Complete pond clean out

[Lisak1]

I decided to do a similar clean out this past spring and it was a game changer, got rid of tons of sludge, leaves, and other debris and leaving my bog filter untouched kept the pond from experiencing a whole new cycle!

I'm hoping that's the case as well - lots of good stuff was left in the pond as "complete" was really not as complete as one might imagine. We have plants growing in the pond proper that we left alone - plenty of good pond stuff lurking there, as well as the bog filter and bio falls filter pads.

So far, so good!

 

[GBBUDD]

When we built the pond, we filled behind the rocks with gravel.

thats the difference i have huge boulders and big voids behind my rock and that is where i founds pockets of crap.

love love love your carpet algae i don't know if you can even call that algae it looks like a higher grade of grass to me and not algae at all

 

[GBBUDD]

When we built the pond, we filled behind the rocks with gravel.

thats the difference i have huge boulders and big voids behind my rock and that is where i founds pockets of crap.

 

[Lisak1]

It is unique for sure... the fish have been chomping at it all week and now we have something that looks more like this:

It's been interesting to observe. When we had the pond empty, all the algae started to dry up and turn gray very quickly. It was one big reason I wanted to fill the pond back up the same day - between the heat, the sun and no water, I was afraid we would lose some or all of that algae growth.

By the next day you could see the algae was reviving and fresh green growth was coming on... I think that's what the fish are finding so delicious. Let's see if it flushes back like plants int he garden will when they get a good cut back!

 

[Lisak1]

In a “how in the heck” moment - we were watching the fish on the pond cam (best thing on the Tv!) and suddenly saw a small goldfish. Judging by the size of this little guy there’s no way it was born after the pond clean out. So somehow this fish managed to survive us pumping all the water out of the pond and the whole thing getting power washed and lived to tell the tale! It is it “tail”? Haha!

Nature has her ways!

I’ll try to get a picture if the little guy. He was swimming all around me yesterday when I was in the pond resituating the camera - AGAIN! I think I found a permanent solution this time - zip tied the camera to a patio paver. They aren’t moving the camera now! It ain’t pretty but it worked!

 

[GBBUDD]

Nature never surprises me anymore the WILDLIFE Is called that for a reason and they are far tougher then we are. I have a 24 inch snorkel up in my bog.
In order for a koi to get in there it had to be born in the pond. Sucked down through a layer of gravel to the main drain or intake which has similar . Be sucked down the pipe and through a basket strainer. Into the pump housing past the impeller that are spinning at 3200 rpm and then get pushed down to the bottom of the bog and make it's way to the snorkel.
Nature rarely surprises me any more but it sure is amazing

 

[mrsclem]

A couple of years ago we found a koi in the holding tank below the bog. Obviously it had been a fry that was in a lily basket that had been moved to the goldfish pond for the winter and then when the basket was moved in spring, it went to the holding tank. Probably trapped under string algae.
Really pretty 3 color gin-rin koi. Named hin Miracle.