20 years... LOL, your pond may actually be 4 feet deep!!!
do set up a kiddie pool or something and fill it with pond water, then draw the pond
water down until the fish are almost flopping and gently, gently herd the fish with
one net into a stationary net and gently move them to the kiddie pool (with a good
aerator going). do not feed the fish for 3 days at least before moving them.

clean the pond out with plastic shovels and buckets, making sure there are no sharp
edges.

do this when the water temp coming out of the tap is the same as the water temp of
the pond. so there will be no temp shock when you put them back.

Ingrid

On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:33:57 CST, "Anon" wrote:
it's about 20 years old and has never been cleaned out.
what time of year is best to
take some out? Especially considering it's going to disturb the mulm.
Thanks again,
Jasp