When you're checking for leaks, when do you do it? I've got a smaller-than-that pond, but a very long stream & like chas045, what I've found is I lose water via slow overflows on the edge. But, for my stream, by the time I notice the water loss, there's not much wet earth to show for it--I think what's going on is as the water in the pond drops, the pump is pumping slightly less so it doesn't overflow the banks, so they dry up. I've found I need to check about 2-4 hours after refilling the pond. Do you have any control over the water going up? Can you divert it & run, say, half the stream--or 2 of the 3 waterfalls--just to try to see if you can get some idea where the leak is? Figuring that if adding a section to the non-leaking pond doesn't cause water loss, it doesn't have your leak in it. Good luck, your description sounds wonderful!

If the lilies are kept wet, like moving them to a tub of water, they should survive the disturbance, blossoms intact. I have received water lilies from sellers that had blossom buds on them,a nd when I planted them and put them in water, the blossoms did open, so I wouldn't worry too much about that if you keep them from drying out and avoid shocking them too much. You can thin out pretty much any plants at pretty much any time. Most are quite adaptable, and recover quickly. You might be able to get a lot of the debris off the bottom with a fine mesh pond or pool net. I personally don't like anacharis. I just don't like the look of it. However, if you put koi in there, the koi will likely eat it as they get bigger, so they will keep it thinned for you. Koi love "salads", LOL. If the bullfrogs are eating your young koi, either relocate the frogs or get bigger koi. I don't allow bullfrogs in my pond. They're native, so they can be relocated to lakes and wild ponds with no repercussion.

Back years ago, I think in this forum, several members were interested in building vacuums specific to cleaning fish ponds. I was one who got into it. I developed several vacuums and went to several people's ponds to test vacuums in different conditions. Here's my page on vacuums. There's also links to building vacuums. I don't know your pond, but in general, some species of string algae when alive and mature is like horse hair. Bind a little together and it's like rope. I've pulled every bit of out of a pond in one pull and it brought pretty much everything in the pond with it up to the size of a brick. I don't think it would be possible to remove the string algae without removing the hornwort too. Once removed you could try and get some hornwort out of the string algae and replant. But string algae can come back, although often it's another species or it doesn't grow the same way next time. Even if you had no hornwort, gravel or reeds, I don't know of a single vacuum that is effective with string algae. If the string algae is still alive it is basically one plant and in your size pond when removed it could be in the 100-200 pound range. No vacuum can't handle that. I've seen a vacuum with a cutter on the end that's suppose to be able to cut the string algae. I doubt it works, but you should read reviews if considered. Even dead string algae, which breaks up easily is a big problem for a vacuum because of the volume. Easier to remove by hand or a swimming pool leaf rake. For live string algae I used 2 pieces of 1"x1" wood nailed or bolted together in the middle so they would open and close like scissors. I'd make them about 5' long. Open them a bit, push into the algae, close, and then spin them so the algae wrapped around the wood. Once I had a good ball I'd pull it out. Generally every bit of algae came along with this ball, along with anything it was attached to. Different species of string algae and the different life cycle stages can require different methods. I learned 2 basic things. First, there is no single vacuum that is effective. Ponds are cleaned in steps, removing big stuff first and ending with the small stuff. Different tools for each. Second, don't build a pond that's hard to clean. Loose rock, gravel, plants, all good great...until it's time to clean. I mortared rock so it was easy to clean and moved all plants into their own beds and so their crowns were above the water. Crowns above the water = no string algae = happy pond keeper. That means no underwater plants like hornwort and no lilies. Lilies can get their own pond or their own deep water bed adjacent to the pond so the pads can grow out over the fish pond.

Craig, Thanks for the reply. all my goldfish died last winter :( > My pond is 3000 - 3500 gallon 20 x 12 foot oval pond 2.5 inches deep. I never had to use anything over the winter. no cover, deicer, aerator - nothing. every year the fish were still alive and happy. Then last years Im still searching for the best reliable deicer, pond breather and or livestock tank heater etc. i can buy for total of $250 -300. This year, i spent the last 3-weekends building a 20 ft x 14 ft wood frame over the pond with 2x4 and 2x2. I then raised it 20âÂÂâ high using 2 x4. I bought some hanging brackets for some of the 2x4 for additional support. I created 2 (for now T expanding gutter vents with 45 degree 4â wide ends to add more ventilation to pond. They are supported with 2â pvc pipes hammered into the ground (NOT YET IN GROUND ) I only have a net over the pond right now. I will cover with plastic and tarp. I saw home depot has large styrofoam sheets for about $11 which i am going to try to place between plastic with a garden tarp cover over part of the frame at night / heavy snow - frigid temps. when it is sunny out i ll just keep the plastic on to try to create the greenhouse effect. BTW I absolutely loved the pondexpert covers but they were over my budget as i need to still buy a deicer, stock tank heater, pond breather / aerator. My dad has several of thees steel pipes already but they are really heavy that i feared they would collapse if i alone installed them without concrete or something similar. iâÂÂm sorry to hear you experienced the winter pond deicer problems as well. did you go with the pondexpert cover?⦠Sam ..