Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,083
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,414
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
10 members (BillyE, Sunil, Requa, Jason D, Jared015, Freg, Justin W, LeighAnn, Donatello, Theo Gallus), 769 guests, and 252 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#132145 09/11/08 11:24 AM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 55
Bennie Offline OP
Lunker
OP Offline
Lunker
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 55
Hi, I'm cleaning my Michigan pond slowly but surely.

It's surrounded on two sides by large trees, some hanging over the water. the largest tree is a 6' diameter willow. It's huge and old and always dropping debris into the water.

Over the years there's been quite the muck layer accumulation.

I've started aeration a couple of years ago and adding bacteria to break up the smaller particles, but there's plenty of big stuff (sticks, leaves, etc.) to remove.

I've done the pond raking and it seems every time I rake near the aerator the next time I go out there, I have another new layer to pull out. I'm assuming the bacteria is breaking up the small stuff leaving the larger sticks that are now easier to remove.

I've used spades, pitch forks, manure forks, scoop shovels, lake rakes, and have scooped up yards of this stuff for the garden (nothing better once that smelly muck has dried out to form the blackest soil!) but it's still time consuming.

Other than dredging the pond, has anyone had a novel way of harvesting large amounts of muck quickly? I guess I'm looking to stay manual, but trying to find the perfect "scoop" to get as much per shovel as possible.


Bennie
LMB, HBG, YP, CC, FHM, located SE Michigan
1/3 acre 8-9' deep, aerated 24/7 1/4 hp rocking piston
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 544
J
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
J
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 544
You are a better man than I am, I pumped my pond dry and used an excavator to harvest my muck, my back wouldn't have taken the other options, heh heh.

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
J
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
J
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
I think you are doing everything that can be done without using equipment.

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4
D
Fingerling
Offline
Fingerling
D
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4
I am cleaning out the muck on my 0.6 acre pond. The muck has been accumulating for over 60 years and is 2-3 feet deep. I decided to do the work myself while the pond remains filled so I do not disturb the large bass. While it is time consuming, it is really pretty easy with the right equipment. I am pumping all the muck into a series of 80 mesh 8 oz non woven dewatering bags. The muck will consolidate about 8:1 when dried and it makes very good and friable topsoil. That means that a 24" thick layer of muck will dewater to about 3" layer of dried soil. My first 10' x 15' bag is full and drying now. I just ordered a 15' x 25' bag that I am going to place on my weed covered garden. When dry this Spring, I will just cut off the top of the bag and plant vegetables....no weeds either. I fabricated a suction strainer from a small plastic waste basket and I am pumping the muck out underwater using a gas engine driven diaphragm pump adjacent to the shore. I tried several different centrifugal pumps but the small shells, stones, and twigs kept binding up the impeller. Once I switched to the correct pump, it runs until I get tired. I did invest in a wet suit, divers boots, and divers gloves. The 55 oF water felt warm in that outfit so I will continue pumping this fall. Rather than renting the equipment, I purchased used and can work on the pond whenever I have the desire and time. It sucks up leaves, small stones, algae, shells, twigs...anything that can fit through the 1" square openings of the strainer. The pump can actually handle up to 1 3/4" solids. Anything that doesn't fit, I pull off by hand while the pump is running. So far, I have pulled out small rubber balls, a softball, tin cans, bottles, and an old snorkle. I had researched this for some time and it works!..........Doug

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099
Likes: 22
R
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
R
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099
Likes: 22
Doug, Welcome to the forum!

Your method is very interesting. Can/will you post some pictures of everything?



Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Hi, Doug.

Very interesting post. I'm very interested in pictures. Please keep us informed on this process.


Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,365
B
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
B
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,365
Doug,

I always thought pump dredging was the most efficient way to clean out a pond without disturbing the fish too much. You can use a pickup boom rather than wading into the pond.

Ran across these:

http://www.piranhapumps.com/dredge_selection_chart.159.html



Last edited by bobad; 10/08/08 09:04 AM.
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 15
1
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
1
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 15
What about using a venturi tube setup, this allows the water to pump through and the venturi picks up the sediment. Its really easy to fab one up.

Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854
Likes: 1
 Originally Posted By: 14737
What about using a venturi tube setup, this allows the water to pump through and the venturi picks up the sediment. Its really easy to fab one up.


I'm sorry, but I can't picture what you're talking about. Can you elaborate for me a little bit?


Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 15
1
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
1
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 15
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTefcVMu1I6W...6sigb=138e8o3rt

Something like above only bigger. We use one here at work to clear sightports on high temp furnaces, it blows nitrogen through the tube and the 3rd line pulls out debris from the sight port.

Last edited by 14737; 10/08/08 05:23 PM.
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,074
O
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
O
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,074
DougOhio
This deal sounds great, If you can send pictures.

Otto

Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2
K
Fingerling
Offline
Fingerling
K
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2
Hi,

I am new to this forum. Very interesting and look forward to more.

Regarding the "muck" harvest. We offer a service that may fit your needs. We use a small but very efficeint hydraulic dredge to clean sediment out of ponds and other bodies of water. As an example we recently renovated a 50 year old 1.5 acre pond with orignal depths of 16'. Silt accumulation was as much as 6'+ in some areas. Water quality had gotten to the point it could not be controled and the fish population was suffering.

We removed nearly 10,000 CY of material in-situ. This pond was fully stocked with fish which were left in the pond with zero losses in the process. Very little turbidy in the process as well. In this case we pumped some of the material into very large dewatering bags and some into a retention area. Once the material dried out the client spread it and has since seeded it expanding his little 5 hole golf course on the propery.

We also did a small spring fed trout pond. It was about 30' wide by 120' long. It was only about 2' deep and we were able to take it down to 4' very easily. the pond was full of very large rainbow and brook trout. All the fish stayed in the pond with again no loss of fish.

