Preventing and Removing sludge in a fish pond

This is a quick video talking about how I like to manage and prevent the build up of sludge (muck) in my fish ponds.
If you would like to build your own filters check out my DIY pond filter playlist- • OZPOND DIY POND FILTER...
If you are looking for bacteria to help maintain and reduce the build up of sludge in your pond this is the product I currently like to use (Amazon affiliate link)- amzn.to/3BOhqYh.
This is the sort of aerator I'm using in my largest ponds (Amazon affiliate link)- amzn.to/3fqNZnw
In my smaller ponds I use something like this for aeration (Amazon affiliate link)- amzn.to/3LQxpJT

[@sandyl2493]

I’ve gone back and forth on the idea of rocks in the bottom. The ROCKS WIN!! It looks so much more natural with rocks all over, in and out…

[@Ozponds]

Rock on 🤘😉

[@laurabarrow6340]

Thanks so much for all your videos! I agreed to have my pond included on our city's annual pond tour which will happen in a few more weeks. It's a fund raiser for the Pond Society and it's how I originally got inspired to make my own pond some 8 to 10 years ago. I told the member who called me that I'd probably regret saying yes at some point because of all the work preparing to have my garden and pond viewed by 80 to 100 strangers... but that's also exactly why I needed to say yes. I knew it would motivate me and sure enough I've been ponding by day and KZbin-ing pond videos by night. Yours are the best and I wish I'd had all this good information when I designed mine. I actually have several water features and like you, it's hard not to keep adding on! This fall when the heat in Texas backs off (usually in October), I plan on adding a bog filter now that I know how. Thanks again!

[@Ozponds]

Thanks Laura good on you for opening up your pond to help inspire others 😃👍. I’m glad you enjoy the videos. Thanks for watching.

[@stevechadwick85]

Appreciate the post Kev! Over here in the US, Arkansas, we just now getting into Fall weather. 50 Degree F at night, 85 in day...... I say all this bc im dreading the leaf cleanup in the ponds!

[@Ozponds]

I know what you mean. I just let most of mine decompose inside the pond. I always tell myself I’ll net them out but once the weather gets cold I just want to hibernate indoors. Then in spring I come out and net up the remnants.

[@Raphael.P.]

My good time is, when I lay down and watch your videos 😄

[@Ozponds]

It still surprises me that people watch my videos. Thanks mate 👍

[@briman1968]

You need to stop calling yourself lazy, you are obviously not lazy. Thanks for all the info and videos!

[@Ozponds]

Building the ponds is the only time I work hard. The small amount of maintenance is relaxing. I find ponds such an easy garden to maintain, that’s why I have so many. I just want to relax in the garden, not work.

[@WoodyFixit]

Very timely as I need to remove a lot of muck!

[@neu-ter]

thank you

[@muhammedazamrazali6254]

Bottom jets do help from experience. Jets will blow sediments which later entering the skimmer. In our case, sediments will go our intake bay into the pump and go to sedimentation chamber beneath our bog. We have a booster pump installed which will pump dirty water out from the sedimentation chamber to water plants in the garden. Water will be top up via a simple auto top up. We also will rinse dead zone at the end of watering the plant.

[@Ozponds]

Awesome setup 👍

[@63Lsp]

I inherited a (liner, no fish) small waterfall/pond that was mostly sludge and no filter. I did get in and I did scoop sludge- wow not pleasant!😂I had a horrible time vacuuming after an initial wash due to pebbles and rocks. I only have a wet vac which got clogged with rocks about every 2 minutes. I've got everything back in place and added only larger stones that my vac can't suck up. Now I'm trying to add a filter box on the bottom- fingers crossed I get it all done before it freezes. Thanks so much for all your tips along the way!

[@Ozponds]

😂 No it’s not pleasant in a neglected pond. Now that it’s clean just do a little bit here and there and it’s easy 👍

[@leizlsloan1432]

Hi i inherited small pond too, just wondering what vacuum can you suggest to clean the small pond? It’s very muddy. Thanks

[@user-mg2bg3ht9y]

“G’day Kev, Just wanted to say I reckon your videos are bonza! They’re bloody awesome, mate. By the way, what do ya reckon about havin’ some “bubblers” under the gravel in the dam? The idea is to stir up and aerate the muck. Keen to hear your thoughts! Have a ripper of a day, mate!” Cheers, Johan

[@Ozponds]

Thanks John. I appreciate the support 👍. I like bubblers in a Dam. The more oxygen the better. It speeds up decomposition and helps the bacteria and organisms process the leftovers.

[@cruelprincess8045]

I have large rocks with a fake skeleton as an under water fear in one spot within the pond, this is where the sludge collects then once every 6 months I vacuum it out only takes 10 minutes

[@Ozponds]

Perfect 👍

[@pearl593]

Thank you for the post! I am also told by Koi enthusiasts i should not have rocks in my pond but i like the look as oppose to bare liner. This definitely helped me stick to keeping the rocks! Could you make a video about algae eating animals especially snails and shrimp? I have string algae issues and while it's gotten better with bog filter and Nualgi it has not gone away completely. I keep considering adding shrimps in my pond but I keep reading contradicting advice about it. I have Koi and goldfish and I have heard some will try to eat the smaller fish! The bigger fish obviously will try to eat them but I wouldn't mind if they eat some of the shrimp. But definitely don't want to add something that could hurt my fish. What shrimp type do you recommend? Or are they not a good option for koi and goldfish ponds? Thank you!!

