When the Exxon Valdez ran aground I saw them using Ivory dish soap to clean the birds. I wouldn't use anything stronger then that. But then you need to flush all the soap out or you'll get FOAM.

Oil floats on water (not sure if tiki oil does too but I think it does), so when you drain the pond drain from the surface first and you stand a good chance of getting most of it (aside from a ring on the edges). You may not even need to change all the water.

If it was my pond I'd give it a smell test: if I can't smell the tiki oil then I'd call it good.

I, too, was thinking that it was probably most important to skim it off the surface first. Sorry about what happened. Hopefully all will be okay.

It is probably too late, but do not drain your pond at present. Fill it and let it flood over the sides taking the floating oil with it.
Even floating sheets and more sheets of paper towel can pick up most of the oil from the waters surface.
When you drain it, the oil residue sticks to the sides, bottom and rocks around the pond.
It may still have to be drained down a little to wipe around the edge, after flooding it over, but you will have got most of the oil out.

Difficult to say what will be the outcome from the fish ingesting the oil, if they in fact took in any?

Wash any floating plants roots off in a mild soapy water and rinse them well with cold water. Potted plants should be watered so the water runs through them taking most of the oil with it. If you see they are wilting then you will have to repot them in fresh pond soil, after washing the roots, again with mild soapy water and rinsing well afterwards.
They should be okay.

If you had a kiddie paddling pool it would be a good holding container, until you get the pond cleaned out and refilled.
Don't forget to add chlorine remover, if your water supply is treated.
The temperature in both the holding pond and newly filled pond should be the same, before transferring the fish back.
I'm sure there will be other worthwhile suggestions following, from others who have gone through the oil/gasoline in the pond thing.
It happens!
"Horton"

Call your state's Department of Environmental Protection to ask what to do. If you just drain the pond-you'll be spreading the lamp oil somewhere else and could be liable if it runs to a neighbor's yard or a nearby stream. Usually the idea is to contain any hazardous spill in as small an area as possible and absorb it with something like kitty litter. Once the lamp oil and contaminated water has been dealt with, I'd drain the pond and scrub the liner with dish detergent (the hand wash type. Same soap diluted with water can be used to rinse off the plants. I'm guessing about the fish but I would put them through several changes of water to rinse off any lamp oil they might have been exposed to.

Horton...Thank you for the suggestions. I was leaning towards that route. I was so glad to see you posted... you are my guru...LOL

I did not get the pond totally drained..it is actually 2 550 gal ponds connected by a small stream. Most of the oil is in the upper pond. We caught it soon enough that only a small amount of oil got into the bottom one.

The total amount of oil in the lamp was no more the a cup and a half.

I am overflowing the ponds as I type and am now going to go get some ivory soap and a kiddy pool.
I checked my skippy and it is clear, i shut it off immediatly so nothing got into it.

My upper pond was about half covered in WH and I think I will just toss them. I have enough in the other ponds to replace them and they multiply so fast in a week or so it will be covered again.

Thanks again for the help.

By the way,,,I also fished out about a dozen or so BABIES!!!!!!!

I will keep everyone posted on how it goes,

Char

Oh, boyohboyohboy. I am so glad I read this. Storms have dumped just about everything in my pond but I never thought about this. I've never helped with an oil spill and resist using Tiki torches since the time we had a door left open while the torches were burning. It took a week to clean away the smelly soot that blew inside. (We had left them burning due to a child getting hurt and needing stiches. Nothing due to the torches. Dumb, dumb, dumb.) I'll definitly keep this advice in mind. Sandy

Well after most of the day spent overflowing the pond, washing and rinsing all of the plants and removing all of the lg rock and a boatload of river rock that had oil on it, I think I have it under control.

I have put the plants back in and will see how it goes. There are about 8 babies about 1" still in the upper pond (the one that got hit the hardest, They seem to be doing fine.
I think I will wait until tomorrow or the next day to put the big guys back in just to play it safe.

Keep your fingers crossed all is well so far.

Thank again so much everyone.

Char

I wish I could help...not too familiar with dumping the tiki torches..dumped a beer in the pond the other day though...along with myself...I was doing a partial water change and the algae reached up and tried to take my beer..next thing I know...me and the beer were thrashing around in the water...once I collected myself then looked around to make sure neighbors weren't watching I had to laugh...then as I was getting ready to fetch another beer I heard something...when I was a kid they had that cartoon with the dancing frog...singing "Hello my baby, Hello my darling, Hello my ragtime gal...." and visa versa..I suddenly came to my senses and thought...mmm Maybe I shouldn't drink any more beer around the pond this evening...Happy Ponding!! LOL

Glad to hear its coming along. Isn't it strange how quickly our plans can change??! I hope alot of people read this. I wouldn't even have thought of worrying about putting a tiki lamp close to the pond......but I guess we should think twice if ever considering it.
Keep us posted!

Little Giant and other cheap pumps are prone to leaking oil. We used newspaper and paper towels to mop it up from the surface of the water. Worked well.

Char, Glad to read everything is under control.

Delaney, ROTFLMAO about your unintended dip in the pond.
I loved the part about looking around to see if the neighbours were watching!!

I remember that little singing and dancing frog with the hat and cane, from the 1960's cartoons, really funny.

As for you quitting drinking beer,
I was going to suggest you just water it down a bit, but you tried that already!!!!!
Anyway,bathing aside, what good Irishman would drink watered down beer!
Slainte.
Great story.
"Horton"

~Winks~ @ Horton LOL.....You must have linked Delaney with the Irish?¿? LOL Go You! LOL....That's my excuse for being thirsty! lol....Horton I'm new to the posting department..I may need to tug at you for some answers soon for pond clarity...hope I spelled that right LOL...take care my friend....Dave

LMAO @ the frog song going through your head!