Our pond needs a massive overhaul and I assume spring is the right time to do it.
Due to an electrical fault over the winter there's been no filtration for a few months and the water is hideous and I'm confident there's a mass of sludge at the bottom. The plants (mostly Irises, Lillies and Elodea) are a weed ridden mess and there's loads of duck weed and blanket weed.
Draining the pond is one one consideration, but the problem will be catching 30 fish in water too black to see them in and about as many frogs which will probably start spawning pretty soon.
Plan 1 - Fix the filter electrics and get it back running.
Plan 2 - Get rid of as much blanket weed and duck weed as possible.
Plan 3 - Remove the sludge.
Plan 4 - Weeding and replanting the baskets.
Any comments and/or suggestions on how to do this without a pond vac, without draing the pond (due to the livestock) and without risking puncturing the butyl liner. And then any suggestions on how to deal with the plants.
Due to an electrical fault over the winter there's been no filtration for a few months and the water is hideous and I'm confident there's a mass of sludge at the bottom. The plants (mostly Irises, Lillies and Elodea) are a weed ridden mess and there's loads of duck weed and blanket weed.
Draining the pond is one one consideration, but the problem will be catching 30 fish in water too black to see them in and about as many frogs which will probably start spawning pretty soon.
Plan 1 - Fix the filter electrics and get it back running.
Plan 2 - Get rid of as much blanket weed and duck weed as possible.
Plan 3 - Remove the sludge.
Plan 4 - Weeding and replanting the baskets.
Any comments and/or suggestions on how to do this without a pond vac, without draing the pond (due to the livestock) and without risking puncturing the butyl liner. And then any suggestions on how to deal with the plants.