Bad storm overflow from drainage ditch need help

[Dave 54]

I guess I didn't think the pond vac would take that much water to vacuum the bottom of the pond. Draining a 4,500 gallon pond is very very hard work. Was just trying to see if there was an easier way. If not then we will be draining it we want what's best for our koi. We've had the oldest one for 9 years I want them to be happy and healthy. Draining it right now and catching them all is super stressful on them since they are just coming out of hibernation. I'm having a hard time deciding what's best.

Our pond is a former koi dealership QT pond retrofitted for use as a koi pond , its free standing with bottom drain and is made from a thick welded plastic there is nothing else on the bottom apart from the bottom drain fixture.
leading to off to 3 indusrial sized vortex style filters and a barrel filter.
The only thing you'll find on the bottom of my pond is a thin coating of algae which covers the bottom and sides of the pond which has a quite pleasing effect as the water causes it to ripple .

Dave

 

[CeeJayH]

The purpose in using a PondVac is that you're preserving the water. A PondVac sucks the water from the pond, along with the suspended materials, and then passes the water/materials out of the outlet hose where the mesh bag traps the debris and the water (sans crapola) is then returned to the pond.

Simply vacuuming the water out of the pond and then dumping it somewhere doesn't require a vacuum. Hell, you can just use your pond pump to empty a pond.

I use my pondvac to suck up all unwanted silt, and deposit the water that's pulled out at the same time elsewhere. The mesh bag is too coarse for the water to be returned to the pond, too many fine particles get through. I then top up the pond with fresh water, so I'm also doing a partial water change at the same time.

 

[KJS]

Our pond is a former koi dealership QT pond retrofitted for use as a koi pond , its free standing with bottom drain and is made from a thick welded plastic there is nothing else on the bottom apart from the bottom drain fixture.
leading to off to 3 indusrial sized vortex style filters and a barrel filter.
The only thing you'll find on the bottom of my pond is a thin coating of algae which covers the bottom and sides of the pond which has a quite pleasing effect as the water causes it to ripple .

Dave

That's exactly how our second pond was. I would slide all over in it with algae on the bottom!

 

[KJS]

What pondvac do you all like the best?

 

[morewater]

Oase PondVac 4

 

[cas]

I bought the 'Oase Pondovac 2’ pond vacuum in May of 2005 and am still happy with it. It has been updated since then as you can see from morewater's post.

 

[MitchM]

I have the Pondovac 4, but it shuts off after 5 minutes of use, seems like it's from a thermal breaker.
- so I stopped using it. Maybe my pond is too deep (5 feet) and it doesn't like working that hard.

 

[morewater]

Neither of mine do that, Mitch. Although I generally don't use them for that depth.

 

[MitchM]

hmmm

 

[CeeJayH]

Pondovac 2. Bought second-hand on eBay for a quarter of the price of a new one, and in shop condition - it had been hardly used.

 

[KJS]

Pondovac 2. Bought second-hand on eBay for a quarter of the price of a new one, and in shop condition - it had been hardly used.

Nice!!!