I really get into my pond maintenance

[Fishylove]

Enjoy it while it's there!

Oh I am for sure! I wish it would stay like this all summer, doesn't make for good tomatoes though, but I'd take the trade off

 

[MitchM]

You inspired me Rob.
I ordered my own Pondovac today.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

That is the exact reason I go in. So I can move the hornwort etc. I stir things up with my feet so fry, tadpoles etc have time to go somewhere else. I am not saying nothing gets sucked up but I try to minimize the damage. If you look in the stream picture also there is an attachment that make the open very narrow and just on the bottom. If I went in with just the hose everything would get sucked up. You do make a great point with vacuums. I have the same feeling about bottom drains. I know even when I use just the net I get tadpoles etc that i have to take out.

Actually I have a bottom drain and save all the critters (I want) that make the trip through the bottom drain. My bottom drain goes to a settling tank, and yes, once in a while I have to net out smaller fish that end up in there. No big deal.
However some bottom drains go to sieves, and although some critters might make it through a sieve, fish wouldn't likely not survive very long in the debris collection area of a sieve.
Bottom drains that are plumbed directly to pumps are not a good idea for a number of reasons.
The other thing is, most critters that you might worry about sucking up in your vacuum don't usually go near bottom drains. Tadpoles. baby fish fry, dragonfly nymphs, etc... tend to hang out in shallow areas with lots of plants and/or rock cover, they seldom venture it the deep, bare open areas around bottom drains. I have lots of fry in my pond every year, not once have I found one that went through the bottom drain. The only fish that go through there are in the 3- 4" long range, and then that only happens once in a while, and it certainly does them no harm. They just swim around in the settling tank till I get around to netting them out. In the winter when the pond is frozen over that can be a month or more.

 

[Dave 54]

Actually I have a bottom drain and save all the critters (I want) that make the trip through the bottom drain. My bottom drain goes to a settling tank, and yes, once in a while I have to net out smaller fish that end up in there. No big deal.
However some bottom drains go to sieves, and although some critters might make it through a sieve, fish wouldn't likely not survive very long in the debris collection area of a sieve.
Bottom drains that are plumbed directly to pumps are not a good idea for a number of reasons.
The other thing is, most critters that you might worry about sucking up in your vacuum don't usually go near bottom drains. Tadpoles. baby fish fry, dragonfly nymphs, etc... tend to hang out in shallow areas with lots of plants and/or rock cover, they seldom venture it the deep, bare open areas around bottom drains. I have lots of fry in my pond every year, not once have I found one that went through the bottom drain. The only fish that go through there are in the 3- 4" long range, and then that only happens once in a while, and it certainly does them no harm. They just swim around in the settling tank till I get around to netting them out. In the winter when the pond is frozen over that can be a month or more.

Nice to see it RobAmy it sends a clear message that ponds need to be maintained however like Mucky _waters we have a bottom drain and like his one the pump is nowhere near the bottom drain its four filters further on .
There is a 1/2" gap for all the detritus to be sucked down into it but no critters so I agree pumps should be nowhere near bottom drains


Dave

 

[RobAmy]

Actually I have a bottom drain and save all the critters (I want) that make the trip through the bottom drain. My bottom drain goes to a settling tank, and yes, once in a while I have to net out smaller fish that end up in there. No big deal.
However some bottom drains go to sieves, and although some critters might make it through a sieve, fish wouldn't likely not survive very long in the debris collection area of a sieve.
Bottom drains that are plumbed directly to pumps are not a good idea for a number of reasons.
The other thing is, most critters that you might worry about sucking up in your vacuum don't usually go near bottom drains. Tadpoles. baby fish fry, dragonfly nymphs, etc... tend to hang out in shallow areas with lots of plants and/or rock cover, they seldom venture it the deep, bare open areas around bottom drains. I have lots of fry in my pond every year, not once have I found one that went through the bottom drain. The only fish that go through there are in the 3- 4" long range, and then that only happens once in a while, and it certainly does them no harm. They just swim around in the settling tank till I get around to netting them out. In the winter when the pond is frozen over that can be a month or more.

Thanks for the detailed response of how a bottom drain works safely with the critters

 

[RobAmy]

Every time I do anything there are lil critters, esp this time of year, all the tiny baby trap door snails, can't harm them . They are not fast enough to escape. Now if you could suck them up and sort them out without harm might consider one, but most likely not. They are so so tiny.

We have a lot of snails in the stream. They are very tiny.

 

[MitchM]

Rob, do you have any issues with the Pondovac overloading it's thermal switch?
I can only get through maybe 3 or 4 cycles of the unit filling and draining before it shuts down.
It needs to cool off before I can use it again.
I'm wondering if keeping the opening on the intake attachment small is making the unit work too hard.

 

[RobAmy]

Rob, do you have any issues with the Pondovac overloading it's thermal switch?
I can only get through maybe 3 or 4 cycles of the unit filling and draining before it shuts down.
It needs to cool off before I can use it again.
I'm wondering if keeping the opening on the intake attachment small is making the unit work too hard.

Mitch I never had any issues with mine overheating. I do have the pondovac 3, do not know about other models. I use all different size openings and still no issues. When I do big cleanings, mine cycles a lot. I use mine with a fairly long extension cord also. Hope you figure it out

 

[MitchM]

Ok, thanks.
I'll try a few different adjustments.