This small pond filter hasn't been cleaned for 2 YEARS !! 😮☺☺

In this quick video, we show you how easy it is to clean a sludgy, neglected old small filter system in seconds.
We recommend that you should only clean your filter prior to or when it blocks. This is usually for most pond filters, specialist koi filters may vary depending on filter type.
Always use pond water. Neat tap water has enough chlorine present to kill the good bacteria that live in your filter system which helps to keep the pond water healthy all year round.
You can remove sponges or brushes and clean in a bucket of pond water or similar. Or if your filter has a drain and it holds water, wash filter sponges etc in the filter itself and then open the drain to lose all the dirty water.
Clean your filter media the same way if possible.
Dirty filter water is great for your garden.
Hope you enjoyed the video! Don't forget to click the like button if you did, and also subscribe to our channel if you would like to see more helpful hints and tips!
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[@Padded1Cell]

Thank you so much for your videos (I found your channel recently when looking for help with my mum's pond that had got quite badly neglected). She has a very similiar filter, I think they're called hozelock or something. The bottom level of the pond was at least 6-8 inches of sludge - combination of dirt, plants that'd been knocked in, alot of leaves rotting, bricks, pots and ornaments - it was a mess. I didn't realize how bad it was, stirred it up and clogged the filter up. I took it apart and the plastic bits at the bottom were covered in green brown sludge. I has sme spare from the first clean out, so used them and put the sludged up bio media in a bucket of pond water. I've put the filter box back together and had it running for a couple of days, what's the best thing to do with the plastic bio bits that are in the bucket, should / could I put them back in the filter (there's plenty of room for them in the top), or should I take it apart again and put them at the bottom instead of the ones I cleaned? Also, the bucked of pon water they'r sstored in, could / should I puor that back through the filter (there's a small opening on the top), if so, when would be best, when it's on or turned off? Hope this makes some kind of sense(?), apologies if it doesn't....I'm on a vertical learnng curve at the moment, trying to help my mum out, she's 88 and got dementia and unfortunately causes a few issues with her pond - forgetting she's fed them 5 minutes ago and chucking a load more in :(

[@thep0ndman]

Thanks for the kind words and glad you are enjoying the vids/channel. Best thing is to give the filter media (everything inside the filter) a quick rinse in pond water. If there is a load of sludge in the filter you can remove that if it’s causing problems with water clarity. Then you can put the media back in. If the pond is unmanageable due to all the sediment etc it may be a good idea to have it cleaned out to give you a better chance it managing it properly afterwards. This is how we ask our customers to maintain the pond after a clean to help it balance back out again: www.simplypondz.co.uk/aftercare.html

[@Padded1Cell]

@@thep0ndman Thank you for your reply (I subbed and "liked" the vids). I ended up draining the pond and manually (bucket) getting rid of the sludge around the garden, dad was chuffed, he got me to spread it over his friut and veg patches. There was so much I even filled a large container with it and still had so much left it went down the drain. I used the hose pipe to refill the pond, saved various buckets etc with pond water, used an old (clean) bucket / bin to temprarily hous the fish (gutted, the heron got the largest one ((shubunkin)) which was mum's favourite as I hadn't put the temporary cover on properly). I got some chlorine treatment, repotted some plants (pots, gravel etc all cleaned with pond water) and put them in. As mum tends to over feed the fish, I split the plants between those with just gravel and the others with a bit of aquatic fertilizer. I got a new Oase UV light, refitted / plumbed the pump, filter and got a lovely "flow" around the pond. The water was quite cloudy, I presume this was the fertilizer seeping out(?), but it's been 2 days and it's starting to clear. Unforunately the whole pond needs a refurb, but I know nothing about these things, gardening, building etc, so am learning everything from scratch. We live on a steep hill and the low side of the pond had subsided, so last year I dug that out and "rebuilt it" with rubble, rebar etc. This year I aimed to get the water, plants and fish sorted or at least in a better condition they were in previously. I like the way your vids are straight to the point with "real life" examples to show what you're talking about. As said before, many thanks for your vids and info, best of luck with the channel.

[@oliverskinner8962]

Automatic pond feeder 👍 if there's room to fit them then turn the pond pump off before adding them or you'll get really wet 🤣 you can add some pond filter start or evolution aqua pure pond balls to boost/speed up the colonization of healthy bacteria if you choose to. If the pond is green replace the UV bulb or get more plants as electricity prices are horrific these days 👍

[@chrisallen5548]

Thanks, another useful video. I wish I knew about tap water and the filter years ago.

[@thep0ndman]

No worries!

[@timmontgomery8304]

I would like to use this waste pipe to do a partial water change on the pond as ive already set up a pull up and down valve on that bit. Is ok to do this and let it run out on the lawn/beds or even try pit an extension on the end and fill up some trugs to put on the veg etc?

[@georgecromar4094]

Hi. My pond (at my ex wifes) currently has a kk kf5000v filter and a oase eco4500 pump (nrly 2m head height?). Theres approximately 2500-3000ltrs with 14 largest goldies and about 10 Iris. The filter needs cleaning every 2-4 days as it will rise up over the internal walls. The pump has Y shaped valve between the pump and filter to limit flow to the filter or it will block even quicker. If I don't wash the muck completely out of the finest foam it would block within 24hrs. I have asked the family to feed the fish less. The filters goes vortex, brushes, 1 sheet japmatt, course, med and fine sponges. 4 sheets of japmatt, floss and then 2 bays of grogg. The filter blocks at the brushes, first japmatt and the finest sponge. This is the latest filter configuration to see if the filter will go longer without cleaning. What are your thghts p0ndman?

[@thep0ndman]

Hi thanks for comment. Firstly I would loose the floss, it’s too fine to have in all the time and you still be able to get good results without it so you can try see how it goes. Secondly, how much debris etc is in the pond. It can be a combo of either there’s too much debris in the pond so it may need cleaning to remove it then filter maintenance will be much easier and less of it. Or if the pond is ok with debris your filter may be too small and defo not too over feed as it all ends up in the filter. By all means email over a few pond pics and filter pics to [e-mail] and I can get somebody to have a look at it for you?

[@crajumeira]

How long was it since the last clean?

[@thep0ndman]

This one has been switched off for two years!

[@zachlittle1787]

I clean mine with jet wash now and again gets mucky but i use bacteria every couple months to replenish the filter is this ok?

[@thep0ndman]

Best you use pond water, the filter may be “dirty” but it will have a hell of a lot of bacteria to help control waste levels. If you blast with a jet wash, the chlorine and the sterile filter will still get dirty but it has no old beneficial bacteria to help control the waste.