How to dredge a pond?

[annew]

Our pond has silted up almost to the level of the marginal shelf, and we'd like to remove some of the sediment, without draining the pond. Does anyone know of any pumps we can hire that might do the job, or have any other suggestions? The pond is 5x3m, with a liner.

[PDJ]

The only way I know of removing the sediment is with a bucket on a rope. Pumps are usually fitted with filters of some sort to prevent sediment going through them and damaging the machinery.  If the sediment is organic matter after cleaning the use of chemicals like Pond Sludge Buster will prevent it happening again.

[Paddy Tobin]

Anne,
To do this without draining the pond sounds impossible. Do you have people in your area who deal with septic tanks or a local farmer with a slurry tank? These will have large hoses which could be  pushed down into the sludge and could suck it out.
Paddy

[David Pilling]

Such things do exist:

http://www.jexplantukltd.co.uk/

or Google "pond dredging pump"

or maybe:

http://www.justgenerators.co.uk/pages/TrashSludge.htm

"trash and sludge pumps"

apparently one use for such pumps is finding gold - good luck.

[annew]

I love this forum!! Thanks folks!

[Maggi Young]

In using any machine device to pump  out the silt I'd be very worried about the damage possible to assorted frogs, toads and newts which might be cosied into the sludge for a nice snooze......

When we last cleaned out our pond we carefully pumped out all the water then painstakingly went through all the gunk to rescue any lost amphibians... there were quite a lot of little newts and a few frogs too which would not have fared well in any sort of "sooking" (sucking) device... I fear. (We haven't got any toads)

It was a long cold and very messy task.... considerably livened by the BD falling into the mud. (To my great regret, no photos exist  )

[ian mcenery]

In using any machine device to pump out the silt I'd be very worried about the damage possible to assorted frogs, toads and newts which might be cosied into the sludge for a nice snooze......

When we last cleaned out our pond we carefully pumped out all the water then painstakingly went through all the gunk to rescue any lost amphibians... there were quite a lot of little newts and a few frogs too which would not have fared well in any sort of "sooking" (sucking) device... I fear. (We haven't got any toads)

It was a long cold and very messy task.... considerably livened by the BD falling into the mud. (To my great regret, no photos exist  )

I agree with Maggi the pond ecology will take a long time to re establish if you are not careful. I recommend Chest waders and relocate the frogs. I think I caught about 150 hibernating in the mud the last time I did this. As far as I know Newts usually hibernate away from the pool, last year I found a whole family located at the base of a rotten fence post.

I usually leave the spoil by the side of the pool so that the dragonfly nymphs Small frogs I have missed  and other assorted creepy crawlies can get back into the water and after a few days the rubbish goes onto the compost heap

[annew]

Regrettably, we have come to the same conclusion. We might pump out most of the water then bucket out the sludge and wash through a seive to rescue the beasties. I can only hope I have the same entertainment that Maggi had. I'll have the camera ready.

[Lesley Cox]

Looking forward to it Anne.

Are those little icons for You Tube, inserting things etc, new? I've never noticed them before.

[Maggi Young]

Looking forward to it Anne.

Are those little icons for You Tube, inserting things etc, new? I've never noticed them before.

Yes, Lesley, Fred added them a few weeks ago to make it easy to embed Youtube videos actually in a post.