How to Use a Trash Pump to Clean Pond Muck

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Things You'll Need

  • Electrical source (home or gas powered generator)

  • Waterproof extension cord

A clean pond is a happy pond.

A trash pump is a small pump that is capable of passing solid waste through its diaphragm and out through a drainage hose. If you have a pond with muck floating at the top or even suspended in the water, a submersible trash pump is the ideal pump for removing the sludge because it will not damage the pump in the process. You will find that the process for removing the waste is not difficult when you have the right pump for the job.

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Step 1

Run an extension cord to the pond either from your home or from a gas-powered generator. Make sure the extension cord plugs into a GFCI protected outlet if you plug it into your home's electrical system.

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Step 2

Thread the drainage hose into the drainage port located on the trash pump. Snake the pump away from the pond and place the end in an area that will not allow the sludge to simply flow back into the pond.

Step 3

Submerge the pump into the area with the buildup of muck concentrates. The inlet ports on the bottom of the pump should be as close to the top of the water's surface as possible to ensure the pump sucks off the sludge.

Step 4

Plug the pump on. In most cases, this will turn the pump on automatically. If not, turn on the power switch.

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Step 5

Monitor the pump while you drain the muck out of the pond. If the water level lowers, lower the pump with it. Do not let the inlet ports rest above the water's level or it could cause the pump to loose prime and stop sucking out the sludge.

Step 6

Turn the pump off once you remove the muck from the water.

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