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Posts: 3
From:niles,michigan, u.s.a
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-22-2004 11:15 AM         

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I need thoughts on the removel of pond sludge

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From:El Paso, Texas
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 02-22-2004 06:17 PM         

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Do you mean the stuff that grows on the sides and bottom of the pond? Is your water green or clear? Do you have any form of water agitation, airation or filters running?
Do you have plants in the water?

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Registered: Jan 2003

posted 02-22-2004 10:04 PM         

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Hi hollanda, I assume you are referring to pond silt (thick black oily looking stuff on the bottom). Most likely the easiest way to remove it is to drain the pond down. At least that has been my experience. It is very important that you do it before the summer months. When the water reaches 90 degrees it will develop some very nasty bacteria. Even in cooler months you should avoid getting hands around your face (especially the eyes and nasel cavities) while working on the pond. I strongly recommend the use of rubber gloves. The odor from the silt if it gets on your skin just has to wear off. If you have fish in the pond you can take water from the top before draining and put them into tubs. If you have lillies or bog plants in pots you can place them in the shade and just keep them wet until you have cleaned the pond, and then place them back into the pond once it's cleaned. Hope this answers your question.

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From:niles,michigan, u.s.a
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-26-2004 03:45 PM         

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Thank you for your imput. I will explain in more detail. My pond sludge does not smell. It looks as if it is muck that collects on the bottom of a lake. We do a water change in the spring along with cleaning the lava rock and mesh filters in our bio-fall.We also clean out the skimmer. We try to get rid of the sludge as much as possible. We have never taken the koi and goldfish out of the pond for fear of death by stress. We were thinking of rigging something up this year. Here is our thought: how bout a sweeper like a swimming pool? filtered somehow to not allow rocks to clog the hose. have you thought of this or something along these lines. are we on the right track? thanks again for your help!

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posted 02-26-2004 09:27 PM         

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Hi hollanda, I can't imagine pond sludge that doesn't smell. It is composed decayed organic matter. In any case there is a pool sweeper made called "Black Magic" that will work well for this. It has 2 connections; one for a hose drain line and another for connection to a garden hose to make it pull a vacuum, much like the drain and fill kit for a waterbed. It works on the same principle. The problem with this is that it will be putting fresh water into the pond at the same time, making it kind of tricky to add chlorine remover and/or PH buffer as you vacuum. If you want to filter it on the exhaust end of the hose you can add a length of old panty hose on the end of the hose line, but if there is quite a bit of sludge this could block up rather quickly. Hope this helps.

[This message has been edited by kc5gvn (edited 02-26-2004).]

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