Pond Vacuums ... Good, Better, Best ?

[rockinron]

O.K. So I am looking for some help in selecting a vac... What I really need to do; is to put the dirty water through some filtration, and back into my pond. I only have well water, and it doesn't have strong output... All the pond vac's I am aware of dump the water. (I WOULD RUN MY WELL DRY). Does anyone know how I can accomplish this? Surely someone out there has conquered a similar problem. THANKS !

 

[taherrmann4]

My pond vac has a screen bag that collects all the gunk and I guess you could have it over a large bucket of some sort so the sifted water would collect in here, then you could dump it into your pond. I think you would have to filter the water again as it won't get everything out. Maybe run it through some batting you can buy at Walmart.

 

[DoDad]

I use a pond-o-vac and it does a great job to 4'

 

[herzausstahl]

Tmann,
which one do you use?

 

[taherrmann4]

Oasis pond vac 3. It has two chambers so when one is full it switches to the other one so you have near continuous sucking power.

 

[mario]

I called my local pond shop and they told me that for sand/dirt removal, the shop vac was sufficient.
I live in New Mexico (desert) and we get terrible winds that blow a lot of loose sand. No amount of landscaping or walls can stop it.
With all the fish (mostly small) that are always popping up in my pond, draining the pond is no longer practical.

Have any of you tried using shop vac for sand/dirt removal? I have no leaves or any other biodegradable matter to contend with, just sand.

Should I just drop $400-500 on the PondVac4 that is now available? We're all on tight budgets nowadays, but if this is the proper tool for the job, than that's what it is.

 

[rockinron]

Thank you everyone who gave input.
After reading all the replies, it seems no one is really recycling their water as I am trying to do.
As I said before, it is out of necessity that I am wanting to do this, ( not to try and save the planet ) even if that is a nice by-product...
My well will be run dry if I have to refill the whole water feature and pond space.
Again, does no member out there do this? Using a wet/dry vac will take forever because i'll be constantly shutting it off to dump 16 gallons back into the pond at a time. I believe the pond area holds around 850 gallons!
Will I still be able to pull a vacuum if I unscrew the bottom of the shop vac holding tank, and let it just gravity flow back into the pond as I vac the rocks and bottom of the liner? Anyone tried this?
Is there a company out there who makes a product that is MADE to accomplish this?
I'll look forward to hearing from you all. Rockin Ron

 

[taherrmann4]

You could do it with the oasis pond vac you just need to filter the water through something else like a basket with quilt batting to get out all the fine sediment and stuff then let it go back into the pond.

 

[JCschild]

i cant recall where but i seen a pond vacuum that had a return hose to the pond

http://www.koimarket.com/servlet/the-489/water-vacuum,-oase,-clean/Detail

http://www.koipondvacuum.com/

there is 2 with a quick search

 

[rockinron]

I did some research online, and found two possibilities... The first is: "POndMonsta" which has a fabric box like contraption that says it is specially made to recycle the water back into the pond! The other is the " Pond Vac 4 " which I believe some of the other members use... It comes with a filter bag that I am hoping to tetrofit with more filtration to cut out muddy water as much as possible. Hopefully this post will help others who may be faced with same (refill) issue as mine.
Thank you again for everyone who posted. ROCKin Ron.

 

[rockinron]

Oops, I should have checked my spelling... I meant (retrofit) sorry...

 

[addy1]

The thing I would want to know, do the snails, tads, etc survive the vacuum?

I can't bring myself to vacuum if it is going to wipe out the critters. Let us know how they work out, which ever one you pick.

 

[j.w]

I don't do the vacuum for that reason addy. Just can't see that the vacuum is going to distinguish between gunk and critters. I'll just keep using my net. I don't think my pond is big enough to warrant a vacuum anyways.

 

[addy1]

I don't do the vacuum for that reason addy. Just can't see that the vacuum is going to distinguish between gunk and critters. I'll just keep using my net. I don't think my pond is big enough to warrant a vacuum anyways.

I net mine too, only takes a hour or so, most of the time spent sorting the critters out of the muck ..................lol

 

[Waterbug]

After reading all the replies, it seems no one is really recycling their water as I am trying to do.

Venturi type vacuums recycle the water. But they don't remove the really fine stuff which it doesn't sound like is your goal.

Again, does no member out there do this?

I use to clean ponds, my own and other peoples', with vacuums.

I believe the pond area holds around 850 gallons!

IMO a net is easiest and effective unless there's a bunch of plant pots. I like a leaf rake but I also used minnow nets in smaller ponds.

Will I still be able to pull a vacuum if I unscrew the bottom of the shop vac holding tank, and let it just gravity flow back into the pond as I vac the rocks and bottom of the liner?

Nope. Depends of course on the size of the hole, but even a tiny hole means no hose suction.

Anyone tried this?

Yes. People drill a hole in the side of the tank and connect a check valve. When the vacuum is on the valve flap gets sucked closed and the vacuum works. When the vac is full you turn off the vac, suction is lost so the flap opens and the water pours out.

There's a company that sells such a machine, or at least used to.

Sounds like a great idea but for me it's a terrible system. I use this type of vac to remove fine stuff. Shop vacs, with or without a check valve, fill fast which stops suction and the 2 or 3 gallons of water in the hose go rushing back into the pond and stir up the muck. Muck can only be vacuumed when settled on the bottom. So for me these don't work. As you're wanting the water back in the pond I guess it wouldn't be an issue.

Is there a company out there who makes a product that is MADE to accomplish this?

Unfortunately the vacs marketed to pond owners which recycle water are really bad imo. I mean like someone should go to jail bad. The manufacturer and the retailer. I think it's a price point issue. Most people really don't want to read, they just want to be told "This works!" and see a picture of a young female model "cleaning" the pond on a perfect summer day. For these people $50-75 is about what they're willing to pay without doing any research. So it would be pretty much impossible for a company to sell a product at say $150 because without doing research people are always going to buy the cheaper product, be unhappy, and give up on vacuums. Way of the world.

For what it's worth when I cleaned ponds I had several different vacuums...for a 850 gal pond my first choice was always a net for leaves. Removing the fine stuff is a different issue.