A Variety of Methods Work
Managing an old pond can be challenging. However, with the right methods and tools, you’ll be able to turn your old pond into a new one. It’s important to note that you won’t find a quick fix that works overnight. It may take some time before you see the benefits. Moreover, using a combination of techniques will get the results you want. Let’s go over some of the tips that you can use:
Adding Aeration
If a pond has not been adequately kept for a long time, you will find excessive amounts of organic nutrients that cause harmful algae blooms and other aquatic nuisances. This will accumulate into a large area of sludge that will make your pond dirty and uninhabitable for pond life. An old pond, especially shallow ponds, can benefit from a bottom aeration system. This will create an aerobic aeration setup as it transitions away from anaerobic. The aeration process will break down the excessive nutrients and bacteria that have created the dirty environment.
Removing Pond Muck
If you want to speed up the process, you can also do a few things to remove large areas of pond muck. One way is to use a rake and bucket to dredge the sludge. Although it can be a dirty job, it can help to clear up your pond. Make sure that you wear proper gear, such as masks, when removing the pond muck. This can help minimize those foul odors you are sure to encounter.
Skimmers
Old ponds usually accumulate large areas of debris, such as tree branches and decaying plants. To clear out these areas of debris, we recommend using skimmers. You’ll be able to fish out decaying plant life, fish waste, and many other areas of thick pond muck. Then, if you use beneficial bacteria and other pond cleaners, you can just concentrate on clearing out branches, leaves, and other floating debris you can find on the surface.
Colorants
When treating your pond, colorants and beneficial bacteria are essential to clean the waters. Dyes are excellent at blocking the sun’s rays from reaching deep into the pond. Since sunlight greatly contributes to the excessive formation of algae, eliminating this component will serve to keep algae at bay.
Beneficial Bacteria
When it comes to beneficial bacteria, this will encourage an aerobic reaction combined with the pond aeration system in place. Beneficial bacteria can come in the form of pellets, which will sink to the bottom of the pond. The good bacteria will then eat away at the harmful bacteria and nutrients. You could start seeing improvement to your water quality in as little as a few days.
Outdoor Water Solutions offers high-quality pond & lake aerators (solar, electric & wind) and aeration windmill systems, fish feeders, fountains, and all-natural pond care products. Please email or call us at 866.471.1614 and we can provide you with a detailed quote and can even help you design the best solar aeration system for your needs.