Thoughts on muck/sludge treatment?

[Tara H]

I have a natural spring fed pond that gets water from several different spots including spring-heads that are on the bottom of the pond, a spring-head that comes out of a rock-wall at the back of the pond, and a spring-head that flows into a shallow ditch that empties into the pond. All of this means that there is no way for me to be completely rid of the muck/sludge that settles into the pond. (Before we bought the property, the pond had been neglected for years. We eventually emptied it and got several feet of muck out, so now we're only dealing with several inches of muck).

I have a pond vacuum and spend hours sucking up muck, only to have a new layer appear in a few days.

What are the best treatments for muck in such a situation. I have tried muck pellets, but that was when we had feet of muck, so it didn't work. I've been using the Aquasphere Balls for over a year and have seen no evidence that they are working (and if they are biodegradable as advertised, it must take decades).

I'm open to natural products or fish or snails or whatever will work. As of now, I have one koi, six shubunkin, and several fry and/or adolescents that have survived from the summer spawning.

My water is very clear, so that's not the issue; it's just the unattractive muck on the bottom...and on the top of underwater plants (Chara algae, which I want to keep), and underwater decorative items and rocks.

I'd love to hear what has worked for y'all.

Thanks!!

 

[JRS]

Sounds like it is silt that has settled out to the bottom of your pond. With a constant new supply from your water, I am not sure what else you can do besides manual removal. If it is continually fed, is it also overflowing out? If so, perhaps a pump directed towards the bottom to keep it in suspension and overflow out?

 

[Tara H]

Thanks for your response. This small pond over-flows into a pipe that empties out into a bigger pond that is lower on the property. Now that you've said silt, I think that is what it is instead of muck/sludge. One of the spring-heads definitely spews out grayish/white silt whenever I clean it and/or open it back up after a storm. Dang! I really want to get rid of it.

 

[Tara H]

I would still like to know what muck remover has worked for everyone. Some of the stuff is probably silt, but there's still plenty of muck. Thanks for your help!!

 

[GBBUDD]

I don not add any products as such. a vacuum is all i will use. While pond muck is not to our liking i don't see it as detrimental to our ponds either.

 

[j.w]

I would still like to know what muck remover has worked for everyone. Some of the stuff is probably silt, but there's still plenty of muck. Thanks for your help!!

If you want the thick stuff out then use a long handled net and bucket or a vacuum. Stirring up the muck can foul up the water tho, so be very slow and careful if using a net. Maybe don't do it all at once. Let it settle and do again later and so on and so on.

 

[Ratsima]

I never had a sediment problem with my pond until this year. Unfortunately, the levels of PM 2.5 (particulate matter) are extraordinarily high this year due mostly to agricultural burning locally (I live in Thailand) and in neighboring countries. It's amazing how much of the dust fallout accumulates in my pond. I just mucked it out a few weeks ago and it's already about 20cm thick.

Last time I turned off the pump, let everything settle and used a stainless steel kitchen strainer to transfer the sludge into a bucket and then on to the compost heap. I waited several hours before restarting the pump.

I'll be at it again later this week.

 

[GBBUDD]

I never had a sediment problem with my pond until this year. Unfortunately, the levels of PM 2.5 (particulate matter) are extraordinarily high this year due mostly to agricultural burning locally (I live in Thailand) and in neighboring countries. It's amazing how much of the dust fallout accumulates in my pond. I just mucked it out a few weeks ago and it's already about 20cm thick.

Last time I turned off the pump, let everything settle and used a stainless steel kitchen strainer to transfer the sludge into a bucket and then on to the compost heap. I waited several hours before restarting the pump.

I'll be at it again later this week.

OH I GET IT I HAD the same issue but from wild fires up in Montreal just last year and the timing could not have been worse. As Aquascapes own Greg whit stock came out and my water was a bit murky and tea collared

 

[Lisak1]

I don't really think those muck and sludge products do much- the theory is they help break things down faster, but honestly I think keeping the bottom of your pond stirred up is the best way to keep it from building up. If you have a great deal of muck to deal with I really think removing it is the only solution - bucket, waste pump, pond vac, etc. If you can afford it, hire a pro to come clean it out completely. Then just stay ahead of it.

 

[Tara H]

I don't really think those muck and sludge products do much- the theory is they help break things down faster, but honestly I think keeping the bottom of your pond stirred up is the best way to keep it from building up. If you have a great deal of muck to deal with I really think removing it is the only solution - bucket, waste pump, pond vac, etc. If you can afford it, hire a pro to come clean it out completely. Then just stay ahead of it.

Morning. We already had a professional clean it out, and now I'm trying to stay ahead of it with some sort of product or natural remedy. Have you been successful with anything? Thanks!

 

[j.w]

Morning. We already had a professional clean it out, and now I'm trying to stay ahead of it with some sort of product or natural remedy. Have you been successful with anything? Thanks!

I think if you have a good filter system you could just do as @Lisak1 suggested and keep the bottom of your pond moving. You could stick a hose down there for a bit and turn it on and allow it to stir everything up once in awhile. Or attach a tube to a pump and allow the outflow from it to reach the bottom to stir it up and recirculate. Not sure those gunk remover products won't cause issues. Never used them so can't say for sure.

 

[GBBUDD]

Morning. We already had a professional clean it out, and now I'm trying to stay ahead of it with some sort of product or natural remedy. Have you been successful with anything? Thanks!

POND VAC . AND A NET

 

[Ratsima]

Today's muck on the compost heap.

The new tool works very well.

 

[Norma D.]

I have been using a fine net https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBE2JFM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1) and have been using my pond vac draining through a beer brew bag ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086WQP13F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) back into my 3000 gallon heavily planted pond... the brew bag is about 30 gallons and fills up pretty fast with silt/muck ... empty, rinse, re-use...

 

[MermaidTracy]

I have a natural spring fed pond that gets water from several different spots including spring-heads that are on the bottom of the pond, a spring-head that comes out of a rock-wall at the back of the pond, and a spring-head that flows into a shallow ditch that empties into the pond. All of this means that there is no way for me to be completely rid of the muck/sludge that settles into the pond. (Before we bought the property, the pond had been neglected for years. We eventually emptied it and got several feet of muck out, so now we're only dealing with several inches of muck).

I have a pond vacuum and spend hours sucking up muck, only to have a new layer appear in a few days.

What are the best treatments for muck in such a situation. I have tried muck pellets, but that was when we had feet of muck, so it didn't work. I've been using the Aquasphere Balls for over a year and have seen no evidence that they are working (and if they are biodegradable as advertised, it must take decades).

I'm open to natural products or fish or snails or whatever will work. As of now, I have one koi, six shubunkin, and several fry and/or adolescents that have survived from the summer spawning.

My water is very clear, so that's not the issue; it's just the unattractive muck on the bottom...and on the top of underwater plants (Chara algae, which I want to keep), and underwater decorative items and rocks.

I'd love to hear what has worked for y'all.

Thanks!!

Pond zyme sludge destroyer. All natural barley