How to clean the pond

It's been 2 years since we built our ponds in Bay area, CA. It's using
aquascape skimmer and biofall with 12 ft of stream and 12' x 14' x 2.5'
pond. I do not have a bottom drain and have a lots of plants, rocks and
gravel and use SAB and bacteria every once a while, however due to lot's of
plants and floaters most of the fall droppings do not reach the skimmer and
are sunk in the pond and stream as well. We also have about 30-40 gold fish.

- What is the best way to clean the pond and stream bottom without taking
all plants and fish out?
- If I have to take fish and water out how do I keep them and acclimatize
them again to put back in the pond?

Thanks,

- AJ

From what I've seen from their publications
they catch the fish and put them in large
tubs, drain the pond and powerwash the rocks. I suppose they just are very
careful around the plants. (I've asked online and never got a answer - as the
rocks vs. no rocks argument can get heated...)
The pond is refilled and treated with a dechlor product. The fish are floated
in the pond in their containers so the water temp equalizes and then released
to the pond.

This is what we did but we don't have rocks so we just scooped up the gunk and
tossed it in a wheel barrow to deliver to the trees. I'm sure the teenage boys
around here would have rathered played with a power washer than scoop gunk...
;-)


kathy :-)
A HREF="http://www.onceuponapond.com/"Once upon a pond/A

From what I've seen from their publications
they catch the fish and put them in large
tubs, drain the pond and powerwash the rocks. I suppose they just are very
careful around the plants. (I've asked online and never got a answer - as the
rocks vs. no rocks argument can get heated...)
The pond is refilled and treated with a dechlor product. The fish are floated
in the pond in their containers so the water temp equalizes and then released
to the pond.

This is what we did but we don't have rocks so we just scooped up the gunk and
tossed it in a wheel barrow to deliver to the trees. I'm sure the teenage boys
around here would have rathered played with a power washer than scoop gunk...
;-)


kathy :-)
A HREF="http://www.onceuponapond.com/"Once upon a pond/A

"AJ" wrote in message
news:1079036904.971887@sj-nntpcache-3...
It's been 2 years since we built our ponds in Bay area, CA. It's using
aquascape skimmer and biofall with 12 ft of stream and 12' x 14' x 2.5'
pond. I do not have a bottom drain and have a lots of plants, rocks and
gravel and use SAB and bacteria every once a while, however due to lot's
of
plants and floaters most of the fall droppings do not reach the skimmer
and
are sunk in the pond and stream as well. We also have about 30-40 gold
fish.

- What is the best way to clean the pond and stream bottom without taking
all plants and fish out?
- If I have to take fish and water out how do I keep them and acclimatize
them again to put back in the pond?

When I clean the pond, I lower the water level to the point where I can wade
in it with knee high boots. Then I use a pond skimming net and I run it
along the bottom to scoop up the yucky stuff. The entire time I leave the
pump on, so that the filters get a good coating of the crud that gets
stirred up. Next I give the filters and settling tanks a good cleaning. Then
I fill the water back up, and add dechlor.

The full task is a 1/2 day's work, but it only needs to be done once a
season so it's not really a big deal.

Sameer

PS you can get some cheap rubber boots for $9 at Home Depot

"AJ" wrote in message
news:1079036904.971887@sj-nntpcache-3...
It's been 2 years since we built our ponds in Bay area, CA. It's using
aquascape skimmer and biofall with 12 ft of stream and 12' x 14' x 2.5'
pond. I do not have a bottom drain and have a lots of plants, rocks and
gravel and use SAB and bacteria every once a while, however due to lot's
of
plants and floaters most of the fall droppings do not reach the skimmer
and
are sunk in the pond and stream as well. We also have about 30-40 gold
fish.

- What is the best way to clean the pond and stream bottom without taking
all plants and fish out?
- If I have to take fish and water out how do I keep them and acclimatize
them again to put back in the pond?

When I clean the pond, I lower the water level to the point where I can wade
in it with knee high boots. Then I use a pond skimming net and I run it
along the bottom to scoop up the yucky stuff. The entire time I leave the
pump on, so that the filters get a good coating of the crud that gets
stirred up. Next I give the filters and settling tanks a good cleaning. Then
I fill the water back up, and add dechlor.

The full task is a 1/2 day's work, but it only needs to be done once a
season so it's not really a big deal.

Sameer

PS you can get some cheap rubber boots for $9 at Home Depot