Keeping a small pond clean

[Jeffina]

Having got to the point of having a nice clean pond, re-doing the surround etc we now need to know the best ways to keep it clean.

Are we talking a little tidy up every couple of weeks? What's the best way to do this? A small net and/or your hands?

I've read it's a good idea to put a net over it once the leaves begin to fall. My pond is underneath a lilac tree that completely sheds it's leaves, mostly straight into the pond in the Autumn. Would netting prevent the frogs using it?

:goldfish:

Thanks!

 

[j.w]

I'd put a net over mine if I had trees hanging right over it. You could leave little uplifted gaps in the net in places so the frogs could still get in if they are too big of frogs to fit in the netting holes. I use a net to clean my pond and now and then I need to get in the pond to clip off the old dead lily pads. I only net like once a month or so cuz not much stuff flying into my pond, just gunk on the bottom that collects. I do give partial water changes too now and then. Rain helps do it for free a lot here too.

 

[Andins]

Aside from actually getting in :nono: what is the best way to get that gunk from the bottom of the pond?

 

[j.w]

I just use a long handled net to get most of it out and then if there is stuff that is too fine I sometimes set one of my pumps w/ a screen on it to collect and remove that by removing some water also and replacing w/ some fresh water. Some peeps use a shop vac or pond vac or garden hose type gadget attached to a pole and tubing thingy. It works kinda like a siphon tube you would use in an aquarium using water pressure from the hose. If you have lots of floating fines you can set a laundry basket full of white batting material under your waterfall or a tube to catch it all and then clean it again and again till water is clear.

 

[Waterbug]

Having got to the point of having a nice clean pond, re-doing the surround etc we now need to know the best ways to keep it clean.

Are we talking a little tidy up every couple of weeks? What's the best way to do this? A small net and/or your hands?

Depends on the pond size. I had a 30 gal pond which I used a minnow net from the pet store to clean. I'd scoop around everyday or so when I fed the fish. Most days I wouldn't really get much but it was fast, 10 seconds maybe. Water sure was clear.

I wouldn't bother covering with a net if I was scooping every few days.

 

[Waterbug]

Aside from actually getting in :nono: what is the best way to get that gunk from the bottom of the pond?

For larger ponds that don't have an effective bottom drain system I like using several tools depending on pond size and what kind of stuff needs to be removed. Here's my page on cleaning a pond.

 

[sissy]

I use window screen with the uv protector in it .Helps keep some of the sun off the pond and keeps all the fine stuff out and you can still see the fish

 

[addy1]

Swimming pool net and pole, works great

 

[Jeffina]

Thanks all. It's only small (maybe 22 gallons?) so we're planning on just skimming out as we think it needs it. Added the new lily this morning and noticed a small frog has returned :razz: Topped it up a little more and added a rock so he can climb out.

 

[addy1]

laughing................. a swimming pool net would be over kill

 

[Jeffina]

Ha true but I think a small child's one, for rock pooling would be just the trick!

 

[addy1]

Most likely, I use a small net for my deck pond.

 

[sissy]

Any kind of net for a fish tank would work great