Over time, pond silt accumulates in any garden water. This is a natural process as various organic matter settles to the bottom of the pond and decomposes. Rot can develop from these deposits. If you do not remove the sediment, the water quality will be severely affected. Aquatic plants, fish, and other pond inhabitants suffer from these contaminants. With consistent pond maintenance, you can keep sludge in check. If deposits have formed, get to them with a high-quality pond mud extractor so aquatic plants, fish, and frogs can breathe easy again.
How do Muddy Deposits Form in the Garden Pond?
Aquatic plants, fish, frogs, and other animals live in a garden pond, but so do microorganisms. Muddy deposits are caused by decomposition processes and are a natural occurrence. Fish, frogs, and other animals leave their droppings in the water, which sink to the bottom. Leaves, plant parts, and food remains are deposited. Microorganisms and bacteria decompose all these organic substances to form mulm. This mulm forms a preliminary stage of sludge.
If too little oxygen is present, a rotting process begins. The water quality is severely impaired. The decomposition of the organic substances by microorganisms ensures a balance in the water. Over time, the sludge layer becomes thicker and thicker and can be a serious problem. If putrefaction forms, it is noticeable by rising gas bubbles and a foul odor. There are many nutrients in the sediment that are stirred up by fish and other animals living in the pond and the movement of the water. This calls up algae, which on the one hand, are healthy for the pond, but on the other hand, can cause the water to tip over.
Why Should You Remove Thread Algae?
A pond vacuum cleaner should not be missing for pond owners to keep the water clean. Filamentous algae are a positive sign in your garden pond, as they indicate good water quality and stability of the pond. However, they are oxygen predators and return nitrogen compounds to the pond when they die. Therefore, you should remove them regularly. You can do this with a simple landing net. If you have many aquatic plants in your pond, you should use a branch and gently twist it so that the green threads wrap around like spaghetti. It would help if you did this every two to three days from April to May. In June and July, the algae growth subsides. You will then only need to do the algae removal every three to four weeks. Several natural remedies provide efficient and biological algae control:
- Aquatic plants that increase, for example, duckweed, frogbit, or crab claw. These aquatic plants remove the nutrients from the algae.
- constant movement of water, for example, by a small fountain, which also has a decorative effect
- Oak branch in the water, which gives off tannic acid and lowers the pH. However, you must remove this branch before it decomposes.
- Shade the pond with plants or by a solar sail.
Large-leaved aquatic plants with floating leaves, such as water lilies, are suitable for shading, but you can also purify plants below the water surface, such as waterweed or water hose. To prevent the formation of mud, you should use unique aquatic plant soil. You can form the shade with plants in the pond’s riparian zone, such as bulrush, water iris, or arrowhead. You should pay attention to what water height is suitable for these plants. The plants help prevent the formation of algae, but they are an asset due to their high decorative value.
How Can You Prevent the Formation of Sludge?
Algae removal is not the only way to prevent sludge formation. You should remove coarser debris such as leaves from the pond as soon as possible, as well as wilting plants or parts of them. It would be best if you used a leaf net to prevent many leaves from ending up in your pond in the fall. You should use fertilizer for the water plants rather sparingly. It would help if you fed your fish in an adapted way. You will prevent too much food from landing on the bottom of the pond and decomposing. You can contribute to the cleanliness of your pond with a filter. A high-quality filter system will help break down fish droppings. A solar sail protects against intense sunlight and can counteract algae growth.
De-Sludge Pond With Various Options
If pond sludge has formed, it is vital to remove it to prevent rotting and ensure that the animals’ quality of life and plants in the pond is not impaired. The right time for sludge removal is spring or fall. At the latest, when gas bubbles form, you should think about sludge removal. In winter, the pond can freeze, and gases can no longer escape. Therefore, in the fall, before the pond freezes over, you should once again pick up the mud vacuum and remove the mud. It is essential if fish overwinter in your pond.
You Have Several Options for Mud Removal:
Dry Removal
If no fish overwinter in the pond, you can drain the water in the fall. The muddy sediment will have dried out after a few days, and you can remove it relatively quickly. But this type of removal is only recommended for smaller ponds. In the spring, you will need to let new water into the pond again. You can restore the water quality with a water conditioner.
Biological Removal
For biological sludge removal, you can use various pond sludge removers. The application is quite simple. The process of sludge decomposition takes several days or weeks. How long it takes depends on the thickness of the sludge layer. Often, a single application of the pond sludge remover is not enough. Therefore, you should repeat the application after a few weeks. The pond sludge remover quickly distributes itself in the water. You do not need to remove or dispose of the pond sludge. Nothing happens to the useful organisms. However, the water may turn milky. It is not always possible to estimate how long it will take for the agent to dissolve. This method is suitable when siltation is not yet advanced. It is also ideal for preventing the formation of sludge.
Skimming
If you do not use a pond vacuum cleaner, you can remove the sediment by hand with a landing net or bucket. This method is laborious and time-consuming. A pond vacuum offers distinct advantages over skimming by hand. When skimming, you can stir up the sediment and nutrients again and cause additional turbidity in the water. For larger ponds, skimming is very strenuous. You run the risk of destroying plants or accidentally removing fish and other animals. You also remove many microorganisms that do an excellent job of breaking down biological matter.
Vacuuming as the Method of Choice
The method of choice is vacuuming with a mud vacuum. It is suitable for ponds of various sizes and is not strenuous. You remove the bottom soil with the pond mud vacuum. You do not run the risk of hurting or destroying plants and removing fish or other animals. However, the water will become cloudy again in the short term as you swirl up various debris with the suction. After a short time, the water quality improves furthermore.
The Sludge Disposal
Once you have removed the debris from your pond, you still need to dispose of it. However, this is not a problem in the garden, as these deposits are very rich in nutrients. Since the remains of fish feces, food, and plant matter have already decomposed, you can use the sludge deposits as fertilizer for your garden, much like compost.
However, if signs of decay show, you should allow the sludge deposits to dry and then add them to your compost. You will avoid harmful mold growth. If you don’t have a garden or compost, you can dispose of the substances in your residual waste or organic waste. Since the deposits are quite odorous, you should avoid skin contact and wear gloves and appropriate clothing.
Conclusion
If you have a garden pond, muddy deposits on the bottom are entirely natural. Fish droppings, food remains, and microorganisms decompose plant parts. You can counteract mud formation with regular algae removal, adapted feeding of the fish and plants to provide shade. Investing in a pond sludge extractor pays off as it is easy to use and effectively removes debris from your pond.