DIY Pond VAC?

Very simple but effective solution. No power needed and very cheap to make. This will work whenever you have a fall away from from pond. Easy to make vacuum for your pond.

[@sanelisiwe4086]

I’ve been watching so many tricky diy’s. This one is so simple. Thank you 😊

[@leecalladine]

Sometimes the simple solution is the best!

[@charles29cc]

Lee can I just say thanks for saving me 100 pound plus. I done this diy vac you mentioned couple of rubber straight connectors 5 m of flexi 2 m of ridged and it works absolutely fantastic!!! As you said simple but bloody brilliant cheers mate!!

[@leecalladine]

It works great. Sometimes better than a vac.

[@charles29cc]

Yea mate I honestly can’t see the point of a vac after using this I really can’t

[@FredaFlynn2008]

That’s brilliant. My pond is a sunken one though but I love this idea. Thanks for sharing. 👏🏻

[@cindylau341]

Hi, Tk for sharing this video. My hubby has been asking me to use the garden hose, dip it in pond water, attach 1 end to the drain pipe & the other at the bottom of the pond; after seeing me scoop sludge at bottom of the pond each quarter with a fishing net. This will safe me at least 2 hrs of my time. I understand how this works now.

[@meoldmukker]

Good idea , I use a laguna pond vac £20 attached to a 1inch pipe and I've got a 'T' tap from the main pond pump and works excellent. All waste collected in a mesh bag

[@zippyz3916]

You can also add a brush to the end and remove algae. Good tip to use pool hose!

[@leecalladine]

Yes that's a good tip. They actually sell brushes too.

[@nancydohrn881]

Wow! Fantastic. You saved me a huge headache. Thank you.

[@4CillaV]

Lee this is fantastic! We bought a house that has a pond that is dug out. It is not raised. It has a lot of rocks in it and it’s only about 28 inches deep. Would this work for that if it’s not above ground? Thank you we need to get the muck out, and figure out if it will clean the rocks as well. Please advise! And, thank you!

[@leecalladine]

Unlikely to work on a sunken pond. Unless there is a big drop away from the pond. You would need to pump out the water and shovel the sediment out by hand.

[@perfectlygoodslouch5212]

I thought of this , but you thought of it first Well Done!

[@leecalladine]

It's worked for me for 25 years.

[@trahan625]

Non-Pro Tip: This only will work if your pond is above ground, or you can get the hose lower than the lowest point in the pond. Otherwise, it will not syphon, and you will need to use a pump of some sort.

[@Volunteerballoons]

do you have a suggestion on how to easily return the water to the pond instead of draining it? Here our water is metered and I'd like to find a way to reuse the same water. I just want to get rid of the muck at the bottom since the water in my pond is crystal clear. Thank you!

[@leecalladine]

Very tricky. The water would have to be stored in a tank. Allowed to settle over a day or so then pumped back. Not worth the effort.

[@carlb4278]

Worked better than expected cleaned the pond floor brilliantly. Saved me spending £100+ on a vac aswell as less to store. Used this for water change and will be doing from now on Thanks

[@leecalladine]

It can work great. Big fall really helps. Gets the suction up.

[@TheDrDover]

Cool! You just saved me a lot of money.

[@countrykoipond]

The simple ideas are the best 👍

[@leecalladine]

You can't get anything more simple.

[@debzyoung3353]

That's genius!! What do I need please

[@orchardmotorsdotnet]

Hi Lee, I've searched everywhere for the items you have used to make this, can't find them, any chance of any links to where to get them please ? Many Thanks

[@leecalladine]

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FA1I1VO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_VJE001PCZ0GFBN13YQX7

[@leecalladine]

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07T8JW7ZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_C4JNGPCM3SCZQHHFRE7Y

[@orchardmotorsdotnet]

absolute star. Thanks Very Much Lee

[@Kugadream55]

Great idea hope you have a good weekend 😀

[@leecalladine]

Going good this weekend thanks.

[@raycooper2287]

Great video, ...can you add a piece on end that's flat and wide like a vaccum hose has?

[@leecalladine]

Yes that would work. But it wouldn't improve its ability to pick up the sediment.

[@gypsyteacup6185]

Love your videos! I have gravel in the bottom of my pond... I wonder if that would make this more difficult 😬 gonna have to find out!

[@leecalladine]

Yes the gravel make it a big challenge.

[@jm7974]

You can use 1/4" hardware cloth to make a pre-filter. It will pick up the gravel smaller than 1/4 and leave the rest behind. You can also collect the gravel in a shop vac rather than straight to drain siphon, wash/rinse it, and return it to the pond. Also, a quarter turn shutoff can be used to adjust flow, allowing the gravel to be picked up but settle back out of the upstream flow, sucking the crud out while stirring the gravel. I've seen aquarium cleaners work like that.

[@gypsyteacup6185]

@@jm7974 these are great ideas! Thank you! I'm going to have to rig something up

[@CBersPond]

Another brilliant tip 👍

[@leecalladine]

If used regular it helps improve the water clarity too.

