Yes, I'm a little chipper today! Have been working working working in my pond rehab project. Now onto the next part of the rehab.
After raking and digging as much as we possibly could muster out of the pond, cleaning up the edges...I'm now ready for microbes and aeration I think. So, what should come first?... Microbes? aerator? Or can they both be done at the same time?
1. I want to get microbes that will eat the MUCK...and with the aeration added...I'm hoping it should remove a good percentage pretty fast. Having walked in the pond, we believe there is anywhere from 2" -12" in certain places that we were unable to rake/shovel out. Considering the depth of the muck, we assume the potential depth of the pond to be approximately 3'+ ...possibly 4'...in places. average depth is approximately 2'.
The pond shape is somewhat of a ROUGHED out oval, measuring about 27'x 50'. Considering the overall depth... We've come up with about 20,000 gallons... give or take.
2. Aeration, wow... there are so many out there. My pond is definately larger than a home depot, backyard pond, but much smaller than most farm ponds. Anything specific I should be looking for in an aerator? Brand, function? Linear. top-down, bottom-up?
3. FISH!!!!! How soon would you think I'd be ready for the fish? I would love to be ready by the end of summer, but much sooner if its possible.... GREAT MOTHER'S DAY PRESENT :-) I'm hoping for a couple Koi, maybe some small goldfish...possible, blue gill, but I heard they can overpopulate quickly. Any other ideas, you might have, please throw them at me. Oh, did I mention....I saw minnows in my pond this morning ..yayyyy!
Enjoy the updated pics... although, I still have more rock harvesting to do.
The pictures did not show up for me even when I deleated the pre and post img from the last picture.
A pond just 2ft to 3ft deep will always be a probematic pond. Be prepared. Shallow water grows lots of plants. It is not all bad. Koi and over populated gold fish can root and disrupt bottom sediments thus causing turbid water, limiting light penetration and helping to reduce some plant growth. Goldfish will tend to overpopulate similar to bluegill. Once goldfish become abundant the present fish will eat quite a few of their own eggs thus helping in their own population control.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 05/08/1312:26 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
You've done a nice job so far. I saw your other thread. You have a really nice location to work with there. Lots of potential. I didn't know you had such a charming little Storybook house next to it. That's awesome!
Shellie, there are a few things you have to keep in mind:
1. Microbes that eat the muck, will also eat your fish, of course, after killing your fish first through a painful death. Just a warning. The only way to remove the muck is manual approach. Then control the sources that create the muck. When you are ready to proceed to remove the muck, there are various methods that I can offer you to protect your fish, while removing the muck manually. Lots and lots of work.
2. I'll bow out on this one. My knowledge on aeration system is extremely limited when it comes to small ponds. I only work with the local agencies in dealing with 10 acres and larger lakes.
3. Once the aeration system is, AND, the remaining turbidity settled, which is not long, stocking time!!
Leo
* Knowledge and experience yield wisdom. Sharing wisdom expand the generations with crucial knowledge. Unshared wisdom is worth nothing more than rotting manure.
Leo, TY for the info! I had no idea the microbes could destroy the fish as well. But I guess it makes sense. So, If I understand you correctly, hand removing, or vacuuming...plus an aerator, is my best option?
Leo, TY for the info! I had no idea the microbes could destroy the fish as well. But I guess it makes sense. So, If I understand you correctly, hand removing, or vacuuming...plus an aerator, is my best option?
Thanks again,
Shellie
Not sure what type of microbes Leo it thinking about but I been using a benificial microorganism for a couple of years now and no problems?? Well if you want to consider less muck a problem. There are a few Biological organics out there that work fairly well and even better if you are running air in your pond. I have yet to read anything where they hurt fish? I don't want to get into to much about who is best or whatever but from my own exp. I can tell you I really like a product called C-FLO / Muck Away is ok too but I used C-FLO last year and where I had 6 or 7 inches of muck I now have about 3 ish inches. I kid you not. I know this because I have to walk out to my feeder with waders on to fill it and this spring I couldn't believe the difference. I actually felt rock under there and I wasn't sinking near as bad.
The site and place is legit I have even talked to them on the phone. As a matter of fact I am going to order some more in about a week or so myself. I have NOT seen any issues with my fish or my fish being hurt in anyway with this product???
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Shellie, the best solution to your pond, without reducing your water volume too much, is to create settling system as you pump and rake out the muck. This is a standard approach when we take care of the large lakes that required bio-sedimentary removal (the muck), preventing the removal of the existing aquatic culture (the fish).
