Pump for cleaning out pond
 

I use a shop vac to suck the yuck off the bottom of my pond, but it fills up
in about nine seconds flat, and then I have to dump it and start over, a
tedious and tiring process. What I want is a pump with a hose or wand on
one end to suck mucky water from the bottom, and a hose on the other end to
deposit it where I want it. I guess it might be a small version of the
industrial pumps used to drain water from flooded areas. Does anyone know
about such a thing?

Thanks,
Harriett

On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 16:18:22 GMT, "Harriett Wright"
wrote:

===I use a shop vac to suck the yuck off the bottom of my pond, but it fills up
===in about nine seconds flat, and then I have to dump it and start over, a
===tedious and tiring process. What I want is a pump with a hose or wand on
===one end to suck mucky water from the bottom, and a hose on the other end to
===deposit it where I want it. I guess it might be a small version of the
===industrial pumps used to drain water from flooded areas. Does anyone know
===about such a thing?
===
===Thanks,
===Harriett
===
After reading the threads on sucking up mud etc out of the ponds
bottom, I had an idea and tried my "Sand Sucker" A sand sucker is
nothing more than an air powered vaccuum (uses air from an air
compressor), used in foundries to suck loose sand out of molds, and in
industry on a larger scale for emptying drums etc of the contents. My
sand sucker has a 1 1/2" diam inlet tube (flexible) and discharges out
through a cloth filter bag. I used a bag I fashioned from an old
swiming pool skimmer net I had laying around, which wound up about as
large as a 5 gal pail would be sizewise. It worked great. Water was
actually forced out of the debri with the exhaust air during the
process and only the sediment was retained in the bag, which was easy
enough to empty. HOlding up the thing with 5 gal of damp wet muck is a
job though, but perhaps an extension hose on it would wok so you cold
place the bag on the ponds edge during cleanup.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wife,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

Where on earth would a person find one of those things?

Harriett


"Roy" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 16:18:22 GMT, "Harriett Wright"
wrote:

===I use a shop vac to suck the yuck off the bottom of my pond, but it
fills up
===in about nine seconds flat, and then I have to dump it and start
over, a
===tedious and tiring process. What I want is a pump with a hose or
wand on
===one end to suck mucky water from the bottom, and a hose on the other
end to
===deposit it where I want it. I guess it might be a small version of
the
===industrial pumps used to drain water from flooded areas. Does
anyone know
===about such a thing?
===
===Thanks,
===Harriett
===
After reading the threads on sucking up mud etc out of the ponds
bottom, I had an idea and tried my "Sand Sucker" A sand sucker is
nothing more than an air powered vaccuum (uses air from an air
compressor), used in foundries to suck loose sand out of molds, and in
industry on a larger scale for emptying drums etc of the contents. My
sand sucker has a 1 1/2" diam inlet tube (flexible) and discharges out
through a cloth filter bag. I used a bag I fashioned from an old
swiming pool skimmer net I had laying around, which wound up about as
large as a 5 gal pail would be sizewise. It worked great. Water was
actually forced out of the debri with the exhaust air during the
process and only the sediment was retained in the bag, which was easy
enough to empty. HOlding up the thing with 5 gal of damp wet muck is a
job though, but perhaps an extension hose on it would wok so you cold
place the bag on the ponds edge during cleanup.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wife,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

I use a swimming pool vacuum leaf trap, vacuum hose, and an 1800 or 2400 gph
mag drive pump and recirculate the water to the pond, or to the filter. You
can see it at http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondpage4.html. It works
great, gets rocks, sand, oyster shell, leaves, some algae, and a lot of
other debris.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/index.html

"Harriett Wright" wrote in message
ink.net...
I use a shop vac to suck the yuck off the bottom of my pond, but it fills
up
in about nine seconds flat, and then I have to dump it and start over, a
tedious and tiring process. What I want is a pump with a hose or wand on
one end to suck mucky water from the bottom, and a hose on the other end
to
deposit it where I want it. I guess it might be a small version of the
industrial pumps used to drain water from flooded areas. Does anyone know
about such a thing?

Thanks,
Harriett

"Harriett Wright" wrote in message
ink.net...
I use a shop vac to suck the yuck off the bottom of my pond, but it fills
up
in about nine seconds flat, and then I have to dump it and start over, a
tedious and tiring process. What I want is a pump with a hose or wand on
one end to suck mucky water from the bottom, and a hose on the other end
to
deposit it where I want it. I guess it might be a small version of the
industrial pumps used to drain water from flooded areas. Does anyone know
about such a thing?

Thanks,
Harriett

I clean my stepmothers pond with my shop vac which has a side outlet that
can be opened.....I then just put the vac on it's side propped up and I
never have to empty. I couldn't imagine having to shut it off and dumping
it every few seconds.

Dave

I like your thinking Wilson, seems so obvious ... good idea.

Harriett, don't know if you saw it already but there is a device for sale
that works on a similar principle as Roy described i believe. This attaches
to a garden hose, from which water flows backwards through a pipe, away from
the pond creating a vacuum that draws out the pond water/waste. It does drop
the level of the pond a bit:

http://www.muckvac.com/

I got one on ebay for less than $50.
It's not amazing but it does work. Good for silt or small stuff, larger
leaves kind of choke it.
It's much more effective without the the brush attachment.


-mart



"Wilson" wrote in message
. com...


I clean my stepmothers pond with my shop vac which has a side outlet that
can be opened.....I then just put the vac on it's side propped up and I
never have to empty. I couldn't imagine having to shut it off and dumping
it every few seconds.

Dave

What I wouldn't give for a stepson like you!

I never heard of a shop vac with a side outlet. Does this mean that I could
cut a hole in the side of my shop vac and get some gaskety thingies at Home
Depot or Ace Hardware and a long hose to attach to the hole? Then, after
removing various sticks and twigs deposited in my pond by Frances, I could
plug in my adapted shop vac, run the hose to a flower bed, and suck away.
Would this work? If so it would be a boon when oak leaves, acorns, and oak
flowers are falling faster than I can scoop them out (at least half the
year).

Harriett

"Wilson" wrote in message
. com...
I clean my stepmothers pond with my shop vac which has a side outlet that
can be opened.....I then just put the vac on it's side propped up and I
never have to empty. I couldn't imagine having to shut it off and dumping
it every few seconds.

Dave

"Harriett Wright" wrote in message
ink.net...
What I wouldn't give for a stepson like you!

I never heard of a shop vac with a side outlet. Does this mean that I
could
cut a hole in the side of my shop vac and get some gaskety thingies at
Home
Depot or Ace Hardware and a long hose to attach to the hole? Then, after
removing various sticks and twigs deposited in my pond by Frances, I could
plug in my adapted shop vac, run the hose to a flower bed, and suck away.
Would this work? If so it would be a boon when oak leaves, acorns, and
oak
flowers are falling faster than I can scoop them out (at least half the
year).

Harriett

Yes mine came with a bottom/side outlet and it is very handy....I'm guessing
you could cut a quarter size hold in the vac a few inches from the bottom to
accomplish the same thing then buy a rubber stopper to seal it up when you
want.

My stepmom appreciates my help on her pond, she has had some poor health
lately so she has a hard time doing things.....she get's all misty eyed when
I come over and help her :D I make fun of her when she does that.

Dave