Sludge, muck, mulm - there’s a hundred different names for the stuff that gathers at the bottom of your pond. It’s tempting to ignore, but when it’s stirred up by fish, frogs or other visitors to your pond, it’s unappealing. If there’s enough of it, it can create offensive smells and even throw your pond’s ecosystem out of balance by depleting oxygen and supporting the growth of anaerobic bacteria which inject toxins into the water. Obviously, a large and neglected buildup of sludge can develop into an emergency, but you have several ways to deal with it before it reaches that state - choose the one that best fits your situation.
For debris that’s still fairly large, like a load of fall leaves, you may be able to carefully remove the bulk of it with a net. While this may not completely eliminate the problem, it will at least reduce some of the work. In the future, installing a leaf net over the pond during the fall months may save you some aching muscles! For buildup that includes very fine debris, a pond vacuum may be the perfect solution. Pond vacuums are designed to filter out the offending materials and return the remaining water so that you are not faced with having to top off your pond. Pond vacuums also make it easy to address the buildup on a seasonal basis, before it reaches the point of affecting your pond’s health. If a pond vacuum is too much for your budget and you have an area of the yard that’s lower than your pond, you can enlist the help of nature’s free vacuum and create a siphon. Simply start the siphon draining into the lower area, and manually direct the end in your pond through the gunk. This method will remove plenty of water, so be prepared to use a water conditioner when you replace it from the tap. Another option is to add a dose of beneficial bacteria to help digest the sludge. Some products are better suited to addressing sludge, so read the label carefully!
