so I can work in the deep end getting out the gravel. Should I take the fish out before mucking up the water when I dig up the pea gravel or just work slowly? What is the best way to progress? Remove the fish BUT I WOULD ADD START RIGHT TO THEIR WATER IN A HOSPITAL TANK
3. I have a 2" pvc pipe with slits cut in it ready for the bog section. The hose that connects to the pump is 1.5" black flexible corrugated pvc (that was the largest port size on the pump). But my thought is this: Could I simply cut holes/slots in the flexible tubing and run that all the edge of the pond shelf and into the bog area and forget about the 2" pvc pipe? Or should only the 2" hard pvc be used for running under the bog gravel? There might be up to 8" of gravel over the pipe - I'm not sure exactly because I readjusted the liner on the pond, so that it would be a little deeper. I'd go with the ridged pvc schedual 40 make your change over in the gravel if you are uncomfortable with gluing and leaks. Also place some fabric or extra rubber over the liner where the water will be blowing at the liner from the cuts in the pipe .
Thanks so much! Very excited!!

 

[Lisak1]

Yup - I'm with @poconojoe . That hose is going to be crushed under the weight of the gravel and water (remember - 1 gallon of water weighs 8 lbs). PVC is the way to go!

 

[poconojoe]

Funny thing about the response from gbbudd2.
I recieved the email that gbbudd2 responded in the thread.
In the email I could see what gbbudd2 wrote.
But when I look at the post from gbbudd2 in this thread, all I can see is what the quote was. Nothing that gbbudd2 wrote is there.
Is anyone here also not seeing what gbbudd2 wrote, just the quote he/she is replying to?

 

[Lisak1]

Funny thing about the response from gbbudd2.
I recieved the email that gbbudd2 responded in the thread.
In the email I could see what gbbudd2 wrote.
But when I look at the post from gbbudd2 in this thread, all I can see is what the quote was. Nothing that gbbudd2 wrote is there.
Is anyone here also not seeing what gbbudd2 wrote, just the quote he/she is replying to?

Click to expand - you can see his replies.

 

[GBBUDD]

his questions as they ended I copied and added my text it is in bold print at the end of his questions

 

[addy1]

You are going to be stirring up a lot of debris, you might want to remove the fish. I don't recall how many you have. Put some of your pond water in as big a container as you can. Those huge garbage cans can work good as a temporary pond.

Work quick and get the gravel out, refill put the fish back in. I would rinse the gravel a bit if you can. Esp if it is really full of mucky muck.

 

[poconojoe]

Click to expand - you can see his replies.

Duh! I was looking for his answers below the quote, when his answers were actually within the quote!
But you know what's funny? In the email his answers were below the quote.
Thanks!

 

[Karin]

Thank you so much! Fish are in a big plastic bucket with a filter and aeration from water trickling from the filter. I got most of the muck and gravel out of the bottom of the pond. I decided to expand the bog area, why not? It can only help, right? Have to get more retaining wall bricks....

 

[Karin]

These are the blocks I am using for the bog's retaining wall. Just starting to wonder if they are the wrong material. They are man-made, so probably concrete blocks. It's not too late to change them out to something else. What do you suggest?