How to prevent slime and get rid of it?

The disposal of mud in ponds has been a hot topic for several years. How to prevent it and get rid of it? This is one of the problems most often encountered by a body of water during its life cycle.

And for good reason, if the mud is not treated in time, you risk ending up with a eutrophic body of water, where life could gradually disappear (amphibians, fish, aquatic plants, depth, etc.).

We would like to reassure you right away: there are many solutions to fight against slime, without considerable effort.

Although a natural occurrence, slime buildup is a common problem faced by most water feature owners. The accumulation in quantity can be synonymous with bad health for a pond, even if it is an integral part of the life of a body of water.

In the rest of this micro-guide , we explain how to prevent mud in a pond , and how to limit its accumulation. There are also solutions to eliminate it if it is already present in quantity.

⭐ You may be interested: our tips for removing mud from a pond or natural pond

What is pond sludge?

Pond sludge is organic matter found in and around your pond: leaves, fish droppings, air pollution, etc.

Ranging from fish food, droppings, and plant debris, it's the end product when all that material sinks to the bottom of your pond and begins to "rot."

The more organic the slime, the more bacteria can prevent and digest the slime in a pond.

Pond sludge: mainly made up of organic waste

Most mud is made up of animal droppings: ducks, geese, other waterfowl, fish and trees around your body of water. This slime is caused by the decomposition of organic matter. It is an excellent fertilizer for your land.

During the first years of the creation of a body of water, or following a complete mechanical cleaning, the process of accumulation of silt will not be seen very strongly. Over time, decomposition will build up. The slime will become thicker and impenetrable to oxygen.

Conducive to the production of hydrogen sulphide

The slime eventually takes on an anaerobic state which causes the bacteria in the pond to produce hydrogen sulfide. As many of you know, hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs (you may have encountered this smell after disturbing your pond bottom or cleaning your filters).

Hydrogen Sulfide is toxic, its nature is to interfere with the oxygenation and respiration of aquatic life in ponds. It starts with how hydrogen sulfide kills aerobic bacteria, which are generally responsible for breaking down organic matter and algae.

Are silt and mud poisonous?

Pond sludge contributes to algal blooms: there are not enough beneficial aerobic bacteria in the pond to break down, and keep up with the growth of algae.

This is why we recommend aerating your pond and adding bacteria to it to reduce the accumulation of organic matter over the long term. This makes it possible in particular to avoid mechanical cleaning or complete emptying of the pond, which can be very expensive.

⭐ You may also be interested: we show you how to make pond bacteria

With aeration and bacteria, you will save money to develop your body of water.

How to prevent the accumulation of silt in a pond?

Use of bacteria

Among other alternatives, bacteria can be added to eliminate the mud in a pond : these will digest the mud and "attack" the organic layer. They will help break down and digest organic matter, while supplementing the aerobic bacteria in your pond.

A solution like Bactovase can be used as a treatment and maintenance product, to keep your bacteria levels high and your slime levels low throughout the year.

Aeration of the body of water

Aerating your pond 8 hours a day, from spring to autumn, accelerates bacterial development. It ensures a high level of oxygen in the pond.

A good aeration of the body of water makes it possible to maintain a correct nitrogen cycle and to ensure the presence of bacteria.

Installing aerators like a pond spitter, waterfall, or fountain increases the number of aerobic bacteria which help reduce waste buildup in the pond.

Limit the fish population

When you have too many fish in a pond, the fish waste really adds up and this contributes to slime formation. These fish also have a harder time competing for oxygen, and slimes reduce oxygen levels, which can lead to fish kills.

Prevent overfeeding fish

Also avoid overfeeding the fish, as excess food also contributes to your slime level. It can also be poor quality food.

Avoid priming in a body of water

We do not recommend priming in a body of water . In a fishing pond, it is sometimes difficult to fight against angler bait.

Solutions for eliminating silt in a body of water

What are the solutions for getting rid of silt, even if it is already present in quantity in a body of water?

Several solutions are possible for this: mechanical cleaning, vacuuming of mud, bacteria-based treatments or even the use of a powerful cellar drain pump.

1. Mechanical cleaning of muds

A radical and expensive solution

A mechanical cleaning is the elimination of mud using suitable equipment: in this case, a long-armed crane to be able to fetch the mud from the pond.

Most of the companies specializing in the mechanical cleaning of bodies of water dry out the body of water. Suitable planks are also used so that the crane does not sink into the water table.

In marshy areas, the use of a crane cannot be improvised .

This solution is often effective, but it is also the most expensive. In the Walloon region and in most French departments, it is necessary to have the mud analyzed by a professional laboratory. This is the condition to be able to spread it in the middle of nature or in the fields.

Some bodies of water are not accessible by cranes, so you will have to go through suction or use specific bacteria that can digest the silt .

This method also requires the use of excavators which extract the mud and trucks which evacuate them. It wouldn't be so bad, but there's a big problem – what to do with the slime? According to the law, pond sludge is waste that must be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

Unfortunately, this ecological treatment is so expensive that municipalities cannot afford it: it would represent a significant part of their budget.

Our opinion on mechanical cleaning

When it is playable, we advise against mechanical clearing because it only solves the problem in the short term. And, in addition, biodiversity can take years to re-establish itself at pond level: the banks, animal shelters, etc. are damaged.

2. Biodegradation of silt or biocleaning

A simple and environmentally friendly solution

The use of specific bacteria makes it possible to digest the silt in a pond. It is through the biological action of solutions that slime can be digested. Some bacteria can digest up to 80M3 of silt in a few months.

Certain special enzymes and bacteria can thus restore pond water and digest slimes while reducing or eliminating any floating organic matter in your pond.

This solution is often 6 to 10 times less expensive than mechanical cleaning, and helps maintain biodiversity in the body of water. It is part of a long-term process: spreading is generally done in spring and autumn.

Our opinion on biocuring

Biocuring or biodegradation is one of the easiest ways to reduce slime, although several treatments may be needed to correct the problem (spring and fall).

The bacteria we use on our sites (such as Bactovase ) are effective for an average of 18 months. However, for a first use, we recommend two treatments per year.

3. Sludge suction

A long-term solution

Another option for removing pond sludge is to vacuum the sludge using a vacuum cleaner such as the PONDOVAC range , an emptying pump adapted to the size of the body of water, or even a vacuum boat (like those used by Aquiflor to suck up silt).

This method is a bit more expensive than using a bacteria-based pond slime eliminator, but gives more control over the cleaning process .

Our opinion on the aspiration of the silt

Suction works with any amount of silt and removes more than organic matter, with the pond vacuum also serving as a general purpose pond bottom cleaning system.

⭐ You may be interested: our guide to choosing a pond vacuum cleaner

Since bacteria-based pond treatments work more slowly and cannot break down 100% of the material that may be present, the use of a pond sludge vacuum may be preferred as a longer investment. term.

Is mud dangerous for my pond?

By far the most common cause of pond sludge is dead leaves that land in the pond and gradually sink.

Although it may not seem like a big deal at first, the amount of pond sludge that builds up can eventually cause problems with the pond ecosystem as well as with water quality.

As the organic matter that makes up the slime breaks down, high levels of ammonia and nitrites are released into the water. In large doses, these substances are very dangerous for pond fish and must be constantly broken down by your biological filtration and bacteria.

⭐ You may also be interested: our guide to carrying out a pond water analysis . Do not forget ! Before any intervention, the best thing to do is to check the water parameters.

Thanks for reading our guide article on pond siltation. Ask your questions in the comments or via support@foudebassin.com 😉 We will be happy to answer them 😊