Pond-cleaning Service

[Wesley]

Searched the forum but can't find the answer to this one; apologies if I missed it.

My pond has a load of dead leaves, and general cr@p at the bottom and I'm looking for someone to get in and clean it all out. Not a fun job so I'm not gonna do it myself.

Pond is fairly big and (currently fairly green).

Anyone recommend a local cleaning-service? I'm in San Sai if that makes any difference.

TIA

[noise]

Searched the forum but can't find the answer to this one; apologies if I missed it.

My pond has a load of dead leaves, and general cr@p at the bottom and I'm looking for someone to get in and clean it all out. .....

Anyone recommend a local cleaning-service? I'm in San Sai if that makes any difference. TIA

Since you said pond vice pool, I assume it is shallow and can be waded in. I also assume it is concrete lined or tiled. It sounds like a simple job that any laborer in your neighborhood could and would do for not very much. Ask a gardner or maid: they most likely know someone who would do it.

That won't clear up the water, though. Have you thought about putting a net or strainer over the drain and draining the pond first? Then it would be easy for you or a worker to clean the bottom without having wade. This might be the best method if the water is too murky to see the bottom. If no drain, maybe a siphon would work?

[Bill97]

Searched the forum but can't find the answer to this one; apologies if I missed it.

My pond has a load of dead leaves, and general cr@p at the bottom and I'm looking for someone to get in and clean it all out. .....

Anyone recommend a local cleaning-service? I'm in San Sai if that makes any difference. TIA

Since you said pond vice pool, I assume it is shallow and can be waded in. I also assume it is concrete lined or tiled. It sounds like a simple job that any laborer in your neighborhood could and would do for not very much. Ask a gardner or maid: they most likely know someone who would do it.

That won't clear up the water, though. Have you thought about putting a net or strainer over the drain and draining the pond first? Then it would be easy for you or a worker to clean the bottom without having wade. This might be the best method if the water is too murky to see the bottom. If no drain, maybe a siphon would work?

Since there is cr@p in the pond, it may not be so easy to find someone to clean it inexpensively. Call the septic tank pump out guys, they are the only cr@p experts and they are smart enough to use a pump not a siphon.

[iainiain101]

I bought some long rubber boots in Nong Hoi yesterday and a net in the fish shop behing Tesco and got in and did it myself!

Fih seem a lot happier this morning.

Iain

[Bill97]

Good work Iain, that is the spirit. I bet you find some other useful things to do with the boots and net too.

[ignis]

My pond has a load of dead leaves, and general cr@p at the bottom

How did this happen ? you feed your fish every day right? it takes a couple of minutes to net out the leaves Every day... When you buy a net mostly they have a short ½ “ UPVC tube as a handle, you need to buy ¾” UPVC tube to slide over this, so you can have all your nets at different lengths, my longest is 2m so I can reach the bottom.. Glue or easier use a strip of double sided tape or tabs, now you do not need to get into the pond.. I have 8 nets of different sizes and lengths.

As for

general cr@p at the bottom

Do you have a filter pump inside the pond?

I have a lange one just for this problem, What I have done is with 1½ “ UPVC tube + Bends + a T, made a square on the bottom about ½ m from the edge all the way round connected to the pump [pull off the end take out the filter if it has one, look at what size the end is on your pump]...... I drilled 100's of holes all along one side of the UPVC tube these face the bottom

Myself bought a rubbish bin [wheelie bin size] and made a filter myself = I do not get any cr@p at the bottom..

Pond is fairly big and (currently fairly green).

Myself use 'Bio G' but there are many different brands to keep the water crystal clear. Do you add Crystals to the water? do you have air, myself have 20 air stones on 24/7 and 2 pumps converted to air..

[Wesley]

Some very useful advice here guys, thankyou.

On reflection maybe my pond is smaller than I implied.

I know the house was empty for 6 months before I moved in and no-one fed the fish then; we've fed them a lot and I think this kick-started the algae explosion. Maybe they don't need feeding at all?

Also I'm renting the house and I don't really want to get into installing a filter/pump thing (also the noise of it might irritate me) at this point.

I'm thinking that my plan is:

1. Get maid to find a chap for de-mucking the bottom

2. Add more plants, especially oxygenators. Also some lotuses for shade and because they look pretty.

3. Get pump for the fountain fixed (not worked since I moved in, needs de-gooing). Get it running for more Oxygen.

4. Maybe add anti-green stuff. [Does this just change the colour or does it actually reduce the nitrate content?]

5. Give it a few weeks and see if it gets clearer. If yes, sit back and enjoy; If no look into filtration/pump solution.

Thanks again for everyone's help

[Steve2UK]

Wesley - looks like a good list to me.

From my (admittedly limited) first-hand knowledge/research previously, algae (the most likely source of the green colouration) flourish on 2 things - sunlight and excess nutrient (mainly in the form of phosphates coming out of the fishes backsides).

So, to control it - reduce both elements. Reckon to have 50-60% shade cover of the water surface area (e.g. water lilies, lotus etc) and go easy on feeding the fish. Aside from the heavy eaters like koi etc, most pond fish can survive quite well with very little additional feeding in a pond that is naturally "alive" with stuff they'll eat. The additional plants you mention will promote that. The key is to establish and then maintain the right balance. Not easy, but it's do-able.

For sure, do get the leaves out while they're still gettable - e.g. every couple of days before they sink. Decomposing leaves tend to use up oxygen and can start to screw up your pond's balance.

BTW, most of the anti-green additives I encountered in the UK before were mainly a blue dye to reduce the amount of light getting into the water. While there are algaecides, it's difficult to achieve safe results on just the one thing you're targeting without also harming the other things in the pond - e.g. plants, fish, insects etc. I'd say use any of those as a last resort - only if trying the "natural" way just won't work for you.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Steve2UK

[Wesley]

Steve,

Thanks for your thoughts mate. I've only got about 3 Koi and 8 million tiny guppies. Could I get away with no food at all?

Been adding plants and will add more to get the shade up to 50%. Added a few more Lotuses and oxygenators (Hygrophilia?) today. I'm getting so into this pond-business I think I'm turning into my Dad!

You confirmed what I thougt about the algaecides so I think they will be a last resort.

Cheers,

Wes

[Steve2UK]

Steve,

Thanks for your thoughts mate. I've only got about 3 Koi and 8 million tiny guppies. Could I get away with no food at all?

Been adding plants and will add more to get the shade up to 50%. Added a few more Lotuses and oxygenators (Hygrophilia?) today. I'm getting so into this pond-business I think I'm turning into my Dad!

You confirmed what I thougt about the algaecides so I think they will be a last resort.

Cheers,

Wes

I have a feeling you might end up with a few million less guppies if the koi don't get something else! To be honest, I don't know anything much about koi except seeing the big food pellets at the local fish supplies place........ but then I think many Thai like to keep their koi in what look like miniature swimming pools (i.e. nothing growing so they must be fed). I really suggest you get googling and read up on what koi need. If they're anything like most pond fish in a "natural" pond, they just grow slower with less/no food added to what's there naturally. And - I suspect you should give them less during the cold season anyhow.

One other thought about plants - you might like to get some small water hyacinths*. They can spread quite quickly - so you'll want to thin them out from time to time. They produce bunches of long trailing roots that soak up a lot of excess nutrient and other "crap". A lot of fish also seem to like grazing on the algae/organisms that build up on the roots. Check they're OK for the koi first - but I think they are.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_hyacinth