If you are cleaning your garden pond or want to replace some water, you will need to pump out water. If a large amount of water needs to be pumped out because you want to clean your pond, you can use a water recirculation system with a filter to return some water to the pond. Otherwise, the water is much too good to seep away into the ground. It can still be put to good use as watering or splashing water.
Sewer as the Most Straightforward Solution
With a pond mud vacuum cleaner, you can not only suck out mud but also pump out pond water. There are mud vacuums with a collection tank and with a drain function. A sludge vacuum cleaner with a collection tank is suitable for smaller ponds because you often need to empty the collection tank. For larger ponds, a sludge vacuum cleaner with a drain function is more convenient.
The easiest way to dispose of the pond water is through the sewer. You can pour the water from the collection tank into the sewer, or if you have a vacuum with a drain function, you can direct the water into the sewer.
It is not recommended to let the water seep into the ground. Especially with larger ponds, we are talking about significant quantities that can contaminate the groundwater.
Returning the Water to the Pond
If you clean your garden pond, you will have to pump out a large amount of water. You can return at least part of the water back into the pond. Return systems with filters are offered for this purpose. The filter system should match your pond sludge vacuum. For a pond mud vacuum cleaner with a high flow rate, you need a relatively coarser filter. This is often combined with a filter stocking. The filter’s sharpness indicates efficiency of the filter. With the filter sharpness, the fineness of the filter medium is measured. In excellent filters, the openings between the meshes of the filter medium are only tiny. The filter sharpness is specified in the micrometer range. The finer the filter, the fewer pollutants can get back into the pond.
Filter systems with curved screen filters are best suited for recirculating the pumped-out water. The liquid is passed through a mesh screen. This way, you can be sure that filamentous algae will not get back into the pond water and that good water quality will be ensured after cleaning.
To guide the water back into the pond, you can use several other filters or filter systems. Cartridge systems are suitable for larger ponds. Drum filters also ensure good cleaning of pumped water, but their disadvantage is the high price. You can also use a fine filter bag.
Tip: Cleaning the Filter System
If you return the water to the pond and use a filter system, you should not forget to clean the filter thoroughly after returning the water. This is the only way to prevent filamentous algae and other pollutants from taking hold. Immediately after use, cleaning works best.
Sprinkle the Lawn and Garden With the Pumped-Out Water
If you clean your garden pond and use a mud vacuum with a drain function to pump it out, you can couple the drain function with a sprinkler and blast the lawn or garden directly while pumping it out. However, you need the right technology for this. Since there could be algae in the pumped-out water, you should connect a filter system between the vacuum drain and the sprinkler. This will also prevent the sprinkler from becoming clogged and inoperable due to the algae and other pollutants.
Several plants, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, do not tolerate tap water well. Tomatoes should also not contact rainwater due to the risk of late blight, so they are best kept under a canopy or in a greenhouse. It would help if you only watered these plants from the bottom. Pumped-out pond water is excellent for watering tomatoes, cucumbers, or bell pepper plants.
You should collect the water from a pond silt vacuum with a catch basin in a rain barrel. If you have a mud vacuum with a drain function, you can direct the water into a rain barrel. The water will also be at the right temperature to be used directly for watering.
Watering the Garden With Pond Water
Pond water still contains valuable nutrients for your plants. Therefore, you should collect the water in a rain barrel and use it for watering. Delicate plants like cucumbers or tomatoes and perennials, shrubs, and trees are happy to have the water as a fertilizer. This solution is especially suitable when you need to replace the water in the summer because the pond water threatens to tip.
Tip: Check Water Quality Regularly
In summer, you should check the water quality regularly, at least once a week, using test strips or a drop test. The water can quickly tip, which means the death sentence for the fish. Pump out some of the water. It is still suitable for the garden.
Dilute Water for Watering
If the pond water is already heavily polluted and smells strong, you can still use it for the garden. You should pour the pumped-out water into a rain barrel and then dilute it with tap water. This water is still rich in nutrients. It can be cut similarly to nettle liquid manure and will provide plants with valuable substances well. Your plants will get an extra dose of fertilizer.
Conclusion
There are good uses for pumped out pond water in your garden. You can direct the water to the sewer if you have no other use for it. However, it is much too bad for that as it contains valuable nutrients. You can direct some of the water back into the pond through a filtration system when cleaning the pond. However, the water is still suitable for watering your plants. You can collect it in a rain barrel and dilute it with tap water if necessary. The water acts like fertilizer.