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Ponds & Aquatic Plants

help, pond drained while we were gone

14 years ago

Came home last night and pond had drained somehow. Fish are still in last 6 inches that didn't drain....but, I chlorinated our well before we left and now can't add any water to the pond! Should I take the 6 goldies out and put them in the horse trough until I get the water situation figured out? I've never used water treatment because we're on a well, but now I don't have time to wait until the chlorine gets flushed through the lines. It may be weeks before that happens. What kind of stuff do I need to get to make the water safe again? These guys are 5 yrs old and I don't want to kill them. Thanks for any help.

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Comments (6)

johnkr
14 years ago
Most pet stores should carry chlorine remover for aquarium and pond water. The stuff I use is concentrated so 1 ounce treats 500 gallons of water. I would use 1 ounce if I were adding 500 gallons to my pond. Half an ounce if I were adding 250 gallons, etc.
frogman4_gw
14 years ago
His rate of doesage would be determined by the amount of chlorine that was added to his well. Unless you have a chlorine level tester I would remove the fish and keep them in the horse trough. After you repair your pond problem add new water with declor then let it set for several days before adding your fish back to the pond. This will give time for any residual chlorine to disapate. If you have a airstone it would be good have it running in the horse trough while you are working on the pond. Good luck.
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buyorsell888
14 years ago
What commonly happens is that raccoons pull off the hose to the pump and drain the pond down. The first time by accident and the rest on purpose because they figure out they can get to the fish easier. This may be what happened. Or some other animal may have just knocked it loose. Or neighborhood punks...

Should not put pump on the very bottom of pond so that there will be a reservoir of water on the bottom for the fishies.
krnuttle
14 years ago
I don't know if you have figured out why the pond drained in the first place, but we had a similar experience several weeks ago. After checking every thing and finding nothing wrong, running all possible scenarios of what could have happened, it turned out to be an electrical failure.

We have a three pool pond, with the water pumped to the top pond and then flowing down to the pump chamber through the other two pools. When the electricity failed the top pond flow down to the pump chamber through the pump, causing the chamber to over flow. This lowered the upper pond, to the point, where, when the electricity returned, the pump was able to pump the lower pond to the upper pond, causing the pump chamber to go dry.

It should have a backflow valve which I have never installed, but this is the first time it has happend in six years.
zingerbateman
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for your replies. Those goldies sure are tough guys! I'm glad I installed an elbow on the pump to allow the 6 inches to remain. I got the chlorine stuff and dumped twice the amount recommended because it said to do if there was alot of chlorine. Anyway, everyone is fine and back to normal. I think a stray dog was to blame for redirecting the water.
buyorsell888
14 years ago
It is certainly possible. I've had dogs playing very vigorously in my pond that could have dislodged plumbing.

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