Snails Clogging my Bottom Drains?

[Johnwayne]

I have a 12,000 gallon pond in its 2nd year---in Iowa. Everything runs smoothly through two 4-inch bottom drains into pre-filter, then to Ultima main filter. But now I've noticed a drop in water pressure coming from the pond. There is nothing clogging the bottom inlets in the pond, for I've been careful to remone leaves and other debris, so I'm very suspicious for the snails I put in earlier this year. Every once in a while, I will find a snail in the pre-filter, and found a little one just recently. Could they be multiplying in my drains and clogging them up? It seems inpossible to test as the pond is full of water --and fish... Do people routinely pull a brush through their bottom drains or otherwise clean them? That sure seems like e alot of work. But I'm running low on volume into my pre-filter, and the pump is sucking air all the time. The bottom drains are clogged with something. What should I do?

 

[budgenator]

I suppose snails are a possibility, but I'd expect the problem is more likely to be sediment in the pipe or an air pocket. Can you push a garden hose through the pipe? if you can, you can hook the hose up to a pump and snake out any sediment that way.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

What size are the bottom drains (Drain?), and what sort of GPH water flow do you (did you) have passing through them?
Budgenator is correct that the most likely problem is built up sediment, but that is indicative of another problem, not enough flow. To answer your question, no, most people do not routinely have to pull a brush through their bottom drains providing they have adequate flow. However, it is possible for something large to become lodged in the drain line somewhere that would require pulling something through to unclog the line.
The way I would do it would to try and feed a long strong cord through by attaching something small to the end and allowing the water current to suck it through the drain and out the other end, then once it comes out the other side pull enough cord through that you could attach something larger (like a few scrubby) to the middle of the cord and drag the cord back the other way, If you do it right you should have enough cord on both ends to drag the cord (and the scrubbys) back and forth both ways.

 

[Mmathis]

Agree with the above. Most likely, the snails you found were dead ones that got pulled through the BD -- which may have contributed to the backup -- but doubt snails are laying eggs in there.

 

[Johnwayne]

Thanks guys---this is great advice! My pond is 4 feet deep and full of nice fish, so it's a challenge to get to the bottom drains. The water's getting cold, but better now than next spring! I have an over-sized pump, so adequate flow is probablly not the problem. I could drain it down to 2 ft. amd then go wading--- that seems like the best idea---or maybe pumping the water into a cheap swimming pool and then back again when I'm done. What's life without a little adventure?? I guess I should expect a clogged drain now and then.....

 

[Mmathis]

Thanks guys---this is great advice! My pond is 4 feet deep and full of nice fish, so it's a challenge to get to the bottom drains. The water's getting cold, but better now than next spring! I have an over-sized pump, so adequate flow is probablly not the problem. I could drain it down to 2 ft. amd then go wading--- that seems like the best idea---or maybe pumping the water into a cheap swimming pool and then back again when I'm done. What's life without a little adventure?? I guess I should expect a clogged drain now and then.....

I think that @Mucky_Waters advice sounds good and it doesn't sound like it involves draining & wading.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Thanks guys---this is great advice! My pond is 4 feet deep and full of nice fish, so it's a challenge to get to the bottom drains. The water's getting cold, but better now than next spring! I have an over-sized pump, so adequate flow is probablly not the problem. I could drain it down to 2 ft. amd then go wading--- that seems like the best idea---or maybe pumping the water into a cheap swimming pool and then back again when I'm done. What's life without a little adventure?? I guess I should expect a clogged drain now and then.....

Sounds like you have more then one bottom drain and one pump. I'll ask again, what is the size of your drains and what is the flow rate in GPH through those drains?