Help, there's a hole in my pond

Help! I think there is a hole in my pond?

Since my parents separated, my mother left me with the care of her backyard pond. I can't exactly tell you how big it is, but it's built in a very large kidney shape. It has a blue liner and is also stocked with plants and fish.

However, yesterday I went outside to check on it and I found the water VERY low. I have the pond built on levels, almost like steps. But the first level of the pond was completely dry and the water was very low. So I filled it with a hose since I don't have a pump running. And then I left it go - it didn't seem to be draining anywhere. I looked around the pond and didn't find any grass wet. So I thought it just evaporated because of the hot weather. 

Then I went outside earlier this morning and found the water low again - but not as low as it was yesterday.

Is that a sign of a hole or do you think it's just the hot weather? It's such a big pond and a hole seems to be a real hard thing to find. . .

Help please?

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  I doubt it's a hole. The water went out too fast for that. Did you have the pump turned on? Turn off all pumps and look at the pond tomorrow morning. If the water level goes down with the pump off, you have a leak. 
• If that liner is a swimming pool liner and it sounds like it is, perhaps you can find some patching material for it. I'm sure it can be bought at any swimming pool place.
• Check here for directions on how to find a leak. 
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/pondlea…

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Cleaning a Muddy Pond

How can I properly remove thick, swampy mud from the bottom of my garden pond?
All the water from my garden pond has gone, it is now quarter-full with a green-black, thick mud. What is the best way to get rid of this, so i can either remove my pond, or refill it with water?
Thanks.

Answer:
If you don't want your pond anymore, just fill it up with sand and soil. If you do want to keep your pond, you can shovel it out. You can also try this which may work. Fill the pond up with water, then using a utility pump, start pumping. Keep filling it with water as the pump keeps working. You can probably get much of the muddy water out. Then use a wet vacuum to get the rest.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Cranes and Egrets Eating Fish

I have problems with my pond.  Help?

There is a crane that eats all the fish.  I was told I could put a fence right under the surface.  What fence would I get or are there any other options? thanks.

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  Try a motion activated scarer like Scarecrow. Or a floating alligator called Gator Guard. 
• Both work extremely well.
• Scarecrow: http://www.absolutebirdcontrol.com/produ…
• Gator Guard: http://www.bird-x.com/gatorgard-p-14.htm…

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Yucky Sludge Stuff on the Pond Bottom

Can I scoop out the sludge out of the bottom of my pond?

I have a fountain/filter in my 550 gal pond and I have been having to rinse the filter every other day because it gets clogged from the yucky sludge stuff on the bottom. Can I scoop it out with a net?

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  You can try, but it probably will just stir it up. Cleaning out the pond is a good idea. Here's how:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/cleanin…
• Or you could try using a swimming pool vacuum, like this:
• http://store.poolcenter.com/shared/Store…
• Attach a panty hose leg to the discharge. Don't buy the net that comes with the vac. It doesn't work because the netting is not tight enough.

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com
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• And to meet a great community of gardeners, join us at  Gardeners  Gumbo

Black pond water. Help.

Tetra pond algae control turned my pond water black, is that normal?

My 550 gallon pond was getting really green to the point where I couldn't even see my fish until they came to the surface to eat. Yesterday, I went to the pet store and purchased TetraPond Algae control and used it as directed. I diluted it in a bucket of water then poured it into the pond along the edges. When I woke up this morning the pond water was really dark. Is that normal? and will it eventually clear up?

Also, on another note, last week I put in TetraPond Barley and Peat stuff, I don't Know if it was okay to put in the algae stuff ontop of the barley and peat stuff. It wasn't clearing my water so I put in the algae stuff.

Answer:

• 
  That is dead algae. Be sure you have enough oxygen getting in the water. Turn on more pumps if you have them. Add an airstone just to keep the water oxygenated enough for your fish. 
• Algaecides can be very dangerous. For easy ways to keep your pond clear, read this article I wrote:
• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/pondalg…

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Ponds and Snakes.