This process has minimal if any disturbance to the property and is normally a fair amount less than mechanical dredging with backhoes or draglines.

(Bob Lusk edited out the phone number until we get to know Kpetersen a little bit better.) We offer this service throughout any where east of the Rockies.

Kent

Last edited by Bob Lusk; 10/27/08 01:34 PM. Reason: We haven't gotten to know each other, yet. I'm protecting our advertisers.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
B
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
B
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
Bob:

I think your editing it at this time makes total sense.

I hope this guy is great and that he will make interesting contributions to the web site.

When I want to deal with someone I don't know on this, or any other site, the first thing I look at is the profile which each of us fills out when we first register. I am always a little suspicious when they don't put anything in that profile. No occupation, no hobbies, and especially not even what part of the country they are in. Narrowing it down to the state at the very least.

If I had my say relative to this site a person would never get a rating above fingerling until they at least revealed something about what they are about.

Bing


"I love living. I have some problems with my life, but living is the best thing they've come up with so far." � Neil Simon,
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,902
R
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,902
Ditto Bing.


Pond Boss Subscriber & Books Owner


If you can read this ... thank a teacher. Since it's in english ... thank our military!
Ric
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2
K
Fingerling
Offline
Fingerling
K
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2
Sorry about the lack of info, have not done much with forums before and I am learning more about how they work. I missed some of the details in the sign up. Having just found this site I am excited about being a part of it. I have a pond of my own and I am fortunate enough to live on a 120 acre lake with 25' visability. Many lakes in our area are becoming infested with Eurasion Milfoil and other invasives - very concerned about protecting our resources.

I certianly appreciate any suggestions as I try to take part in conversations in this forum. I now understand business is to be promoted on the ads on the web as well as print - spoke to Bob about that and look forward to supporting Pond Boss.

Just got my new fins so I am learning how to swim.

Kent

Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,687
Likes: 281
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,687
Likes: 281
Welcome aboard Kent.

It's a great place to be (when you can't be at your pond, that is!)


Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
B
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
B
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
I think Kent is on the way to being a Lunker.

Lake dredging and muck removal services sounds like a great seminar topic / magazine story.

Bing

Now, how about some of you others adding some content to your profile.


"I love living. I have some problems with my life, but living is the best thing they've come up with so far." � Neil Simon,
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 647
2
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
2
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 647
What type of info should be put on the profile: Water World Addict, trying to fix a subdivsion lake? Have been taken over by gizzard shad, want bacteria to improve the lousy 21" clarity???


HUSBAND AND CAT MISSING -$100 REWARD FOR THE CAT!
I subscribe too, but tried and failed at the fish logo.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,474
Likes: 264
E
Moderator
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
E
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,474
Likes: 264
Welcome aboard Kent. Order the mag and join in the fun. It is ok to do business via pm (private messages) also. Just not on the open forum.
















Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,074
O
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
O
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,074
Welcome aboard

put some pictures on the site so we can see what is going on.

When the phone rings here it is about water loss or cleaning out a pond.

Otto

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,435
R
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
R
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,435
Welcome Kent, you'll fit in just fine.


Just do it...
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
B
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Hall of Fame 2014
Lunker
B
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 1
2CatMom:

I don't think you got an answer to your question, but I think the subjects you suggested are more like topics you want to discuss than profile items. The profile asks for: Occupation, Hobbies, and Location. I believe these are meant to tell forum members a little about you without getting into specifics. There is also room for your email address and web site address if you care to share them. To me these help us understand one another, and perhaps allow us to make responses that are more specific to your situation (an example would be that knowing where you are located helps in stocking, and other pond considerations).

Bing


"I love living. I have some problems with my life, but living is the best thing they've come up with so far." � Neil Simon,
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,026
Likes: 274
D
Moderator
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Lunker
D
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,026
Likes: 274
I've always kinda wondered why people don't provide that type of info. When a person wants to ask questions, their location really does matter. To a certain extent, their profession also might dictate the type of response; especially if they are in a pond related business.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Online Confused
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
Or some kind of cannibal headhunter.


"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615
Likes: 5
J
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
J
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615
Likes: 5
Kent, welcome to Pond Boss. We're glad you found us. Since you have already spoken to Bob it sounds like you are off to a great start.

Profiles:
Ah the subject of profiles. I can honestly say that it bugs me when people don't fill out their profiles. When a new forum member comes on board I frequently look at their profile just to get an idea as to what area of the country they are in, what they do for a living, are they a cat person or a dog person, what they had for breakfast.

When the profile is empty I get suspicious... maybe they don't have a pond, maybe they've never even been to a pond. Perhaps they are a predator, a Pondifile - - lurking and trying to trap an unsuspecting pond meister in to an unsavory pond rendezvous. Sure they may wisper sweet things about water and fish but in reality they might be crazy eyed guy sitting in a run down hotel room in the middle of New York (the crazy city, not the beautiful countryside) surrounded by concrete, tapping away on a dingy laptop, looking at photos of ponds and lusting after them.

Don't be a Pondifile. Fill in your profile. Do it now.


Oh and sorry I didn't mean to "muck" up this thread. Go ahead discuss muck to your heart's content.



Last edited by jeffhasapond; 10/30/08 09:56 AM. Reason: to differentiate between the city of New York versus the rest of New York.

JHAP
~~~~~~~~~~

"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."
...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
1 year after stocking question
by Requa - 03/28/24 01:39 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Sunil - 03/28/24 12:39 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by Sunil - 03/28/24 12:39 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by Freg - 03/28/24 09:42 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/28/24 08:36 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by Justin W - 03/28/24 08:19 AM
Reducing fish biomass
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 08:18 AM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5