This is the best way to proceed

Seen over the year, there is quite a large amount of leftover food, dead plant parts and fish excrement Digested sludge together, which settles on the pond floor and ensures cloudy, green water. In order to manually remove this rubbish, stick to an otherwise exemplary setting yourself Pond maintenance hardly spared, the ideal time for this is the beginning of spring.

Preparation to remove sludge

For a relatively simple and, above all, complete cleaning, it makes sense not only to the pond to pump completely dry, at least the large plants should also be removed from the tank will. On this occasion, it is a good idea to try a little too lush aquatic plants cut back, transplant individual plants to another location and the algae, especially to the Bank margins to remove.

Desludging and cleaning the pond basin

Now you have the option of using a special pond vacuum for desludging. Corresponding devices can be obtained from specialist retailers or can be rented in any larger garden center and are either equipped with a larger collection container or direct the sludge via a drainage hose directly outside the

Pond border away. Depending on the design and model, the entire amount of water does not have to be used for sludge removal with a vacuum cleaner Pumped out, however, the traditional method of cleaning is using a shovel, bucket and wheelbarrow be easier and more thorough.

Some data from sludge vacuums for smaller ponds with low pollution:

• Power consumption: between 1,400 and 1,800 watts;
• Tank size: 30 to 80 l (also two-chamber container) or Direct drainage pipes;
• Suction height: two to four meters;
• Current prices: between just under 100 to 300 euros;
• Empty weight: 4 to 15 kg

Garden pond cleaning and ecosystem

Apart from the fact that the removed sludge is excellent as an admixture to garden compost, you should not completely remove it from the garden pond. After all, he makes for that Aquatic plants a vital root and contributes to the biological balance in the ornamental pond. Excessive cleanliness would therefore be out of place, for nature is perfectly capable of regulating itself.