Any suggestions for a good pump to remove all the dead leaves and yuck experienced over the year? I have a net that grabs most and I've put mesh netting over them during peak times. But I want something afforadable for my 600 gal pond and stream. I received a Dr. Fosters and Smith book today and noticed 2 with huge price differences ($60 or %$179). I would like one that allows me to gather the trash and pour the water back into the pond vs. starting over with the bacteria and such that has built up. Every time water is changed to any degree it causes bursts of algae.
I normally buy everything from Best Nest and have not checked their site yet but I really need something cost effective. A shop wet vac may do the trick and use a mesh to pour the water back into the pond.
Suggestions?
Kathy
pump for leaf removal
Any pond vac should get much more muck than water. It shouldn't suck the pond dry. As far as leaf removal goes I have a pond-o-vac and leaves clog the intake hose. It might depend on the size and kind of the leaves. I have oak and that's like vacuuming up shoe soles. Not gonna happen. I always net the leaves. It does a perfect job of getting the sludge. I don't have a great deal of sludge to get up so the water loss is minimal. I would never add back the siphoned water. It would be extremely dirty with crud and bad bacteria you sure don't want stirred up and put back.
Thanks, I didn't look at it as poor bacteria. My big problem is the larger leaves. My streams is about 45 ft long x 1.5 - 2.0 ft wide. The pond is basically a 'pondless basin' of sorts. I have a 55 gal heavy duty barrel with 3" holes drilled every .5 inches or so all over to take up bulk, not water, along with a few milk crates and things that allow rock on top and I can even walk on the pond but it's about 6 ft deep, holding around 600 gals. but my shih tzu's won't drown if they walk around in the pond. The water above the rocks would be around 10 inches deep of better but safe for them. They love the stream but don't bother much with getting in the pond - but leaves sure do.
Do you think a shop vac would work?
I have used my husband's on my small 480 gal pond. It worked fine. Cleaning it up was another story. He did not want it cruddy or smelly for his chores and the kind he has is a pan in the neck to scrub out ( Dewalt ) . So I'd say yes if cleaning it out afterwards is not an issue.