On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:37:10 CST, "Reel McKoi"
wrote:

That's similar to what our neighbor with the 6000 pond has. It's some kind
of stone/pebble filled huge monster of a filter that self flushes. But
they're wealthy and bought the best of everything. Price was no deterrent.
Draining down their pond is not the job it is for us because they're in
their 40s and have 2 strong young sons to help.

If one really wanted to go the easy route, one could put a bottom drain in
the pond so it flows to waste. No filter, lots of plants, few fish. Every
couple of years, remove the few fish, open the drain and rinse. Fill up and
start again.

I don't see my ponds being that hard or that much work, (but ask me in 10
years when I'm in my mid-60's. ;-) Now the demon pond, where I had to haul
my equipment to, and do the job when few of the public were out and
about... now that was a job. Still... it was only every month. I did it for
7 years, and now I'm done, so doing just my own this summer will be a
breeze. ;-) ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us