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
Posts557,076
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
14 members (esshup, Requa, Shorthose, Blestfarmpond, DrLuke, JasonInOhio, H20fwler, Theo Gallus, Justin W, LeighAnn, Bob Lusk, catscratch, Freg, DenaTroyer), 816 guests, and 212 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 5
C
OP Offline
C
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 5
I have looked through as many posts regarding removing muck from the bottom of a pond, but I have not seen anything about ponds in the Pacific Northwest climate. I am hoping that someone might be able to help me with some advice on the "muck issue"

The pond is very small, maybe a 1/4 acre, about 5-6' deep.

The pond is fed by two small creeks and has a spillway.

It was clean and clear 15 years ago and was restocked with Trout around the same time. The trout are no bigger than 3-4" long.

The pond is surrounded by trees that the leaves fall into it every fall.

It has algae growing in it and has a layer of "scum" floating on the top. The cotton woods just added their layer of seeds to the top this week.

There are otters in the pond.

The bottom of the pond has about 1 to 1 1/2 layer of muck in the bottom.

I have been told that there are leaches in the pond, although I have not seen any.

I would like to be able to wade out into the pond without getting up to almost my knees in muck.

Is there any treatments, or fish that I could add, that might help clear up this problem? With temperatures in the mid to upper 30's and 40's in the winter it is hard to figure out what fish could survive over the winter in the pond.

I have read about some type of snail that could help clean it up, and I have read about bacteria also. I am pretty sure that most of the muck is organic.

We have a lot of clay and rocks in the ground here, and I was told that the bottom of the pond was clay and rock 15 years ago when it was still clean and clear.

Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks.

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 heard of various quick fixes but, IMO, it makes more sense to dredge it. However, the problem is that it takes quite awhile for it to dry out.


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: Apr 2018
Posts: 234
Likes: 17
D
Offline
D
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 234
Likes: 17
Look at "Muck Away," a bacterial treatment. I have a new, small, one year old pond that suffers red and live oak leaves falling into it from fall through spring, several times covering the surface and piling up at the wind-blown side. This spring it was fairly mucky, comprising dirt and organic muck and lots of not yet rotten leaves. I also have a heavy fish loading...the fish are fed. Added aerators and that lifting action spread muck and leaves through the water column. If I moved the aerators, more muck distribution could be seen. I got the bacterial treatments for organic bottom (Muck Away tablets) and organic water loading. It's been two months and my water looks great, the bottom is relatively clean, my gravel spawning beds look great. The product claims it can gasify (mostly CO2) and consume two inches of muck per month.


Dan McWhirter
DannyMac
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 5
C
OP Offline
C
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 5
Thanks for the recommendations.

Drying out the pond is not an option as the county here owns the water in the pond; and neither is dredging it. The state of Washington is absolutely ridiculous when it comes to anything with water. The county put in the pond to help with rain water and so they own the water in the pond. The county is a major pain in the behind.

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952
Likes: 184
P
Offline
P
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952
Likes: 184
I think that tilapia eat a lot of that stuff

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 573
Likes: 3
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 573
Likes: 3
I agree it’s better to re~dig, that’s what I did and I would hire someone to do it! Bacteria and an aerator will reduce the muck too but it takes much longer. If you re-dig you will most likely want to aerate and add bacteria to keep muck down.


[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 11:01 AM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Theo Gallus - 03/28/24 10:27 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
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:05 PM
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