How to clean a pond in the country with your own hands, step-by-step instructions and maintenance rules
Gardeners use several techniques to solve the problem of cleaning a pond in the country with their own hands. Some of the available methods are suitable for large bodies of water. This is due to the fact that such techniques require increased financial costs. And for other methods of cleaning the pond, minimal physical effort is required. But when choosing a method, it is recommended to take into account the type of contamination.
The main causes of pollution
All pollution from summer cottages is conventionally divided into 3 groups:
- leaves and debris blown in by the wind;
- small biological waste (plant parts, insects, etc.);
- bulky biological waste (rodents, worms, etc.).
In flowing ponds, as well as in water bodies located in areas with frequent rainfall, solid particles (stones, sand, etc.) often enter, which gradually settle to the bottom. As a result, the shapes of the banks change. Without timely cleaning, these reservoirs become shallow.
In some cases, you will have to completely pump out the water, first transferring the fish to a temporary aquarium. This type of cleaning is mainly used for heavy contamination by various particles and debris.
Home water treatment methods
Country ponds are relatively compact in size. In such bodies of water, it is difficult to recreate a self-cleaning ecosystem. For this reason, the pond should be cleaned periodically using one of the following methods:
- biological;
- chemical;
- UV;
- mechanical.
Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. These cleaning methods can be varied, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the procedure.
Biological
The biological cleaning method involves the use of specialized products, which are divided into 2 groups:
- Bacterial preparations, which include Stater-Bacterien, JLB FilterStartPond and others. Such agents remove silt deposits, suppressing the formation of nitrogen compounds (harmful to plants). Bacterial preparations begin to act immediately after being introduced into the tank.
- Means such as Pond Cleaner, Aqua Balance and others that inhibit the growth and development of microscopic algae. These products, available in powder or gel form, inhibit photosynthesis for up to six weeks after use.
Organic products are very effective, but their demand is relatively low. The latter is due to the too high price and the fact that such products change the composition of the water. Therefore, at the same time as biological products, other products that normalize the pH must be added to the tank, or use aeration devices to completely clean the tank.
The organization in the immediate vicinity of a separate smaller reservoir helps to solve the problem of siltation of ponds. This will act as a filter. In this small reservoir it is necessary to plant plants that will be engaged in aeration.When arranging such a pond, a drainage layer with a thickness of at least 150 millimeters should be poured on the bottom.
Chemical
The chemical method of cleaning is suitable for cases where no aquatic plants or fish live in the pond. The substances used in this method have an aggressive effect on living organisms and inhibit the development of flora. In this case, the acid balance of the water does not change. Bromine-containing agents are considered optimal, the effectiveness of which is sharply reduced without the addition of chlorine.
Among the methods used, sorption purification is very popular, in which porous materials (zeolites) of natural or artificial origin are placed in the basin. These stones remove ammonium and phosphorus from the water. Absorbents are poured into the bottom of the tank or added to flow filters.
For quick cleaning of the pond, use slaked lime (quicklime) and crushed limestone. Both tools are capable of:
- accelerate the decomposition of organic matter;
- destroy pathogenic microorganisms and parasites;
- increase the concentration of hydrogen in the water.
The amount of lime used is calculated taking into account several parameters. In particular, this indicator is influenced by the method of depositing funds. For the treatment of garden ponds, it is recommended to use quicklime at the rate of 1 kilogram per 10 m2. For prophylaxis, this agent is introduced in May.
The UV radiation
This cleaning method is suitable for compact tanks. With UV lamps aimed at the water, algae can be suppressed and sludge removed. This method does not harm fish and other organisms that live in the pond. For cleaning garden ponds, it is recommended to take lamps with a wavelength of 180-300 nanometers.The duration of UV exposure is determined taking into account the degree of siltation and the surface area of the pond. This method does not help to remove large and small debris.
Therefore, in addition to ultraviolet lamps, it is necessary to use other cleaning methods.
Mechanical
The mechanical method is considered the most common and popular. As part of this approach, it is possible to clean the basin of debris either manually or using specialized equipment. The first option is suitable for removing leaves and other parts of the plant that do not sink to the bottom of the tank. For this, a net or net is used. Greens that have settled on the walls of the pond are removed with a brush. However, the manual method is not able to completely clean the water from contamination. Removing other debris from the pond will require specialized equipment.
The latter includes filters, which are divided into two types: pressure and flow (external). The equipment of the first type is in the form of a pump placed at the bottom of the tank. The principle of operation of such a filter is as follows:
- The pump draws water into the housing, which contains the brushes and sponges.
- Sponge brushes trap coarse debris and dirt.
- The bio-granulated mineral load located further downstream is cleaned by a biological method.
- At the end, the water enters the compartment with ultraviolet lamps, which destroy harmful bacteria.
Inline filters are cleaned in the same way. The difference between the devices is that in the latter case, the water is brought into the pond in a natural way (through an organized drain). Skimmers were created to remove large debris that accumulates on the surface of the tank.These devices suck up water with plant parts and send them to the basket. Some of the skimmers are designed for bottom cleaning.
Sludge vacuum cleaners are distinguished by their high efficiency. These devices collect silt, algae and dirt from the bottom of the pond. Some models of such equipment are supplemented with functional accessories and garbage bags. Vacuum cleaners are ways to clean the embossed background. This type of equipment should not be used in waters where frogs and fish live. Vacuums, along with silt and dirt, suck in fry and tadpoles. Due to this, the fish population in the pond will decrease sharply after the first season.
Automatic filters and vacuum cleaners greatly simplify the maintenance of your garden pond. It is enough for the owners of the site to periodically replace the cartridges and rinse the equipment from the remnants of silt, algae and dirt.
Complete water change
A complete replacement of water in a pond is carried out in cases where the methods described above did not bring positive results. The procedure takes place in several stages:
- All fish and amphibians are caught in the water and transferred to a temporary aquarium. Tadpoles and fry are also recommended.
- Remove ornamental plants (if possible).
- Drain the water. For this, a pump is used. If the pond is small (less than 1 square meter), then you can dig a trench through which the water will flow.
- After emptying, the bottom and walls of the tank are manually cleaned of silt and sediment from the bottom.
- The bottom and the walls are completely drained in 1 to 2 days.
Upon completion of the described manipulations, you can fill the pond with new water, returning the old dwellings and plants to the tank. Also, the fish should be released after a few days. During this time, the water must settle down and find its own ecosystem. Some gardeners release fish and others remain a week after filling the tank.
flirty
This treatment option is used for large water bodies. In small ponds, a vacuum can perform similar functions. The principle of operation of both devices is the same. Like a vacuum cleaner, a dredge sucks up water, dirt and sludge. In addition, the latter device is characterized by greater power. The dredge is capable of removing up to a ton of silt from the water in an hour.
Before starting cleaning with this method, it is recommended to explore the tank by manually removing plastic and metal debris. After that, a test "run" is carried out, in which you can debug the equipment.
How to properly maintain your pond
Maintaining a garden pond consists of respecting the following rules:
- A forced circulation filter and a filler containing gravel or sand are installed in the tank. The first will constantly clean the pond of small debris, saturating the water with oxygen.
- Fence the pond with stone bumpers more than 30 centimeters high.
- Remove large debris from the surface of the water and small debris from the bottom daily.
- Top up the water regularly in summer.
It is recommended that the tank be located in an area that gets sunlight for no more than six hours a day. With prolonged exposure to bright light, the pond becomes waterlogged.