Possibly a bucket filled with pond water? You could rinse it by dunking it in the bucket. I have a skippy filter - so to clean my pads out, I just use the flex hose that is attached to the inlet of the skippy to rinse the debris from the filter pads. Tina

I have often wondered the same thing when it comes to cleaning the skimmer filter pad. It is not convient to have a tub of water sitting around plus who really wants to stick their hands in all that muck. I have a Savio skimmer and have 2 filter pads. While one is in the skimmer, the other sits in my garage cleaned by using the "jet" selection on my garden hose. I have even used our pressure washer to clean the filter pad if we have it out and we are using it around the house. I have to clean my filter pad about every 2 days. I guess in my situation, it really doesn't matter. I use the waterfall which contains all the bio media (lava rock, strapping, etc...) as my biofilter so I will continue to hose down the Savio pads unless someone has a better suggestion.

-Mike

Thanks for the comments so far. It makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one who wondered about this. So far I have been doing the same as you Mike. I have the waterfall with all the bio media, etc. All seems to be working fine...of course I have the fear of "killing" the beneficial bacteria and waking up to a "green" pond. It makes sense to me that the bio media should be able maintain the bacteria & hosing the skimmer mat would be fine.

Also I think my stream-small pond-stream acts as an additional filter...the water passes down the first stream in to a small pond with lots of hyacinth (My plan is to let the small pond mostly cover with hyacinth) and then into the main pond. Am I on the right track?

So what about question number 2? The brown algae that strings up from the bottom but is attached to the rocks? Is that just part of the "balancing act"?

Lovely pond. Do you have fish???? I also have a savio skimmer and rinse the pads off with tap water but have a sc and biofalls so am not concerned about the bio action on the skimmer pads. I figure that they get full of biostuff pretty quickly after rinsing anyways. As for question #2. You said your pond is new so may just be balancing itself. I had a lot of the brown algae rise to the top in the spring but I use koiclay weekly and don't have it anymore. You also have alot of rocks which will get covered in algae.

kyponder,

I have a Savio Skimmerfilter and a Savio Livingponds falls filter with an 1800gal pond.

I pull the filter frame from the skimmer, pull out the filter mat from the frame, and clean it off with a garden hose. I don't have to do it very often, maybe once a month or so, if that. When I pull the lid off the skimmer and the water in the pump chamber is lower than usual, that's an indication that the filter pad could use cleaning.

I'll do the same with the Livingsponds filter mat on occasion, maybe once or twice during the season.
I think what they're talking about by 'not using tap water', is cleaning off your filter media with tap water. Anyway, I haven't noticed any adverse effects yet the past 3 years.

By the way, beautiful pond, nice layout, and out in the middle of nowhere. How nice!!

Witz
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To Jalal...yes I do have fish. I have 13 fish in the main pond. A mix of Goldfish, comets & shubunkins. In the small pond I have 8 little goldfish. They were actually too small because they hide in the rocks. I didn't want koi in the beginning so we didn't make it but 24" deep. Now I wish it were deeper...of course. Can you tell me more about Koi Clay? I hear of it but know nothing about it.

To Witz - Thanks for sharing your tips AND for the compliments. Yes, I am in "the middle of nowhere" but I love it here. Its beautiful country. We have a small hobby farm...but I have neighbors with serious horse farms! Your pond is absolutely beautiful...lush. Thanks for sharing! Aren't they wonderful?

I here conflicting stories about whether "to rock or not to rock" the bottom of the ponds. Mine is of course rocked. My research led me to believe rocking was the ONLY way to go....NOW I find other ideas about that. I just couldn't bare the thought of the ugly liner showing. I realize (after it's done) it probably wouldn't show after it got established with plants, etc. Is yours rocked or bare bottom?

Thanks for all the tips...much appreciated!

Kyponder,
You can't really tell from these pics but my pond is 3 tiered- the beach area is 0-10", 2nd levels- 18-20", and the center is 32". I have stone in the beach area with sand in between, and stone also on the next level in spots.I too have heard mostly negative about using rocks but the pond just wouldn't look the same without them. The pond is in its' third year and you do get muck that collects between the rock. The nice thing though, most of my plants are sending out roots into the muck and I think this will make them healthier plants. The grasses and parrots feather have taken root in the muck and are starting to spread. I've read that this 'muck' can create an anaerobic problem in the winter when the pond is iced over, but I do keep an opening in the ice with a 'Thermo-pond' deicer for gas exchange. I did lose all my bullfrogs last winter, but I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it, I don't know.
The deepest part of my pond doesn't have any stone, that way, when necessary, I can clean the bottom with a 'ShopVac'. Most of your debris will 'migrate' towards the deepest part.
I don't like using chemicals in the pond unless I absolutely have to, but this spring I did break down and bought a quart of a product called 'Microbe Lift/SA' (sludge away). It dissolved about half of the sludge that was in the pond and, as advertised, didn't harm any of the fish, goldfish and shubunkins. They recommended regular treatments with it but I was happy with what it had already done and let it go at that. I don't want to remove it all, because, like I said, my plant roots seem to enjoy it. I may use it every couple years to keep the stone in the pond showing.
I think the main thing is to try and keep as much debris as possible out of the pond. Being in northern Illinois I have to net my pond towards the end of October, but it's still almost impossible to keep everything out.
The pond is one of my best investments. The little maintenance that I have to do is well worth it. Many nights on the deck, after all the dogs have gone to bed, with the floods on the waterfall.

Happy Ponding,
Witz
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Kyponder-koiclayis calcium bentonite clay. My product description says: "Clay for Koi" contains minerals in their natural colloidal form...easily assimilated by koi and goldfish and enhances the production of enzymes....aids with digestion and elimination of toxins from their bodies...improves water quality by aiding in the removal of toxins from the pond water...such as pesticides, heavy metals and free radicals and absorbs them. The added weight sinks the clay to the bottom of the pond where it can easily be removed by your bottom drain or vacummed." Blah, blah blah. I use it weekly and my pond has very little algae (only right after I fertilize water lilies) and my fish and plants are healthy.
As for the liner showing it doesn't take long for that healthy brown algae to grow on the bottom of the liner. When getting in the pond for any work it can be slippery but I imagine rocks are too!

Witz - Wow I can tell a lot more from these pictures! It's fantastic! I love the view from your deck/patio. The bottom of your pond looks very similar to mine...and we both have clear water so I guess I just have to used to seeing a little muck..huh? I have wondered about the pond vac's & I've read a little about the shop vac being used also. How often do you use the vac? My pond is the same depth (24") with the exception of the plant shelf that goes 3/4 of the way around.

Jalal- Thanks for the info on koi clay...i will be getting some of that!

Thanks again guys!!

I wash my filter with hose water. So far so good. I looked through this site and it helped answer some of my questions

Here is a link that might be useful: Algae answers