[@Ozponds]

I find my goldfish eat algae. But I don’t feed them, if there is algae they have food available. I might do a vid on shrimp & snails. This winter I successfully kept common cherry shrimp outdoors. The goldfish & koi will eat them. Tadpoles also eat algae but again the fish will eat them.

[@pearl593]

@@Ozponds Thank you for your response! I try not to feed them too much but we so enjoy seeing them come up to greet us and eat. Oh nice. I look forward to seeing how you were able to keep the shrimps thriving. Thanks again!

[@DRPondUk]

Have you ever trialled using large sinking food pellets? Logic being the fish will mix up the bottom hopefully getting some of the bottom sludge eventually to the filter. Having large pellets so they don't get trapped between the pebble at the bottom.

[@Ozponds]

Haven’t tried it. But at the moment I have hardly any fish. I got wiped out by a cormorant and herons.

[@suzannemoran7281]

Hi Kev , 👋 from England. Love all of your videos and this one too . Please , when you next have time , would you talk about looking after a 1000 litre pond with 6 little goldfish . Only solar powered air stones ( 2 ) and no filter. In particular as a new pond owner heading into my first winter what to do so that my fish survive. Thank you. 😊🌩🏠🌦⛈️🌨🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@Ozponds]

Problem is Suzanne I don’t own a 1000L pond with 6 goldfish and no power. The closest pond I have to that is the barrel pond with no pump. Here’s what I did for the winter…Nothing. So long as the water doesn’t freeze solid the fish should be fine and don’t feed them. Once water temps drop below 10C goldfish have a hard time processing protein. If the are hungry they will nibble on algae and plants.

[@suzannemoran7281]

@@Ozponds I do see your dilemma Kev. Perhaps this outline of a pond could be your next build? Seriously thanks for the advice. I will let you know if my fish survive the winter. Or I might bring them indoors just to be sure as one winter the temperature went down to minus 17 degrees.

[@Ozponds]

Gee that’s cold! I’m not sure how many more ponds my wife will let me build 😉

[@suzannemoran7281]

@@Ozponds It is so easy to get the pond building bug. I fancy a large natural swimming pond next with fish 🐠 😊🏊‍♀️🐟🐡🐠🦈🐚🦋

[@Ozponds]

It’s an illness 😉

[@noone-vo4pe]

Like the video if sitting on the couch and watching pond videos is a good time

[@Ozponds]

🤣

[@justinmorrow2932]

Another great video Kev. Do you have any air pump recommendations? Based in NSW

[@Ozponds]

I’ve got a couple of hailea air pumps different sizes both have been great. Pretty sure I bought them on eBay.

[@dylantkl]

Wonderful video as always Kev! May I ask if we have lot of fishes and we would like to keep them, would it better or make sense to add sediment filter (in addition to the bog filter) where we add a bottom drain just to suck off these sediment?

[@Ozponds]

Yes that’s absolutely fine 👍

[@dylantkl]

@@Ozponds Thanks for prompt reply!

[@AaronHahnStudios]

Breath taking video. Next time I'm at a party & hitting on a girl .. I'm talking to her about pond sludge! I can't lose. 😄

[@suzannemoran7281]

😄😄😄

[@Ozponds]

🤣 it’s a proven winner 👍

[@philippefenain4405]

Hi Kev, thanks for the video. Could a pool vacuum cleaner/robot be used on the bottom of a large pond with pebles?

[@Ozponds]

I’m not sure. It’s not something I have first hand experience with.

[@alxsimovic]

My pond has sediment but the water is crystal clear … is that ok? Or should I vacuum????

[@Ozponds]

Only need to vac if it bothers you. I find some sediment very beneficial.

[@bravesoul8944]

Hi Kev .. i suffer exactly from this fluffy sediments that hard to capture cuz they r very light and suspended in water make my water looks greenish i am having bad time removing them. Please help me

[@Ozponds]

Try a flocculent. Something like this- amzn.to/3FqLTOS. It will clump the stuff together so that hopefully the filters can collect it.

[@gerriepretorius4642]

What or pond channels do you watch? I am a bit over the "living the aquascape lifestyle" videos 😂

[@Ozponds]

Anything pond related. I especially like seeing different types of filters.

[@stayawhileandlisten.3249]

I'm starting to think that negative edge + bottom jet is a required combo in all ponds.

[@Ozponds]

None of mine have negative edge and only dream pond has bottom jets. Having some mulm is beneficial I believe.

[@ghf9945]

Do you have any ponds dedicated to turtles?

[@Ozponds]

Not at the moment. Hopefully one day 🤞

[@jasondoe6079]

Thanks Kev! If I want to have the part of the pond segregated for swimming do I need aeration pumps and fillters in both sections? How to best treat both sections with one method? What pump do you recommend for maximum aeration?

[@Ozponds]

Not so much pump. But you probably should google venturis. These allow water and air to mix. That way you have great circulation and aeration. I think I’m going to convert my dream pond jets to venturis.

[@Allgood784]

Pretty easy to make an aerator. May small pumps provide it all a T pipe adapted would cost very little

[@BL33D1NG1NS1D31]

Are there not fish or other creatures that will just eat this stuff???

[@Ozponds]

Bacteria and other organisms will to a certain degree but it will still build up. Every pond is different.

[@DrJoeJoeHands]

Thank you

[@Ozponds]

😊👍