Fish Poop in a pond

[PallasAthena]

Okay all you happy people! We have a poop problem. Well, maybe not such a problem, but it is poop.

How the heck do you clean fish poop out of the pond? Tanks are easy. You just use the siphon vaccum to get it out. That's just not physically possible with a pond, though. Is there a way to clean the poop out that doesn't involve either completely draining the pond or shelling out big bucks for a vaccum that attaches to the hose?

Am I worrying over nothing? Does the fish poop just eventually break down and become part of the cycle of life in my pond?

Thanks!!!

 

[Lupin]

1. Dip net.

2. Submersible pump with hose attached to a strainer covered with nylon mesh to strain the poo.

 

[Jennie Beth]

PA,
Funny you should ask...I asked the same thing when I set up mine this spring. I just mail ordered a python ulti-vac for sucking muck out of the bottom of the pond. Looks like a monster aquarium vac, but attaches to the garden hose. My pond is near big old evergreens, and I have a constant battle with needles and bits falling in the pond, so I am going to give this a try. Not every day or week, more likely in the spring after they bloom, and in the fall to get it ready for winter, or after a big storm when the needles are an inch thick on the surface
http://www.bigalsonline.com/edealinv/servlet/ExecMacro?omni_scAdd=scAdd&nurl=control%2FBrowseCatalog.vm&eurl=control%2FBrowseCatalog.vm&rurl=control%2FBrowseCatalog.vm&ctl_nbr=3684&queryType=0&path=&offset=&hits=&sortby=&query=python+ulti+vac
I will let you know how it works...hopefully it will be here in the next week or so, as I just got the shipping confirmation today.

As far as what happens to poo, when it breaks down in the pond, it is used by the plants for food, but you still get a layer of muck (poo, dead leaves, needles, dirt, worms that have fallen in, etc.) on the bottom that can get nasty after awhile and reduce oxygen levels. Seems like my pond book recommended a good cleaning every couple of years to get the sludge off the bottom.

Jen

 

[PallasAthena]

As far as what happens to poo, when it breaks down in the pond, it is used by the plants for food, but you still get a layer of muck (poo, dead leaves, needles, dirt, worms that have fallen in, etc.) on the bottom that can get nasty after awhile and reduce oxygen levels. Seems like my pond book recommended a good cleaning every couple of years to get the sludge off the bottom.

Jen

Well, I did totally redo it a couple of months ago, so maybe I've got some time yet. In the meantime, I like Lupin's suggestion of rigging something up with the pump. I'll give that a shot maybe this weekend or next. If nothing else, it'll get some of the old water off the bottom. Seems when I do water changes, I'm always scooping off the top, so I'm sure it won't hurt to pull a little off the bottom.

 

[Flaringshutter]

Think of pool vacuums - you could do the same thing! Try a PVC pipe on the end of a hose that you can attach to your filter inlet. On the end of the pvc pipe you could add a cone or even a vacuum attachment covered with wide-mesh net.

 

[Muske]

Obvisously they more we can catch debris before it gets to the botoom, the better. Like jen said, it can cause O2 levels to drop if it really gets bad. There are products that will breakdown sludge in ponds. Aquascape makes a BB that will digest sludge/mulm. Make sure you have good water flow since it will consume oxygen as it decomposes. The poo is also absorbed by plants so having a lot of plants will do wonders in keeping the water quality high.


As you can see, I like plants.

 

[kog]

Nice pond, I remember seeing it before. Lettuce at the top right? Dont remember your name being muske though..

 

[Muske]

Thanks,

Might have seen it on MFK?

not sure what plant you are talking about, but most likely Lettuce or Hyacinth if your talking floaters.

 

[xsdbs]

aren't the fish potty trained or know how to flush?

 

[hankn]

PA,
Funny you should ask...I asked the same thing when I set up mine this spring. I just mail ordered a python ulti-vac for sucking muck out of the bottom of the pond. Looks like a monster aquarium vac, but attaches to the garden hose. My pond is near big old evergreens, and I have a constant battle with needles and bits falling in the pond, so I am going to give this a try. Not every day or week, more likely in the spring after they bloom, and in the fall to get it ready for winter, or after a big storm when the needles are an inch thick on the surface
http://www.bigalsonline.com/edealin...=&offset=&hits=&sortby=&query=python+ulti+vac
I will let you know how it works...hopefully it will be here in the next week or so, as I just got the shipping confirmation today.


Jen

I have found the Ultivac to be ok for light jobs but for heavy jobs - it just doesn't cut it. That is why after the winter, I rent an OASE Pondovac 3 for the day.