You got that right, Michael. With our ponds, cleanout means netting leaves after a storm.
Other than that, it's a switch here, a lever there, flush to waste and voila -- done. Never even get our hands wet.
Compare that to a Spring cleanout on an ADI style pond:
1. Test tap & pond water. Record values for reference. 2. Set up portable tank(s) for fish. 500 gallon is my standard tank. 3. Pump clean pond water, not from the bottom, into the tank(s) until full 4. Continue to discharge water from pond (into street) and install aeration on tank(s). 5. Pond is pumped out to less than 12" of water. Time to catch fish. 6. Use a koi sock only to transfer fish from pond to holding tank. Cover on tank must be installed at this point. DO NOT CHASE FISH. Pick them up gently. 7. Pump out remaining water, note lowest point in pond bottom. 8. Push aside gravel in lowest spot of bottom to expose bare liner, place discharge pump here, and put it on the lid of a bucket. This will keep liner from being drawn into the pump impeller. 9. A light power wash, intended to remove loose debris is next. Power washer should not exceed 1200 psi. It is possible to cut 45 ml rubber liner with a stronger jet of water. DO NOT REMOVE ALL THE PATINA OF ALGAE. This will keep a good amount of "the micro food web" alive (rotifers, copepods, nematodes). 10. Pump out dirty water as needed. 11. Rinse sides and shelves thoroughly with strong jet from the hose. Disturb gravel on shelves to insure you are getting it clean. Repeat as often as necessary. 12. Pump out dirty water as needed. 13. Form small piles with the gravel in the bottom. Rinse and pump out dirty water as you go. Take your time with this step. Most of the dirt and detritus is in the bottom now. Repeat until bottom is clean. 14. Remove any superfluous rock and gravel. Only enough rock and gravel is needed to hide liner. Gravel not to exceed a depth of 1 1/2 ". 15. Pond is clean, time to introduce fish. 16. Place discharge pump into tank, hose into the pond. Turn on pump momentarily, and siphon water from tank. This method will not stir up a cloud of particulate in the pond. 17. Siphon until water level in tank is less than 12". Remove pump. 18. With a koi sock only, gently pick up fish and transfer them to "home water" you reintroduced to pond. DO NOT CHASE FISH. A second net can be used to steer fish into the koi sock. 19. Transfer the rest of the water from tank to pond. 20. Install water meter on outside tap and top off pond. Use ST when applicable (for city water source). SPRAY WELL SOURCE WATER INTO THE AIR WHEN TOPPING OFF A FRESHLY CLEANED POND. There is almost no oxygen in well water. This is how you kill all your fish, add water with no O2 in it. Refer to initial water testing parameters. "Cook" source water with baking soda and /or Epsom salts if required to meet desired standard. This step is critical for substandard source water, well water. 21. Clean, rinse, and pump out bio-falls. Clean biomedia. Lava rock is not a desirable biomedia. Use something lighter...easier to clean on a monthly basis. 22. Add total from water meter and 500 gallons to get total pond volume. You will be surprised as to how little water is actually in the pond. Rock and gravel take up a lot of water volume. Adjust fish load to "real" gallons of water in the pond. As you can see, this is a lot of work. I bring thousands of dollars worth of equipment to a job site to do a clean out. If you can't do a proper clean out...don't do it at all. Hire someone who can. Richard