skip to main content

Ponds & Aquatic Plants

Bottom Drains-Not Keeping Bottom Clean

16 years ago

I have a large 9000 gallon pond approximately 5' deep. There are 2 bottom drains - one at each end. But there is a lot of waste on the bottom of the pond and I have tried brushing it toward the drains but the junk just swirls around in the water and that approach just isn't working. Obviously the drains were not installed properly or I wouldn't have this problem? I hate to purchase the very expensive Oase pondvac but I feel I really need to get this junk off the bottom. My water is clear and I have no other problems to speak of. I would welcome suggestions and if I go with the pond vac do they really work and are they worth the cost. I have some physical problems and am not able to things I would like around my pond but I keep plugging away and would really like to get this problem resolved. Thanks.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

azponder
16 years ago
How much muck is at the bottom of your pond? A thin layer of maybe 1/2 an inch or so can be a good/normal thing. More than that though and you can start to have problems. One thing is to figure out what the muck is. It might be soil that has spilled out of a plant pot, and soil I find to be one of the hardest things to get out of a system once its in it. Is it leaves? Excess food? As for pond vacs, I found my wet/dry shop vac works fine, except I have to dump it quite often.
0
curb1
16 years ago
A problem with a bottom drain(s) not working is too small of a pump. What size pump are you using?
0
Related Discussions
filterless bottom drain for water garden
Q
Comments (5)
I'm putting in a wildscape pond. I thought about our native Mosquito fish. Unfortunalty,they eat what I'm going to try to attract. I'm hoping to get amphibians,dragonfly,damselfly,waterbugs,salmanders,toads,frogs,and birds. It's going to be shallow and wide 16'x16'x2' with a 45 mil liner and heavy plantings. I'm an avid gardener. Most of the "bones" of my wildscape are planted.I will have a solar fountain to add some circulation but not much. This pond is going to be heavily planted in pond pots and along the edge trailing in. I need a way to clear out the bottom of the pond when it fills with debris from the plants mostly. I've sold fish and maintained a large aquarium set up in the store so I know about fish maintenance and the need for great filtration especially for carp. PJ
...See More
Cleaning bottom of pond.
Q
Comments (9)
I havea 4 inch bottom drain and it just does not seem to remove all the dirt that was put in. It does remove all the other stuff. The two sides of pond had to be raised as our farm property slats down and one side was lower causing water to go out. So we have been leveling and building up those areas and constructing waterfall but the dirt seems to make way into pond. Just does not want to find its way out :-) I am trying to resrach something that will circulate the bottom better so may'be I can get the pond cleaner so we can add fish. Decided to put a pool in for the kids instead as the frriogs and such took over pond.
...See More
another bottom drain question
Q
Comments (2)
On more sophisticated setups the BD feed by gravity into settling chambers or vortex chambers that separate out the heavier solids. Pipes need to be large for this to work without considerable draw-down, 3" for up to 2000 gph and 4" for up to 4000 gph. A settling chamber needs to be large enough so that the water is in it for 10-15 minutes (the dwell time) so solids have time to settle. Vortex chambers can be quite a bit smaller as the swirling water aids in separation of solid. Microscreens can be added to remove solids in a smaller chamber as well. The pump draws from these mechanical filtration devices. Some feed the BD directly to the pump, recommended by MikeIL whom I have considerable respect for on this very forum. Many do not like that approach, however, because it grinds up the solids before the biofilter and thereby increases the bioload rather considerably. A small-footprint low-tech approach might be a box full of black knight or similar filter brushes. Such boxes can be made or purchased. I use one downstream of my SC to remove any chunks that happen through - brushes do a pretty good job, are fairly easy to clean, and do not restrict flow even when laden with debris. My SC is fed by 2 BD via 3" lines. It is basically just a small (1000 gal) 5' deep liner pond with a pipe out the bottom to periodically flush out waste. It is planted with a variety of iris, lettuce, hyacinth, and a bit of parrots feather. Gravity feed in, gravity feed out to the brush filter box, then suction to the pump. If you have space it makes an attractive spot for floating plants. Allow for a grating perhaps 10" down and you can put in some pots or bareroot plants like iris wedged in the grating.
...See More
Bottom Drains???
Q
Comments (16)
Well, if no bottom drain works for you, that's good. But my pond is 9000 gallons, heavly stocked, I go through 40 pounds of food in 5 weeks, and I NEVER have to vacuum. My lily pond is only 3000 gallons, lots of plant debris, lots of fish, and I never have to vacuum that one either. It is also a proven scientific fact that the debris sitting in the bottom of the pond rotting provides breeding grounds for harmful bacteria and many types of parasites. It just makes good sense to me that a healthier environment for fish mean keeping the pond bottom free of all debris, all the time. Once every 6 months means the fish are bathing in their own rotted feces for 6 months at a time. Yuck.
...See More
ccoombs1
16 years ago
How big are your drains and the pipe leading from them to the filter? Are they gravity flowing to a filter or is there a pump drawing from them? A 4" drain should have around 3200 gph and a 3" drain should flow around 1800 gph. Two drains should be keeping the pond bottom clean. my pond is 9000 gallons also, and the two drains keep the pond bottom very clean.
0
lsst
16 years ago
I have two bottom drains which I added at the end of my build. The pond was already dug and the retaining wall built. The pond does slope but not enough towards the drains. This causes some muck to not make it to the drains. They are not as effective as if I had planned to have them at the very beginning stages of my build.
My pond is more of a watergarden with goldfish than a Koi pond so I have more muck from plants, etc.

