Peter Smith wrote:
I just cleaned out my 60 gal. kidney shaped pond.
I have about 6, 3 inch comets and 1, 5 inch speckled koi and 1, 4 inch
frog.

I put the the fish and frog in a 20 gal tub, with water from the pond
from over the winter.
Coved it up with mesh. Put a air bubblier hose in.
I scrubbed and drained the muck out. I got the black pond liner nice and
clean.
I put 40 gals. of fresh, new water in, then added almost the rest of the
water from the tub back in.
I added pond-zime to the dose, in. I added 16oz. of aquarium salt and
stress coat to the dose.
I cleaned the 1000 gal.ph fishmate box filter out and hooked up to the
90 gal.ph beckett pump.
I pulled the plant pot, that's starting to sprout from the bottom and
put it on the first level.
I netted the fish and frog back in.
The water is a little cloudy, but it looks fine.

I live in mid PA, so the water is around 52 degrees. No feeding till it
gets up around 55-60 at night.

So, How do you think I did?

This is the 2nd year for the pond.
Thank's
Waiting to hear from you all. : )
Pete


As a semi newbie myself this is what I do (and did this last Sunday)

1) drained 75% of pond and cleaned as much "guck" from the bottom as
possible. ***(see question below)
2) started up the bio filter (which runs through the waterfall with
watercress).
3) started the other pumps ( spitter and mushroom fountain )
4) will add lilies and hyacinth when the local pond shop gets them at
the end of the month.

I have never added chemicals or tested the water. I have never lost a
fish from water quality (only from critters). As long as I have success
I will refuse to add all this "stuff" that is out there.

The water is crystal clear throughout the summer and only during hot
spells do I get a little algae growing.

*** How much "guck/particles" should I clean ?
I have this great pool vac that sucks dirt from the bottom but I am
afraid of sucking up the "good stuff" that is needed for a healthy pond
balance.

I am a firm believer that ponds eventually balance themselves and don't
need all these added chemicals. Especially when it comes to goldfish
which are a lot hardier than the tropical fish I keep in my aquarium.