Introduction to Pond Vacuums

To buy a particular fish pond vacuum cleaner, click this text, please. If you wish to get some information firstly, then continue reading... One important part of pond maintenance has to be clearing out the debris from the bottom and the sides with pond vacuum cleaners. Not only is this done for aesthetics, but removing debris, leaves, algae, and string algae will prevent them from adding toxins to your pond as they break down. This used to be done by draining the pond, removing the fish, and then scrubbing out with a sweeping brush.

Nowadays this task has been replaced with pond vacuum pumps, the advantage being, they can be used under the water level without disturbing the pond inhabitants. All of the debris is automatically removed by the pond vacuum pump with out having to scoop it out, then doing a large water change. There are companies that will do a cleaning service for ponds and will often offer a pond vacuum hire service, but as expected this usually incurs a monthly charge, basically it means that you will pay out for a job that can be done by yourself if you invest in a suitable pond vacuum cleaner. Another point to remember is that some pond vacuum cleaners work on different voltages in varying countries, so always check before purchasing that the one you buy is alright for your power supply. Typing pond vacuum UK on your internet searches should guarantee getting the models with the correct voltage supply.

So what is a pond vacuum?

Have you ever used a wet or dry vacuum on your carpets, basically this is the same idea as a pond vacuum. A motor creates suction in the vacuum which draws water from the bottom or sides of the pond, this then passes through a chamber which normally creates a venturi, then the water is released back into the pond but the debris is held in a muslin type bag, this is then emptied and rinsed out when the job is complete. If this small task is done on a regular basis, not only does your pond always look clean and looked after, it will also provide much better water conditions for your fish with less pollutants being created to lower the overall quality.

There are several models available for purchase; the prices can range from as little as 25 pounds (50 dollars) for a basic unit, right up to 400 pounds (800 dollars) for the larger, more advanced units.

One of the cheapest units you can buy is simply a base that attaches to your garden hose with a bag on it for collecting all of the debris. The garden hose, when switched on, provides the suction required to pull out the leaves etc.- which are then collected in the bag for disposal. These units are fine for smaller ponds but are not powerful enough to cope with larger and deeper ponds. They are usually provided with a telescopic handle for making the job easier and are priced anywhere from 8 pounds (16 dollars).

Most of the powered units are supplied with a large chamber for collection of the water. A feature to look out for is the automatic shut off switch. This will turn off the vacuum when the tank is full, the tank will then drain itself, catching all of the debris in a bag or filter. Once the tank is empty it should then restart itself straight away. Normally these units have a built in manual override switch if you wish to use it for shorter periods of time.

So let’s have a look at some of the units available to buy and which features they are supplied with.

Pond Vacuum Reviews

Oase do a range of vacuums. Starting with the smaller versions there is the Start Vacuum.

This is supplied with a 27 litre tank that is self emptying when full of debris. It can handle debris up to 10 mm in size plus any other sludge that is drawn out. It comes with an adjustable nozzle (2mm to 10mm), plus 4m of connecting hose. At the rear of the unit there is a 2m drainage hose that is used for draining off the tank when it is full, the draining operation is according to the item description all done in 25 seconds. This vacuum also comes with a dust bag if required for home use. The motor is rated at 1400 watts, and the whole unit has a 2 year guarantee.

The price for this unit starts at approx 100 pounds (200 dollars).

One pond vacuum cleaner that is getting a good pond vacuum review is the xpv pond vacuum. It is small, compact and still does a powerful job compared with other pond vacuum cleaners. The pond vacuum xpv is currently on the market for as little as 100 pounds (200 dollars).

A larger version of this vacuum is also made by Oase, the pondovac 3. This is run by a 1600 watt motor, giving more suction for larger ponds and has a very clever internal canister design. There are in fact 2 canisters in the vacuum; this means that when one is full a float switch diverts the water to the second canister which in turn will start to fill. As this is happening the first canister will then empty itself so that the vacuum can be run continuously over and over. It is also supplied with a variety of nozzles for different jobs and 5m of connecting hose. Another good point is that this is supplied with a 3 year guarantee rather than 2 years. This model is priced at approx. 320 pounds (640 dollars) but is a definite improvement on the smaller version.

Hozelock have come up with a clever design with one of their products. It is called the pond-vac and basically the motor is housed on a telescopic handle, this means that it is fully submersible. The water is drawn out along the handle, which has a transparent window built in so that it allows the user to see how much debris has been collected at any one time. The makers claim that it has 50% more suction than other models and that it runs at a much lower wattage to reduce the running costs. It comes with a choice of 2 different nozzles which are brightly coloured to enable the user to see them clearly underneath the water line, plus in the connecting head there are cutters built in to break down the larger pieces of debris-very well thought out.

The waste, as with other vacuums is released from the back of the unit by a waste pipe. Price wise this will cost you approx.130 pounds (260 dollars), but in my opinion is a very good choice for ease of use.

There are several manufacturers that supply these vacuums, too many to go through them all, so if you are interested in purchasing one, shop around for the best prices available and read up on the pond vacuum reviews. On last point to make is what do you do with the debris from the vacuum?

Simple, it makes excellent mulch for garden borders, yet another good reason for investing in one of these.

If you are unsure where to look on the net, just do searches with pond vacuum UK and most of the online suppliers will be at hand for you to find the best deal.

Pond Vacuum Rental

By visiting local garden centres or the larger pond suppliers, it is often possible to hire pond vacuum cleaners if the initial outlay for purchasing one is too much for your budget, most units can be rented for a few pounds and sometimes this can be the best option if they are only required once or twice a year.