Just witnessed a Brownish-Black snake with Red-Orange bands hanging around small pond with Comets and Goldfish?

What kind of snake is this? It's a small decorative pond in Southeast Texas. I've seen pictures of water snakes and they don't compare. Snake is about 2 1/2 feet long and about 2 inches thick.

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• Answer:
  
  It could be a coral snake and very dangerous:
• http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/vi…
• Or it could be a milk snake, not dangerous at all:
• http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/vi…
• A poisonous snake always has vertical pupils, although I am not sure I would get that close if I were unsure.

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Waterfall pumps, waterfall ideas

Waterfall Pump Question?

I just bought a tub for a pond for my back yard I want to build a water fall for it. Any Ideas also what size pump (gph) should I buy? Its very small pond its maybe 5 feet long 21/2 feet deep so nothing nuts, just something to keep the water circulating.

Any websites with pics of decorating ideas too??

• Answer:
• For pond ideas, see the photo gallery of my website: http://www.pondlady.com

• I would get a pump that was at least 1250 gph. You can't have a real tall waterfall because the water will splash out, so stick with the medium sized one.

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

What to do with a neglected pond

I just bought a house that has a small backyard pond. The house has been vacant for 9 months or so... and the pond has been sitting stagnant all this time. Today, I used the pump to get the water out. I also attempted to get the millions of leaves out! There are still some in there that I am having a hard time reaching. Once this is all cleaned out, I won't know what to do next... besides fill it with water :)

It looks like they were using lava rock as a filter. This was sectioned off at one end of the pond with a hose to the waterfall on the other end of the pond. 

The lava rocks are all mixed with leaves... I need to clean this all out. Can I reuse the lava rocks or should I get some new ones? Or would you suggest a different filter plan?

Also, when I bought my house, the pump is just laying on the ground next to the pond. Not attached to anything! I'm not sure how it is supposed to be set up.

I'm going to attempt to clean out the rest of the leaves tonight after it gets cooler. (Oooh.. I hear thunder. A storm will cool things off!) The leaves were settled to the bottom of the pond, so I don't think adding water and using a net would work to get the leaves out...

What do I need to do??

(And I live in a warm climate! Tampa, Florida!)

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• Answer
  First, clean out the pond completely. http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/cleanin…

• Then refill it. Use the pump you have and the lava rock set up. It's a great filter. Clean it up and reuse it.
• Test the pump by putting it in the water and plugging it in. Often when pumps sit out of the water for a time, the seals dry out and ruin the pump.
• Good luck. You will love your pond.

• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Pond cleaning cost?

What's a fair price to pay for getting your pool pumped out and debris cleaned out of it?

I need to add that the pool is only half full. It has about 3 feet of leaves in the bottom and lots of sticks and twigs. Water needs to be pumped out and leaves cleaned out. What's a fair price?

Answer:

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  I charged $250.00 most of the time if the pond was relatively small. It's a nasty job because all those leaves have decomposed and are pretty stinky. Here's an article I wrote about how to clean pond:

• http://www.pondlady.com/Articles/cleanin…
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• To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Used ponds??

How much is a used/secondhand 400 gallon pond?

Oh please don't give an exact amount give an estimate, since I don't know what brand it is.

Answer:
Ponds are not usually bought, but installed. If you are buying a preformed pond - hard shell, it depends on the size of the shell. I recommend a flexible liner as the preformed pond shells do not last very long.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

New house, new pond

Buying a home with a pond in the back?
The home in located in South Florida and it is on 1.14acres. There is this beautiful pond with rock waterfall in the back  When we looked in the pond, there were some brim/bluegill swimming around and I believe algae growth.

My question is, what would be good to put in the pond? plants? fish? animals?

Next to the home is a canal, but the property is fully fenced. We do have 2 dogs as well.


