How to get rid of silt in a pond?
The slime corresponds to a concentrate of nutrients. That is to say organic materials from both flora and fauna. Consequently, the mud remains the breeding ground for undesirable aquatic plants. For your part, it is important to be vigilant to limit its appearance by using effective treatment.
Filtering clay and mud
Clay and mud particles can build up in the bottom of your pond. If there is too much, your pool will have a musky appearance, due to the suspension of these particles. These particles are generally carried by rainwater and ultimately you will end up with cloudy water.
This is why it is essential to put in place the right filtration system to eliminate these unwanted particles. By installing an appropriate filter for your pond, you will remove both clay and mud. For greater efficiency, it is preferable to opt for a mechanical filter.
However, always make sure that it corresponds to the size of your pond and the fish load you have.
However, if you have already installed a filtration system, check the filter media, as it is possible that it is suffering from a failure and is therefore not fulfilling its role correctly. If you notice an anomaly, do not hesitate to replace it, because you must keep in mind that the filter media has a limited lifespan.
The need to take the necessary measures after testing your pond water
To find the exact cause of the problem, you need to be able to test the water quality. Obtain test kits that you can find directly in a store or on a specialized website. Choose only a specific product for analyzing water from a pond or natural basin.
You will quickly obtain very precise results regarding water quality. The majority of test kits will tell you about the KH, ammonia level, nitrate level as well as pH. From this information, you will be able to act by estimating whether you have too many fish or, on the contrary, whether it would be wise to introduce more.
With the pH information, you also know which type of species to go for. Remember to maintain a pH between 6.5 and 8.5, as the majority of fish prefer to be in this range. If unfortunately the pH that you measured is not what you expected, you will have to lower it by adding household vinegar.
An excellent technique to restore balance. Furthermore, you must provide enough bicarbonate ions in your pool water so that it has a normal, non-muddy color.
Setting up a barrier for wildlife
It is essential not to keep an animal which could unfortunately harm your ecosystem. If your pond is of a reasonable size, build a fence around its circumference to prevent wildlife from entering.
Indeed, they risk bringing additional waste which will then transform into food for the algae in their decomposition process. Using a net over your pond is an excellent protection against birds.
Consider adding plants that can eliminate cloudy water from your pond
Another technique to get rid of silt is to introduce aquatic plants. Naturally, they have the ability to combat murky pond water and are generally floating plants.
In fact, they consist of a particularly developed root system allowing them to extract clay and mud particles through it. But that's not the only benefit, as these aquatic plants can also remove heavy metals.
This is a particularly effective method and above all without the need to use chemicals. But again, be vigilant so that these aquatic plants do not cover a large part of the surface of your pond.
Don't forget to aerate your pond
To get rid of the mud in your pond, it is important to think about its oxygenation. Good ventilation is an excellent way to limit harmful particles, as they will contain much fewer nutrients.
As a result, you will have clean water and it will regain a more natural appearance. To do this, you must choose specific products which will obviously be safe for fish.
Cleaning the silt
The last solution to remove silt from your pond is to use cleaning. This is a particularly effective and rapid process for removing a large part of the harmful elements at the bottom of your pond. But to achieve this, it will be necessary to use an excavator. In this way, the silt is removed overnight, because your pond is then weighted down with unwanted nutrients.
Although this solution is advantageous, there are also some disadvantages to consider. Indeed, the cost of such an operation is sometimes significant, especially if you have a large pelvis. Furthermore, cleaning the silt is not always possible depending on the configuration of your pond.
Finally, cleaning must be seen as a biological trauma, because your pond will experience a change in its balance. By taking these corrective measures, you simply risk disrupting the biotype of your pond.
