Pond question - after I rinse the filter, what to do with the waste water???

Okay, as warm weather approaches, it will soon be time to start up the pond pumps. Before I do, here's a question I'd like to run past the experienced ponders and gardeners.

When I periodically clean the filters (one's a homemade gravel bio filter; the other's a standard mesh-type filter), is it okay to catch the waste water and use it to water my flowers? It's typically pretty green with algae and "stuff" , and I figured it's probably nutrient-rich. But I'd like to hear some input from those of you who have had ponds and gardens a while, and make sure there aren't any negatives to this practice.

(BTW - when we drained, cleaned and refilled our pond last fall, we put most of the water on my compost heap....the moisture and the "sludge" seemed to speed up the composting process. Although it's "after the fact", is this an okay practice?)

It is good fertilizer as long as you aren't using chemicals. Whenever I empty the pond or do water changes I always direct the water into one of the flower beds. Good Luck!
Branka

I agree with Branka..think of the fish "fertilizer" you would be giving your plants. In the spring I use one of those QPV shop vacs to vaccumn the pond bottom of all the winter muck that I missed scooping out and water the plants at the same time. I am really looking forward to spring, but not that dreaded "pea soup".
Jean

Oh, good. That's kind of what I thought, but it's good to hear from those who have more pond experience than I do. And no we didn't use any chemicals last year - a couple water hyacinths kept the water beautiful until frost. But one of my neighbors is recommending that we use "microb-lift" in the spring to clear out the algae - good or bad idea, in your opinions???? Does that constitute a "chemical" that would make the water unusable on plants?

I use a bio-clafier like microb lift in my indoor pond. It's an enzyme that's suppose to break down organic matter quickly. The bottle of the product that I use says that it will efficiently remove green water, sludge and ammonia to produce a healthier pond environment for fish and aquatic plants (if used as directed).
Many people swear by this stuff.

I do not use it outside. My pond is small. I have a veggie filter and a lot of marginal plants and a very low fish load. After that initial algea bloom my water stays clear, so I see no need for it. I don't think there is any proof that this stuff speeds up the start of a filer, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. I assume that even if you do use this type of product, you'll still have the initial algae bloom.

It will be interesting to hear from people that use this product.