Answer

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For now, don't do anything. Watch it for a few months and see what it does. Anything you plant in it will take over. If you do decide to put some plants in, keep them in pots. You could plant irises around the edges because they will stay on the shore and not grow in the deeper parts.
You probably have lots of critters in there now, turtles, fish, frogs and more.
You are lucky to have your pond. Keep chemicals out of it and it will give you years of happiness.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Oily sheen on pond water

Whats the oily like stuff on top of my pond at this time off year?
when you look across the top of pond there is a sheen that looks like oil on water but it is not oil any ideas


Answer
It's what happens when plants and fish poop decay. The water, full of organic matter, has a sheen on top. Might be time to clean some of the decaying plants and fish poop from the bottom.
The sheen will not hurt anything, but it is annoying.

Fake pond plants

Where to buy fake plants for water garden?

Answer

• You put these directly in the pond and they will last for a few years.
• http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/po…

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Tiki torch fluid

How do i get tiki torch fluid out of my pond?


Answer:
Use the garden hose and float the fluid off through a low spot in the pond. If you don't have one, just make one temporarily. Sometimes you have to aim the hose at the fluid and 'help' it out of the pond. It works. It takes time, but it works. Good luck.


To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Running your pump

How long to run pond fountain to aerate water properly?


Answer:
I recommend running a pump 24/7, but if you wish, you can cut down to 12 hours daily. Some people put their pumps on a timer.
It depends on how many fish you have. More fish = more 02 is needed.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Sizing pumps and skimmers

Pond skimmer, wrong size pump?
I had a pond built last month. I fear the pump is too powerful. The size is 6 ft by 9 ft depth from 18 in to 36 in at deepest. The skimmer states for pump up to 1800 gph. The pump installed in the skimmer is 2400 gph. It seem like the skimmer water level is too low and funny, almost whirlpool sounds come from skimmer. Is this due to the pump being too strong. Is it harmful to have too strong of a pump?



Answer:
Your pump is not too big. Your skimmer is too small. You can just put the pump in the pond and direct the water over the waterfall. That will do until or if you wish to replace the skimmer.

Frankly, you probably do not need a skimmer at all. Most people do not unless they are under a tree. The person who installed your pond needs to learn how to install one properly. It is still under warranty, so call him back and insist he do it right.

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Concrete ponds?

How to build a concrete pond?

i'm planning to build a backyard fish pond and making it concrete but i do not know if that is feasible that is why i keep on searching for best answers for that.

Answer:

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  Instead of concrete, think about using 40 mil butyl rubber liner. Concrete is brittle, cracks easily, cannot be repaired and leaches lime. The flexible liner has at least a 20 year guarantee and is easy to install and work with.
• For more info, see my website at http://www.pondlady.com

To find more pond information, go to pondlady.com

Duck Ponds

How to keep a small pond looking and smelling good?
I made a small pond for some ducks that I have but the ducks pooped in the pond and now it stinks horribly. How can I help this problem?


Answer:
That's the big problem with duck ponds. The only thing you can do is make the pond so you can easily hose it out or clean it. There is no way to make duck poop go away unless you remove it by cleaning out the pond.

4 mil trash bags

Can a 4 mil liner work for an indoor pond?
I was wondering if a 4 mil liner would keep the water in or if it would need to be stacked in layers.


Answer:
4 mil is the same as a trash bag. It will not work because it isn't water tight. Doubling or tripling won't work either. The water permeates one layer, then the next and so forth. And pretty soon the water is on the floor and the plastic bag is floating on top. (Guess how I know this? )

If you want an indoor pond, use a plastic pot or a horse trough from the feed store or a large muck bucket depending on what size you want.

Pond Emergency

Backyard pond emergency!?
My neighbor has gone away for the weekend and left me in charge of his fish pond. Heard a funny noise coming from his yard this morning and discovered that most of the water has drained out of the pond this morning (the pump is still running). He's not back until tomorrow and I have no idea how to fix this. Can I just throw a hose in and fill it up again (the fish are okay so far - there's about 6" of water left)
 HELP!!!

The fish are your standard pond fare - koi and goldfish.


Turn off the pump. Run water in. PUT DECHLORINATOR IN! If you don't all the fish will die.
There is a leak somewhere near the waterfall.  Have a look, put the rock that tipped back in place and all will be OK.