How to get rid of silt in a pond?

How to get rid of sludge in a pond?

When you have a pond, a pool, or a body of water, whether natural or not, there comes a time when its bottom becomes more or less covered with sludge. When this happens, it can cause several problems in the pond, for which there are several solutions. 

First, we will identify the different reasons that can cause the formation and accumulation of a significant amount of sludge:

The formation of sludge is mainly caused by dead leaves, fish waste, and external factors to the pond (environment). In this article, you will need to distinguish the classic garden pond from the natural pond. For a classic garden pond, it is quite simple to remove the sludge. 

Removing sludge from a garden pond 

Here are a few steps you can follow:

1. Use a sludge vacuum or sludge pump to remove the sludge from the bottom of the pond. You can find these tools in aquatic garden centers, or online (for example, in our online store). 

2. Use aquatic plants to help remove the sludge. Some aquatic plants can help limit the accumulation of sludge by absorbing nutrients. 

3. Use bacteria to remove the sludge (type bactovase or clean-lac), but be careful. Seek the help of a specialist for dosages, and remember to properly analyze the water before any treatment. 

4. Install a fountain or waterfall in the pond to help keep the water moving and prevent the formation of sludge. You will also need to properly size your filtration system. 

It is important to note that the best way to prevent sludge in a pond is to keep the pond clean and well filtered, by regularly removing leaves and debris and by controlling the fish population.

Removing sludge from a natural pond

It is often very complicated to filter a natural pond. The only solution if you want to completely filter the water is to create a huge lagoon system and provide many aquatic plants that will play a phyto-purification role in your pond. 

To act on the sludge and limit the layer in a natural pond, there are three solutions: 

• Aerate the pond to develop the bacterial environment, and oxygenate the natural pond as best as possible 
• Use bacteria (based on enzymes and minerals) that will digest a large part of the organic layer (in sludge, there is the organic layer and the silt). 
• Limit external pollutants (dead leaves, trees, quantity of fish, overpopulation, baiting). 

We often intervene in fishing clubs to limit sludge. We recommend two bacterial treatments per year and an aerator if the fishermen want to continue adding fish and baiting the natural pond. By baiting, you feed the pond, and the fish rarely eat all the quantity thrown into the water.