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Thread: To scoop or not

  1. #1
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Big nige's Avatar
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    To scoop or not

    So I'm by the pond on my daily scoop out the fish waste I can see on the bottom and it struck me should I do it or not?
    Could this have a detrimental effect on the nitrogen cycle and the reason I have been struggling with water quality. Having said that my water is now spot on so may be shutting the gate after the horse has bolted 😊😊 but even do your thoughts please



  2. #2
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Where are you scooping out fish waste from?

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    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Big nige's Avatar
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    On the bottom of the pond

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    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Oh I see. Well, fish waste sitting on the bottom of the pond is a bad thing- it should really be going to your filters, so addressing why it isn’t would be the best idea.

    Disturbing the bottom of a pond can release bad bacteria if there’s a thick layer of nasties there, so care is needed. Are you using a pond vac to do it in a way that doesn’t send the shit literally into the water?

    Sounds to me like you may have insufficient flow through your filters, and.or inadequate mechanical filtration. What filters have you got and what’s the pump flow rate and pond volume?

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  6. #5
    As above I wouldn't be leaving it within the pond mate. Not sure of your set up, push it to bottom drain if you have one, vac up if you have one and try getting some more flow to get it to your filter/s

    What's your current set up? Better advice could be given if people know.
    Cheers
    Jay

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  8. #6
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Big nige's Avatar
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    It's pump in pond, no bottom drain turn over is 140% of total pond per hour, most of it goes in pump but I have a dead spot in one corner that's where I scoop out. Vac the whole pond once a week when I do filter clean and water change. So I should keep scooping that corner?

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  10. #7
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Big nige's Avatar
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    Should of said pump is at opposite end of pond from water fall

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  12. #8
    Better out than in I reckon Nige

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  14. #9
    Hi Nige,

    I’m new to the forum but have been keeping for 30+ years, have a 10k gallon pond and no doubt like many on here have used a fair amount of different equipment over the years.

    have you thought of trying a retro bottom drain? I found them excellent at keeping the bottom of the pond spotless. You would need to attach the pump to the drain (probably with a rubber boot) and remove pump from pump casing / cage.

    the only downside is that leaves can be sucked into drain and then block the impeller.

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  16. #10
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Big nige's Avatar
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    Thanks, I have been looking at those and think I'm going to fit one next spring, leaves not a problem my pond is fully enclosed

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  18. #11
    Interesting one.
    I knew when choosing a pond shape which diverged from the more normal outdoor aquarium shape ideal for fish keeping I might have issues with eddies and dead spots. Not just me to keep happy in our garden
    This is one reason why I added such pronounced slopes to the floor down towards the bottom drain (best seen in this pre- fibreglass photo).



    Despite the roler coaster floor I can still get pockets of waste, often sitting in the "valley" leading down to the drain. It sometimes goes by itself due to fish disturbance, it sometimes stays for a few days. It never accumulates beyond a certain size though.
    My main return has an adjustable nozzle (Harrier jump jet style) and I can direct the outlet flow, but have yet to find the perfect eddy free trajectory.
    I do have an old swimming pool brush and occasionally I will gently guide the stuff towards the bottom drain - takes patience and is actually quite theraputic (being retired I have the luxury of time).
    What might be of more general interest is that occasionally I gently brush the whole floor (again slowly to avoid excessive disturbance) and have been surprised at how much "invisible" sediment has collected on even the steepest sections nearest the bottom drain.
    I must stress that I am not carelessly sending clouds of pathogenic crud into the water column, I am very careful. Also by keeping on top of it there is never a deep enough layer to be nasty,
    Looking you would assume there was no sediment there because normal fish movement doesn't appear to disturb it.
    I guess this might be present in many ponds unless fitted with multi-vortex Dyson digital hyper-vacuum drains (withdrawn from sale due to customer complaints about their fish being exhausted trying to swim away from them).
    Last edited by Ukzero; 01-12-2020 at 02:53 PM.
    My DIY ponds from 1988 until present day.
    All can be found here:
    https://www.ukzero.com/pond.htm

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  20. #12
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Big nige's Avatar
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    guess this might be present in many ponds unless fitted with multi-vortex Dyson digital hyper-vacuum drains (withdrawn from sale due to customer complaints about their fish being exhausted trying to swim away from them).
    To scoop or notTo scoop or notTo scoop or notTo scoop or not

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  21. #13
    Senior Member Rank = Adult Champion Mikeh83's Avatar
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    To scoop or not

    Something I have noticed over the short time I have had my pond is that a badly positioned return can cause waste build up as the current pushes it to a ‘dead spot’

    I say ‘dead spot’ as it’s not really a dead spot but more the return flow is stronger than the drain pull.

    I messed about with return positions and flows and it just moved it around..

    Once I moved from pipped returns to a blade I have had no issues at any flow rate.

    You could always add a air stone in the area where you have a ‘dead spot’ see if that helps


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  23. #14
    Great idea ref the sir stone To scoop or notTo scoop or not

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  25. #15
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Big nige's Avatar
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    Put a air stone in corner yesterday, nice and clean there today, thanks for the suggestion

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