OASE Pondvac 3, anyone get one yet?

[junglegeorge12]

To run skimmers and bottom drains on each one would increase the electric bill twenty fold.

-stevehops

? I dont understand this, you can run both skimmers and bottom drains with a flow thru and no pumps. All you have to do is put the drain pipes together and put ball valves to control the flow in each one and raise the drain outlet to the height you want the pond to be kept, so I don't understand that it will cost electricity??

[luke frisbee]

JG
he probably is doing a slow freeflow system..one fractional horsepower pump can do multiple ponds, and keep the water chemistry IDEAL...unless you stir up the bottom.
And I bet if he could he'd have some bottom drains with stand pipes in a sump pit so he could dump the old water from them and remove alot of the sludge on the bottom in the process.

Hoppy,
here is something to consider
After you have cleaned the floor of a pond have you ever tried feeding your koi sinking pellets? If you scatter them about the koi will stir up whatever is on the bottom all the time and that might be enough to have it leave in the outflow.

I also think you could retro fit a variation on the "bototm drains with stand pipes in a sump pit"

[junglegeorge12]

Hmm good idea Luke, I wasn't considering his flow rate might be too slow to do anything but clog the drains-good point.

Thinking about the standpipe and sump idea, do you mean to elevate the sump to the desired pond height, and if it goes over it gets pumped down so the standpipe will suck hard enuf to pull junk thru until the sump shuts off?

or were you thinking to let the standpipe over flow into a tank with sump lower than the standpipe, because if I understand it correctly that will still leave the flow rate thru the drain limited to the incoming source water flow rate?

[bekko]

That's pretty much it Luke - flow is too slow. Also, I am afraid to put in bottom drains because my water table is so high. The water table is often just a few inches below the water level inside the lined ponds. If something screws up, the liner will lift/float up, but is pushed back in place when the pond level is raised or the water table drops. I would be afraid the liner would pull out of the bottom drain fitting. Dumping the sludge through a standpipe arrangement won't work because there is no place to drain to. The pond level is barely above sea level.

The koi plow through that muck all the time. They don't get sick and growth is pretty good. In some respects, I don't mind a little muck on the bottom because it makes a lot of amphipods and other things for the fish to graze on. It just gets out of control eventually. If I disturb the muck and see gas bubbles released (methane??), I know the koi have not been plowing it to that depth and its time to dredge it out.

I have been slowly building and installing miniature paddlewheels as a cheaper means of aeration. The paddlewheels also generate a lot of current which the koi seem to really appreciate. In addition, the current tends to spin much of the leaf liter and crud to the center of the pond and sweeps the perimeter somewhat. If the debris/sludge is more confined and I can develop a decent vacuum system then the whole situation might become more manageable.

-stevehopk

[luke frisbee]

Hoppy,
yeah with what you got to deal with I definitely wouldn't attempt a bottom drain

[junglegeorge12]

How about adding a foot or two of height to the pond???

[PapaBear]

In this case, wouldn't that be Home DePoo? I'm sorry, really I am, but I just had to let a little smart @$$ out for a breath of fresh air.

Quote: Originally Posted by junglegeorge12 Go to Home de po and get a wet vac, then stop by walmart for a pool vac to attach it to. Or just go to walmart and get a small pool filter pump and vac to hook it to, that'll be non stop too.

[bekko]

For what its worth.....

So, I went to the lady's place today to trade some goldfish for water lilies. Her lilies were much nicer than my goldfish so I'll have to make it up to her.

Anyway, she starts raving about the new PondVac 3 she had recently purchased for her anniversary present. Some guys have all the luck! She says the thing is way better than the older models and it is going to save her hours each week. She demonstrated how it vacuums up the debris, has a string algae attachment, and on and on. But, oh yeah, this little plastic buttom broke off and the thing won't work unless you keep re-attaching this other do-dad with duct tape.

-steve hopk