mess in pond

We are new to this pond stuff. So any and all help greatly appreciated.
I just went into the pond to bring up the plants we sunk for the winter and
found most of my kitty litter that we used in pots is on the bottom of the
pond. Guess fish somehow got in and moved it out of pots. Any way to keep
them from doing this?
So I am trying to scoop it out, and also finding lots of guck. Think algae
and waste. Water is now so stirred up and bad can't even see 1/2" into it.
What can I do to get it cleaned up now?? We have 4 pumps that we put
filter material around and we just set in the pond and they pump the water
up to a water fall. I am running one now to keep fish alive ( I hope).
Should I run or them or let every thing settle out.
Thanks for the help.

--
Greg &/or Kellie Meyer

"G & K Meyer" wrote in message
...
We are new to this pond stuff. So any and all help greatly appreciated.
I just went into the pond to bring up the plants we sunk for the winter and
found most of my kitty litter that we used in pots is on the bottom of the
pond. Guess fish somehow got in and moved it out of pots. Any way to keep
them from doing this?
So I am trying to scoop it out, and also finding lots of guck. Think algae
and waste. Water is now so stirred up and bad can't even see 1/2" into it.
What can I do to get it cleaned up now?? We have 4 pumps that we put
filter material around and we just set in the pond and they pump the water
up to a water fall. I am running one now to keep fish alive ( I hope).
Should I run or them or let every thing settle out.
Thanks for the help.

--
Greg &/or Kellie Meyer


Read my response to Lemmonie's post. You should add beneficial bacteria to your
water to eat up all of that gunk. There is a product called "microlift" that
works well. It is liquid, however, and smells really bad when you put it in. I
like a powdered product called "Aquazyme". It works as good, if not better than
anything else I've used. As for the kiddie litter, don't use it. And you are
going to have to scoop it out if you want to get rid of it. And just placing
filter matting around the pumps is not going to go you much good. It only
provides mechanical filtration, when you really need biological filtration. You
need to build (or buy) a good gravel filter (or other biological filter). Once
you install it, the bacterial you've added to the water will colonize itand
provide you with clear water. I built one out of an old jacuzzi swimming pool
filter (but yuo can use a twenty gallon plastic container, as long as you can
seal it with an airtight lid. I gutted it, added a basket strainer to the
bottom, filled it half-full with washed peah gravel, added the pump at the top,
and sealed it with a specially-made lexan cover. All of the fittings and
electrical go out the lexan cover via special fittings. The entire filter is
submerged beneath my waterfall,. below water line. The intake is a hose
connected at the bottom. This hose is also connected to a pre-filter sitting in
the bottom of the pond. It provides mechanical filtration prior to the water
going into the pre-filter. I pull it out once or twice a month and clean it.
If you have algae problems, see my post to Lemmonie.