The most important steps:
1. Get some Yellow Perch in the pond, they will cut back on the leech numbers over time. Inexpensive and you can do that now (or soon, when water temps drop a bit more). Try to buy larger ones to tackle the larger leeches.
2. Try to eliminate the trees near the pond, all of those organics are filling it in with muck and providing ideal leech habitat.
3. Don't fertilize anywhere near the pond.
My initial thought is to bring an older muck-filled pond into good shape for swimming almost requires a do-over with a swimming hole as a goal. You will have to weigh the costs of aeration vs. excavation and see if it makes sense.
If you are unwilling to start over with a drained pond and excavated bottom to clean it out, the best alternate way is aeration to help break down organics. However that is slow, and I think you need flow-through in order to rinse some of those newly liberated organics out of the pond. Me, I don't have patience of years to wait for breakdown that may never occur to satisfaction. I sure as heck am not swimming with 5" leeches! The places those buggers latch on is not what I consider polite.
If I were to do this I would:
1. Drain.
2. Treat with hydrated lime to "nuke from orbit". Give the frogs a chance to find a new home, save fish as you see fit.
3. Wait for it to dry, you may need to pump if you have a spring. Also some excavators will dig in wet, but I don't think it is common.
4. Excavate, repair, seal, improve, build docks, etc.
5. Let 'er fill up.
6. Swim.
Last edited by liquidsquid; 09/10/13 08:08 PM.