Sorry the crude drawing
Either use silt fence, or very fine mesh/netting, which will allow you to block the fish from moving into the area of treatment, covering the entire depth of the water. Only work 1/4 to 1/3 of your pond at any given time. Don't be in a hurry and do the entire pond in one day, creating more headaches than you want to deal with.
Line the bottom of the mesh/netting/silt fence (let's call it the barrier for short) with some heavy weight, preventing any gap which allow the fish from swimming through.
Run the barrier form the initial edge of the pond, slowly, allowing the existing fish to swim to one side. Once you reach the 1/4 or 1/3 marker, let things settle for a full day first, as you get things ready for the pump-and-treat.
The natural way to treat is pumping from the main pond, to a settling pond, allowing the muck to settle, and repump the upper portion of the clear water back up to the main pond.
If you don't have room for a settling pond, Using two of the 55-gallons drums, or even up to five of the 55-gallons drums, connecting in series as muck collection system. The more drums you have, the faster you can extract the muck. You can do this cost effectively, and preserve the system for later usages when needed. Place the last treated 55-gal drum at the highest elevation among the other drum, above the pond's elevation, for a passive gravitational feed back into the loop, saving pumping energy.
Place the hose about 1ft away from any mesh/net/fencing, at the bottom of the pond, using a heavy weight, like a rock/concrete block. The muck will be pumped out, leaving the clear water at the top.
The pump (normally a 1.5 to 3HP siphon pump will do the trick in pulling the muck out. Make sure it can handle a minimum of 1" diameter line. Muck is not something to under estimate.
You can use two methods of attaching the line going from the bottom of the pond to the 1st 55-gal drum, either feeding the muck into 1/2 way of the 1st drum, or gently deliver the muck at the top of the drum, with the hose at the bottom of the pump.
If you're in a hurry, you can place a 20 microns filter fabric in front of the pipe that feeds from the 1st 55-gals drum into the 2nd 55-gals drum. The more drums you have, the fast the settling process can be done. The last drum should be nice and clean for you to feed back into your pond.
Make sure the line that feeds from the drum floats at the surface, as you reintroduce your clean water back into your pond. You can reintroduce your water back into the same area as your treatment portion of the pond, or, you can reintroduce your clean water into the untreated. Up to you.
This process is a long undertaking, but it's better than to drain your entire pond, and pretty much eradicate any existing species in your pond.
Leo
* Knowledge and experience yield wisdom. Sharing wisdom expand the generations with crucial knowledge. Unshared wisdom is worth nothing more than rotting manure.
Not sure what type of microbes Leo it thinking about but I been using a benificial microorganism for a couple of years now and no problems??
She has quite a bit of muck at the bottom. To remove the level of much at that bottom, you have to introduce aggressive bacteria that loves to eat organic matters, both anaerobic and aerobic conditions at one time, which has a very high biological oxygen demand, and chemical oxygen demand, which will leave any aquaculture in distress. We have plenty of wastewater treatment plants here utilizing the same bacteria to eat the muck away, before introducing the treated water back into the streams and wetland for secondary and tertiary natural treatment. If she only has small amount, bacteria that we normally use for small ponds and lakes are not a problem.
Leo
* Knowledge and experience yield wisdom. Sharing wisdom expand the generations with crucial knowledge. Unshared wisdom is worth nothing more than rotting manure.
From the pictures, that pond is shallow and appears very mucky. You will get frustruated and have your "hands very full" trying to manually clean that up. Being that shallow will constantly pose problems of some sort. It appears to be at the bottom of a hillside (pics 6,7,8) and thus a collection basin for organics uphill which causes lots of problems for any pond. IMO at this point, it is a glorified small wetland - frog pond. It was way too neglected by the previous owner, who probably did not know good pond management techniques. I would call a couple local soil contractors or pond builders and get a quote on draining and rebuilding that small muck filled pond in one day. It needs to be deepened with steeper sides maybe one shelf for some water lilies then add aeration and microbes to keep it reasonable and fairly attractive. A quick rebuilding / cleanout will save you a lot of grief, expenses for pond supplies (temporary band-aids), and back breaking work.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 05/08/1307:49 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
Shellie, you have a beautiful, well built gem of a house. There are several really nice features on your home. I agree with Mr. Cody, you need to get a trackhoe to deepen your pond. This would be the most cost efficient way to achieve your goal of having a pretty pond to complement your lovely home. Good luck.
Two ponds, 13 and 15 acres on the Mattaponi River.
I'm not an expert, but have uses microbes for years to restore the health of my old pond, muck is going away and my fish have never been more active. I use the stuff many fish growers use to reduce nutrient loading and excess feed. Saying microbes will kill fish is frankly nonsense.
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