Awsome post WaterWizard...While reading from the top of this topic I was formulating my response until I read yours. You said everything I wanted to say.
Keep in mind though that unchecked and left alone, a pond's whole goal in life is to become a grassy meadow. It will continue to fill with muck due to anoxic conditions on the bottom and eventually be shallow enough that terrestrial plants will begin to grow.
We as pond people are trying to slow down and even as WaterWizard has posted, reverse this process so we can have a clean healthy pond.
Your pond is like someone smoking for 40 years. The lungs are not going to clear over one year. This will be a multi year project.
I would suggest making a "Sluge Judge" by purchasing some acrylic 3/4" pipe. To connect sections, use a pvc coupler. At the top add a 3/4" ball check valve. Graduate the bottom pipe using a tape measure.
Push the pipe down into the muck and pull up. The check valve will hold the water and the ooze along with the more solid muck.
This will allow you to measure the muck reduction as you are adding bacteria.
A cheap xray if you may.
Keep us posted.
