Cleaning a pond

[Hobgob]

My neighbor has a pond and was wondering if I could clean it for her. Now I was just wondering how you would go at it... Any advice will be helpful and any more information that you need just ask and I will tell you. I can't post a picture right now but I will post a picture if you need it. If there is like a general step by step thing you do thatd be great

 

[Hobgob]

Anybody? I was going to take half the water out and clean the muck out but I don't know what else should be done.

 

[bonibelle]

I am by no means an expert, but I will tell you what I do. First I take all the fish and frogs out (put them in separate containers) I have a large stock tank that I use for the fish and an old fish tank for the frogs. Sometimes you will have to start pumping down the water so that you can catch all the critters. I remove my lilly pots and any other plants that may have rooted in the bottom of the pond. If it's a pond with a liner, you may want to remove rocks that have fallen in. Don't step on them as you clean because they could puncture the liner. When you have pumped the water down as far as you can, you will need to bucket out the mud and leaves that have accumulated on the bottom. I don't worry for my pond to be pristine..just clean of winter debris like leaves and sticks and I remove most of the mud that accumulates on the bottom. If I can't complete the cleaning in an afternoon, I give the fish air with a pump and air stone. If you need to leave the fish overnight, cover the container to protect them from preditors. Be sure to keep the plants in water..black plastic bags work for short times. If the pond has a waterfall and a circulating pump you will need to clean out the filter housings as well. Don't worry to scrub the sides of the pond, just refill, adding chlorine removal products if necessary. Put the water plants back in the pond as they will help restore the "good bacteria". You should bag the fish and float them so that they can acclimate to the cooler temperature of the clean pond before you let them loose. Hopefully, your neighbor will have all the necessary equipment that you need. I hope this helps...cleaning a decent size pond is work..bailing water and hauling out mud..so know what you are in for before you decide to take the job. Good luck

 

[Hobgob]

She has a pump to take the water out and we have a bunch of extra tanks to house the fish in. But thank you so much. And I kinda have to do the job, she is an older lady so ya...
Anyways thank you so much. It helps a lot

 

[bonibelle]

Then I think you are an awesome young person!! Even though I have been cleaning my pond every spring for almost 30 years, I appreciate it so much when my boys help out. If there is anything else, just ask..

 

[chagoi]

Pump the poop out with with the 1/2 half water change. Not the fish.

 

[Hobgob]

Alright thank you guys, I was going to just catch the fish and frogs first then drain the pond, only thing is she doesn't no the stock...

 

[bonibelle]

I empty my pond because I have plants that need to be trimmed or sometimes repotted. I also get leaves and sticks so I always totally empty the pond. If she is happy with just a water change, thats fine..but you can't pump leaves, sticks or the mud out with a pump..

 

[Hobgob]

I didnt think so, I assume the pump works as a filter and everything would just get clogged in it...

 

[Hobgob]

She does have some live plants though, so how do you know what and where to trim? Just cut dead stuff off?

 

[bonibelle]

So I'm not sure where you are located, but in south east Pa, my lillies and bog ploants are starting to grow. I usually will just repot anything that looks to be creeping out of the pots. I sometimes divide the lillys and give them away.If she has bog plants like cat tail, you can cut all that old growth off. All the goo will certainly clog the pump filter. I use a foam filter to protect the pump and rinse it often. Eventually though, it will end up being a bucket project. I take something to scoop and two large buckets and just fill and dump those buckets. They can get really heavy when they are full of mud and sludge. If you have a helper, that makes the task much easier..one to scoop into the buckets and one to dump them..Dont fret too much over the plants because they usually survive the cleaning really well. Ask about frogs because I always rehome all of my frogs. They are cute but they eat fish, especially the american bull frogs (I have one in my pond right now that could eat a small child).

 

[Hobgob]

I see thank you so much for all the info. I assume google will give me more information on which frogs to keep and which ones not to.