Aquipond Boost & Clean: cleaning the bottom of the pond with active oxygen, instructions for use and a two-step protocol

In a pond, much of the pollution is invisible. The water may look clean while the bottom, gaps between stones, gravel in a planted filtration bed, or filter media retain a layer of organic deposits: decomposed leaves, droppings, leftover food, and dead algae. These deposits consume oxygen and maintain oxygen-poor areas where odors appear. Aquipond Boost & Clean is designed specifically for this problem: it releases active oxygen in contact with the deposits, helping them detach and rise so that you can finally remove them from the pond. Here's how to use it to get the best results.

How Boost & Clean works

The principle is simple. Once distributed over the water, the product gradually releases active oxygen. This oxygen acts where it is most lacking: in contact with organic deposits, on the bottom, in poorly circulated areas, between the pebbles, and in filter media. The deposits gradually detach, some rise into the water or to the surface, and the bottom regains better oxygenation conditions.

Why is this useful? In limnology, we know that oxygen-deprived sediments become a source of problems: they produce foul-smelling compounds and can release phosphorus into the water, as Wetzel explains. Reoxygenating these areas and reducing the amount of accumulated organic matter therefore means addressing one of the roots of the imbalance rather than its symptoms. The clearer water that often follows cleaning is the result of a less burdened bottom and a restored biological balance, not direct action on the algae.

The key point: remove what rises to the surface

Boost & Clean does not make waste disappear: it puts it back into circulation. The result therefore depends mainly on what you remove from the pond in the hours that follow. Waste that has been loosened but left in place will sink again and resume decomposing on the bottom. During treatment:

• regularly skim the surface and calm areas with a fine-mesh net;
• keep the skimmer running continuously;
• monitor the prefilter and the foam: they may become clogged faster than usual; rinse them in pond water if necessary.

In a heavily loaded pond, the treatment combines well with bottom vacuuming: the product loosens deposits, while the vacuum and net remove them.

When to use it

During the season, it can be repeated several times, always observing the minimum interval between two applications indicated by the manufacturer.

Dosage

The dose recommended by Aquipond is 30 g per m³ of water, i.e. 30 g per 1,000 liters. In the event of a high organic load, the application can be repeated after a minimum period of 15 days.

Volume is the parameter most often underestimated. For an irregularly shaped pond, a simple estimate is to multiply the average length by the average width and the average depth, then round the result. If in doubt, ask us to help you calculate it.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Calculate the pond volume as accurately as possible.
2. Test the water, particularly pH, GH and KH, as recommended by the manufacturer.
3. Check that filtration, circulation and aeration are working normally.
4. Wait until the water temperature exceeds 15 °C.
5. Distribute the dose evenly over the entire surface of the pond.
6. Keep the filtration and aeration running continuously during treatment.
7. In the hours that follow, remove the deposits that rise to the pond net and let the skimmer work.
8. Check the pre-filter and foams, and rinse them in the pond water if needed.
9. Wait at least 15 days before applying again.

What you will observe

The action begins as soon as it is applied. Within a few hours to a day, organic particles rise to the surface. In the following days, slight foaming or temporarily cloudier water may appear: this is a normal consequence of the deposits being put back into suspension, and it gradually disappears. A common case is a pond that seemed clean but reveals a surprising amount of debris after application. That is precisely what needed to be removed.

In very hot weather, aeration must be particularly thorough and waste must be removed quickly: organic matter put back into suspension decomposes faster when the water is warm. If your fish are already showing signs of oxygen deficiency, address this problem first before carrying out any maintenance.

The two-step protocol with Bacto Maintenance

Boost & Clean is used during the cleaning and reoxygenation phase. Once the main deposits have been loosened and removed, finer residual organic matter remains, which bacteria can break down. This is the role of Aquipond Bacto Maintenance, which supplies selected bacteria to maintain this breakdown throughout the season.

The principle is therefore: first loosen and remove with Boost & Clean, the pond net and the skimmer; then maintain with the bacteria. Follow the instructions specific to each bacterial product, particularly any temporary shutdown of the UV-C lamp required during seeding.

Lagoons and planted filters: a separate use

Constructed wetlands, lava filters, and planted regeneration zones gradually accumulate organic matter between their media, where no pond net can reach. These areas eventually become oxygen-depleted and lose efficiency. Active oxygen makes it possible to treat them without dismantling everything. Good water circulation through the planted bed remains essential to carry what comes loose toward the prefilter.

Also read

After cleaning, prevent sludge from returning: How to prevent sludge in a pond?.

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Frequently asked questions

— What dose of Aquipond Boost & Clean should be used?

30 g per m³ of water, or 30 g per 1,000 liters. For example, 300 g for a 10 m³ pond. Allow at least 15 days between applications.

— Can Boost & Clean be used with fish?

Yes, according to the manufacturer, it is safe for fish and plants when used at the recommended dosage, with filtration and aeration running.

— Why does the water foam or become cloudy after treatment?

Because organic deposits are resuspended. This is temporary: remove as much waste as possible with a pond net and keep the skimmer and filtration running.

— Should bacteria be used after Boost & Clean?

This is recommended: once most of the deposits have been removed, maintenance bacteria such as Aquipond Bacto Maintenance continue breaking down the remaining organic matter.

In summary

• Boost & Clean releases active oxygen that helps loosen organic deposits from the bottom, stones, and filter media.
• Dosage: 30 g per m³, water above 15 °C, at least 15 days between applications.
• The result depends on what you remove: fine-mesh pond net, skimmer, monitored prefilter.
• Temporary foam or cloudiness is normal after application.
• Two-step protocol: clean with Boost & Clean, then maintain with Bacto Maintenance.
• Particularly useful for difficult-to-clean constructed wetlands and planted filters.

Last updated: October 3, 2026.