esshup - I have a bottom drain in my first pond for which the plastic valve has never been opened and it worries me... What type of maintenance is recommended on a siphon drain?
The only thing I would do with a siphon system is check it to make sure it isn't clogged or won't start siphoning when needed. I would recommend starting the siphon once a year before the "rainy season" (if there is such a thing anymore) just to make sure that it is working properly, then you can break the siphon to shut it down. Better to find out that there is a problem before the rain hits than to have to fix it during a storm.
