Originally Posted By: teehjaeh57
In my experience draining a ponds which have Agridrains installed, I have always had a big BG plug the 4" drain sideways at least once during the draining process and reduce or stop the flow altogether. Sometimes this meant disrobing in mid 40 degree water, like the Fall 2014, and diving to 5' depths so I could get my hands on the fish to remove as it was too deep to reach otherwise. The experience was excruciating, and the fish was beyond nasty as I removed it, piece by piece, from the pipe. Good times.

Agridrain sells fish guards and offers other options to fit several sizes of pvc and install on the inflow end of the PVC which would have likely prevented all of my issues. Of course I never installed them, as it would have helped me immensely and made the draining process much simpler, which is evidently against my nature. My pain is the forum's gain, I suppose - or I'd have nothing to write about to make you all feel better about yourselves, collectively.

A DIY solution MIGHT be capping the inflow of your 2" pvc, and making 1" drain holes throughout the last 2' section of pvc. Even if a fish got too close to the suction and got stuck, you still have many drainage holes unplugged to continue the draining process unimpeded.

These are all options I should have considered installing prior to refilling the ponds. Please, learn from my follies, or be doomed to repeat. Misery loves company!

[https://ecommerce.agridrain.com/pdf/catalog.pdf]


I feel your pain as I had to swim out to restart my siphon last fall in Early November...

After that I installed a second valve at the waters edge so I didnt have to cap the intake side off when the pond level was way down and the discharge leg didnt have enough pull to clear all the air out of the line.

My pond renovation thread here