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Help! How do I clean out my pond?

Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,554
in Problem solving

I was going to ask should I get rid of pond as it has gone dank and horrid! But when I went to post picture I remembered how lovely it looked in the summer! So now I'm thinking please advise best way of cleaning all the sludge out.  It doesnt have fish in it but has a lot of lillies and grasses at the edge.

any advise much appreciated thank you image

 

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  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,554

    Thank you pansy face for getting back to me so quickly image I like the idea of waiting and seeing image I may have been a bit hasty as today I started raking out the sludge and left on the sides in case of wild life and now it's worse then ever! And stinks! I'll leave it be then in case I do more harm!

     

  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    The stink is rotting leaves probably - could you net it next autumn to keep most of them out?  Depends where and how large the pond is of course. 

  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,554

    I think you're right bookertoo.  its almost a year to the day that we moved here and last year we did nothing with it and think the lily leaves from the year before are in there and last years too at least.  Didn't notice leaves from trees being a problem. The pond isn't very big and is very shallow one side and think about three feet deep the other. Do you know the best way getting the sludge out? Shall I drain the pond and do it that way?

     

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Ponds go through various stages decline and refreshment as light and temperatures change throughout the year. It will smell if you dredge up the silt at the bottom of the pond. Raking some of it out now will do no harm, and after leaving it for 24-48hrs you can spread it on any beds you have. It's pretty rich stuff and breaks down very quickly. Look at it as free fertiliser. Another few weeks and it'll come to life again.

  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,554

    Couple of pics from summer so you get rough idea of size image

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  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,554

    Oh I missed your posts whilst waiting for pics to load! Oops too late pansy that's why it stinks then and fingers crosses David I can leave couple of weeks and do as you say and spread it image thank you all 

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Do you have frogs or other wildlife? If you do, this is the worst possible time to clear out the pond as you will destroy both spawn and hibernating creatures.
  • EsspeeEsspee Posts: 274

    It is so lovely in the summer don't think of doing away with it.  

    Perfect for wildlife....I envy you.

  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,554

    Only had one or two frogs last year but had I think newts.  I promise welshonion I will not take out anymore sludge. 

    Thank you esspee image

    this little fella was from last year when we were clearing out green slime!

    image

     

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    You've inherited a lovely pond BM image

    I'd just watch for any foliage dropping in and make sure you remove it. Netting in autumn is the easiest way if there are overhanging or nearby deciduous trees/shrubs, but the water lilies will have quite a lot of foliage so you might have to just get in there in autumn and take the dead foliage out to reduce the amount of build up. If there are lots of marginal plants, just gather up all the dying foliage from them as you see it. It's inevitable you'll get a bit of foliage dropping into the depths though image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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