Newbee ponder here.... I was wondering if it's overkill to try to keep the
bottom of the pond free of debrie and stuff that might settle there. The max
depth is around 2.5 feet. Should I get out the old shopvac and start
cleaning?

Bob

It is a good idea to keep the bottom clean. If there
is very much mulm your suggestion sounds fine. Then I would
order some BZT to use on a two week basis. This
is the dry microencapsulated powder that alot of us
use... keeps the bottom of the pond looking so nice!
For BZT ordering info go to: www.united-tech.com
There is a phone number on the site... call and ask
for the Ponders Special. Somewhat cheaper.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Bob Knight" wrote in message
...
Newbee ponder here.... I was wondering if it's overkill to try to keep the
bottom of the pond free of debrie and stuff that might settle there. The
max
depth is around 2.5 feet. Should I get out the old shopvac and start
cleaning?

Bob

Bob,

Although I don't seem to follow my own advice often enough, I think the
*theory* is to try to keep stuff from getting to the bottom of the pond in
the first place.

That is, skim off leaves (or put netting over the pond at least part of the
year), use special aquatic potting stuff rather than dirt for plants in the
pond, etc. My biggest mistake -- so far, that is! -- was to take
impatiens & stick them in the holes of the bricks that form the frog & toad
"stairways" out of the pond; I'm beginning to wonder if I'll *ever* get all
the vermiculite out of the pond, and I've already used the shop vac on it
once this summer. (Most times I just pump water out, then refill from the
hose, but I have well water & two little goldfish, not "real" fish.)






"Bob Knight" wrote in message
...
Newbee ponder here.... I was wondering if it's overkill to try to keep the
bottom of the pond free of debrie and stuff that might settle there. The
max
depth is around 2.5 feet. Should I get out the old shopvac and start
cleaning?

Bob

In article , "Anne Lurie"
writes:

impatiens & stick them in the holes of the bricks that form the frog & toad
"stairways" out of the pond; I'm beginning to wonder if I'll *ever* get all
the vermiculite out of the pond,

impatient cuttings grow great in water alone, next time skip the vermiculite.

Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH
http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html
My Art Studio at
http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html
for email remove the extra extention

"Bob Knight" wrote in message ...
Newbee ponder here.... I was wondering if it's overkill to try to keep the
bottom of the pond free of debrie and stuff that might settle there. The max
depth is around 2.5 feet. Should I get out the old shopvac and start
cleaning?

Bob

I prefer the "natural" look for the bottom of my pond because I don't
want it to look like a swimming pool. I put a layer of 4-6" river
rock on the bottom of the pond, and over time, algae has grown over
the rocks and some of the plants have hopped their pots and have put
down roots underneath the rocks. Also, this layer gives the fish a
good place to hide, especially in the winter after the aquatic plants
have died back. I usually siphon the gunk off the bottom of the pond
once in the spring and again in the fall, just using a 10-foot length
of 1" clear plastic tubing, so I can see if I accidentally suck up a
fish. I never have problems with murky water. I run a Pondmaster
filter, 2 air bubblers, and a waterfall, although I do shut the
waterfall off in the winter. My pond holds 300 gallons and is about 6
ft. in diameter and a couple of feet deep.
Gary