Why Pond Vacuum Cleaners Are Important For A Healthy Fish Pond

Garden Pond Vacuum Cleaners - Are They Worth The Money?

Pond Vacuum Cleaners, more commonly known as Pond Vacs are a very practical and useful bit of pond keeping equipment. They are perfect for carrying out the mucky job of removing excess pond sludge caused by decaying fish food, rotting vegetation, dead string algae (hair algae).

Unlike a domestic vacuum cleaner a pond vacuum cleaner has a more important function than simply tidying. The removal of slime (sludge) and other pond debris matter is essential to the well being of your pond environment so as to prevent the build up of excess ammonia, sulphur dioxide and a general increase in the build up of unwanted bacterial colonies. Heterotrophic bacteria are often responsible for causing Fish Diseases and fish deaths; not something you want at any time!

By removing the unwanted sludge from the bottom of your fish pond you are helping to ensure that the delicate balance of your outdoor fish pond or indoor fish pool is maintained.

Remember that it is seldom a possibility to completely empty the pond and relocate the inhabitants (fish, toads etc) simply because you want to carry out an extensive Spring Clean. It is far simpler and just as effective to use a pond vac cleaner to keep your fish pond a healthy, eco friendly home for its inhabitants.

When it comes to choosing a garden pond vac cleaner the choice isn’t always an easy one. As with most things water gardening there is a myriad of different manufacturers to choose from. To narrow it down I would advise you first and foremost to decide upon your budget. A cheap pond vacuum cleaner can cost about £50 ($75) but a more expensive model from a well known manufacturer such as OASE can cost about £300 ($450).

general pointers to look out for when choosing a garden pond vac…

What size pond do you have? Have you got a fairly small pond that only contains a few fish or do you have a large pond that contains larger fish, including Koi? The size of your garden fish pond will be a factor to bear in mind. In general a large fish pond requires a more expensive and more powerful vacuum cleaner. It stands to reason that the larger the pond, the larger the surface area. This means that there is more space for leaves and other vegetation to blow into the pond water. Remember a larger pond vacuum cleaner uses more power also. Some powerful pond vacuum cleaner models use up to 4800 watts (6.5 hp). If you have a small pond that is in a fairly protected area, that is relatively free from falling leaves and other garden vegetation, then you may be able to get away with a less powerful model; typically 1200 watt motors.
How deep is your pond? Many pond vac models have only been designed to work in fish ponds that are up to 2ft to 3ft in depth; beyond this they won’t work efficiently. When looking at the specifications of various pond vacs the depth to which they work will be stated (99% of the time). More expensive and powerful models will be able to suck up debris from much deeper ponds.
Not all pond vac cleaners come with the same selection of fixtures and fittings. Please bear this in mind when choosing the sort of debris you intend to remove. Also “Size does matter!” A large nozzle attachment in comparison to a smaller nozzle reduces the suction pressure. In addition many vacuums are supplied with an extension hose which also reduces suction pressure. Larger nozzles are capable of hovering up large leaves and other large debris whereas a smaller nozzle is better at sucking up string algae. Some models have special attachments that have been designed to reach in to crevices and other hard to get at places. A brush attachment is a necessity if you are looking to rub the sides of the garden pond to remove excess string algae.
Pond vacuum maintenance is an often overlooked factor when it comes to choosing an adequate pond vacuum cleaner. Smaller, cheaper pond vacs often contain a small vacuum chamber that quickly fills up and needs to be emptied regularly. Larger, more expensive models often contain dual chambers that are fitted with an automatic trigger switch that allows one of the chambers to empty as the other is filled up. In my opinion this is great because you can carry on sucking up pond debris instead of having to wait for the chamber to empty. Some pond vacs contain an outlet hose that allows the waste to purge to an external source – waste tank etc. Some pond vacs also connect to the pipe work of your Biological Pond Filter and re-circulate the water back into the pond that way.

See the Pond Vacuum Cleaner Reviews on this site.