We have a 15' x 21' pond, black liner, very steep sides about 3.5'
deep. I don't think it has ever been cleaned so you can imagine what
the bottom is like. I am finally going to bite the bullet, get a
etsuit and try to rearrange the various plants, filters and fountains
in it and figure if there is a reasonably simple way to reduce the
amount of gunk on the bottom I might as well do so while I am in
there. Reason for the wet suit is I am not a water person unless it
is over 80 and I really hate it when the fish nibble on me. So does
anyone have any ideas for getting it tidy, I know the water will be
murky for awhile but I dont care and I am assuming the goldfish and
koi wont either. Anyway let the ideas flow please

elaiine

Hi
I also have a large, deep pond and have found that the easiest way to remove the muck from the bottom is to use a good quality electric pond vacuum cleaner. I purchased one, and it really removes debris from the bottom - without getting in the water.

It might be possible to hire one.

On Sun, 30 May 2010 06:53:27 EDT, earhtmother
wrote:

We have a 15' x 21' pond, black liner, very steep sides about 3.5'
deep. I don't think it has ever been cleaned so you can imagine what
the bottom is like. I am finally going to bite the bullet, get a
etsuit and try to rearrange the various plants, filters and fountains
in it and figure if there is a reasonably simple way to reduce the
amount of gunk on the bottom I might as well do so while I am in
there. Reason for the wet suit is I am not a water person unless it
is over 80 and I really hate it when the fish nibble on me. So does
anyone have any ideas for getting it tidy, I know the water will be
murky for awhile but I dont care and I am assuming the goldfish and
koi wont either. Anyway let the ideas flow please

elaiine

Kathy could help you with that one, as sounds very similar. What I would
suggest before you jump in, is you might have a plan so you "never have to
do this again" because once you do, that's how you're going to feel while
doing it.

Personally, I think you and the fish would be better off if you pumped out
clean water into a holding tank big enough for them, then drained the pond
and sucked all the muck out with a shop vac. If it has been a long time,
you're going to have a lot of muck.

Just this month Solo/Ingrid wrote about some ponds in the woods where she
hired some people to clean them out.

As far as what to do so you never have to do it again. Install a
retro-bottom drain and skimmer. See my website below for ideas.

Keep us posted on how it goes. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

I second the suggestion of a bottom drain. Resolves so many problems!

Jim

What is the brand of the pond vac you have purchased?

On 6/4/2010 5:04 AM, wrote:
The veggie filter, however,
is gunked up by fall. This year I left it until spring to clean


If you had to design your veggie filter from scratch, what would you
include now to make it easier with cleaning it out?

Chip

On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 14:18:01 EDT, wrote:

in because the celery and cyperus take over the entire filter. see here
http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/pon...es/changes.htm

I hadn't look for awhile. I noticed your cute puppies this time! I
understand completely about Cyprus/palm, why I only bring a few small
sprigs inside as it gets huge. It will fill whatever space one gives it.
~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

You probably need a more powerful tool..