With my situation, I bought a Oase Pond vac 3 . My pond is 4.5 feet at the bottom drains. At this depth, I put on full waders and climb into the pond to clean the very bottom. I only have to climb in once a year though. I can not reach the bottom of the pond with the pond vac from the sides of my pond as it is too wide.

If you are able to reach the bottom drains with a broom to swirl the debris towards the drain, than a pondvac should be able to work for you.

I am happy with the Oase Pond Vac 3.

I use my pond vac about once a month just to get leaves and debris that are trapped in the plants. It was a big splurge for me but it has more than paid for itself.
0

Related Stories

DECORATING GUIDES Room of the Day: Designer Outfits a Condo Top to Bottom in 5 Weeks

By Becky Harris

Soft touches warm this modern Texas living space, and bold colors brighten the neutral palette

REMODELING GUIDES Outfit a Ranch Remodel in Updated Style, Top to Bottom

By Laura Gaskill

Get ideas for lighting, tiles, accessories, window coverings and so much more, to make your ranch renovation easier

MIDCENTURY HOMES Houzz Tour: Getting to the Bottom of a Midcentury Los Angeles Home

By Mitchell Parker

Once it had only a second floor, but now this home has its fill of usable, beautifully designed spaces

REMODELING GUIDES How to Keep Your Home's Beautiful Glass Sparkling Clean

By Jen L'Italien

A few simple tools and tricks keep water spots and soapy film at bay

ORGANIZING 7-Day Plan: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Kitchen

By Laura Gaskill

Our weeklong plan will help you get your kitchen spick-and-span from top to bottom

BATHROOM DESIGN How to Choose the Best Drain for Your Shower

By By Any Design Ltd.

Don't settle for a cheap fix when you can pick a shower drain that suits your style preferences and renovation codes alike

KITCHEN DESIGN How to Keep Your White Kitchen White

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Sure, white kitchens are beautiful — when they’re sparkling clean. Here’s how to keep them that way

HOUSEKEEPING Tackle Big Messes Better With a Sparkling-Clean Dishwasher

By Bonnie McCarthy

You might think it’s self-cleaning, but your dishwasher needs regular upkeep to keep it working hard for you

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean Your Fridge, Inside and Out

By Bonnie McCarthy

Keep your refrigerator clean and fresh, while you gain storage space and lose those ‘UFOs’

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean a Glass Shower Door

By Bonnie McCarthy

See which tools and methods will keep those glass shower walls and doors sparkling clean

Sponsored

Whispering Pine Construction

Franklin County's Top Choice for Reliable Outdoor Construction

More Discussions

Leak in my small inground prefab watergarden...?

1

pothos with yellow leaves

7

Stock tank cracked, New tank has brass drain

1

What is destroying my Willow?

20

Where can I find Koi fish that need a home in Baltimore, Maryland?

1