[@debra6414]

Fantastic. I need something like that, that's simple, for hot tub 👍

[@leecalladine]

Certainly would work with that too. I am willing to assist if required madam. Lol

[@olunelum1]

Fantastic video. Thank you.

[@ranchorivera4103]

Genius! I know what I'm doing tomorrow.

[@Maryroselan]

Any ideas on how to make this work in an inground pond? My pond is nasty and I don't have the means to buy a vacuum right now...

[@leecalladine]

It cannot work if the discharge point is not significantly lower than the water surface. It is running as a Syphon and it has to run down hill.

[@ricardorowe4802]

Very good tip Lee👍👍👍

[@tonytony6912]

Excellent video

[@graemejohnson2388]

What I like about using this method is you get rid of the waste and it’s not going into the filters. It gone for good.

[@leecalladine]

Definitely. If you do it regularly it will improve and maintain the pond.

[@ewanfuller5742]

Is this strong enough to suck up leaves that have sunk to the bottom ?

[@leecalladine]

Yes if the pipe is wide enough and the drop is good it might be strong enough.

[@philware1546]

My pond is in the garden, level with the lawn ☹️ not going to get a syphon ☹️

[@jasdipsagu3952]

My pond is ground level and below, will this work? Thanks

[@leecalladine]

No

[@LizMcNamara47]

Hi Lee, do you sell this flexible hose pipe?

[@leecalladine]

Its available on Amazon. Swimming pool vacuum hose. Sorry not in shop.

[@LizMcNamara47]

@@leecalladine thanks Lee, have just seen it on Amazon

[@kieronknowles3646]

Hello lee can you send me a list of the stuff I need to do this please?

[@shefaulsrooftop6544]

I have tried it today but the syphon stops after a while 😔

[@leecalladine]

It could be that air is finding its way in. Otherwise the drop may not be sufficient to get a powerful action.

[@Josh-mh3kl]

Works even better with a shop vac vacuum head attached

[@markwhiting3103]

Fantastic thanks 👍👍👍👍👍

[@markwhiting3103]

Just cost me £20 what a saving and no hassle! I think this will be great for my pond. I've got a raised pond and a waste sewer access literally next to the pond. Saves me looking at model 4 pond vacs! Have a great weekend 😁

[@etpetnel]

Brilliant!!

[@shaunleonard8146]

Simple, but clever!

[@leecalladine]

It works great too

[@andymaddock8355]

is it 40mm flexi pipe with 38mm rigid at the end?

[@leecalladine]

The one in the video is swimming pool vacuum hose. And 1.5inch push fit pipe rigid.

[@124MPH]

@@leecalladine what make? different makes different sizes!

[@jasonmare33]

good video!

[@bobbg9041]

I've got a 2 story house. And a cal king waterbed on the second floor. With a garden hose I can empty it in a 1/2 hour like this.what ill do is turn on a fasset fill the hose disconnect it and put the end away from the house. So be careful doing this a 3/4" hose can empty a waterbed in 30 min think what a 2" hose can do. It will empty a pond pretty dam fast. Dont walk of and let it run.

[@cookoi]

Nice one 👍👍

[@ItsNickP]

All very easy when your pond is above ground. Try doing that with a normal below ground pond....

[@leecalladine]

Clearly. However a very high number of Koi ponds in the UK are built raised.

[@tonistark246]

Very helpful for me,

[@dylanpolecios382]

Thank. You

[@rowenabrady6279]

this worked great with my sunken pond.

[@viettrinhthem7890]

very smart

[@khizarhayat2937]

Genius

[@delawareteacher1182]

Legend, chur chur!

[@rubysrandomnes7698]

👍great

[@leecalladine]

Thanks for the feedback. Keep watching.

[@Steve-Gallagher]

Did no one have the problem of their pond being the lowest point working against the gravity…when he says you just need a fall…but most ponds are sunken 🥴

[@tonybeards2978]

Great idea, but i use a drill powered pump off a cordless drill. Only cost me £9.99

[@leecalladine]

That's interesting. Does it ever get blocked or need priming?

[@tonybeards2978]

@@leecalladine no lee, I've got 3mtrs of pipe both sides of the drill powered water pump and away i go. Just switch on the cordless drill, works great and like you said helps with the water changes, you can get them from any diy store, and pond vacs ain't cheap

[@leecalladine]

@@tonybeards2978 no there not. And pond vacs aren't always the most reliable things. I am all for DIY or repurposing.

[@Showmethatdrippage]

@@tonybeards2978 can i get a link to that pump you bought bro?

[@tonybeards2978]

@@Showmethatdrippage brought it off eBay mate..drill powered water pump, loads on their

[@paulkazjack]

Wont work for smart gravity fed ponds like mine not raised rubbish.

[@24bellers20]

Water waste.

[@leecalladine]

A regular water change is always a good thing. In the UK we don't have a major problem with water shortages. It rains so much lol. All powered pond vacs dump water to waste too. You cannot return the water directly to the pond as it would be impossible to filter out sediment.