Dog hair in Ponds

15 years ago

Hello. I'm new here, just learning about ponds and transforming an existing 25000gallon chlorine pool to a chemical free pond.

My question is about dogs, and their hair, especially, in the pond.

My friend's long hair dogs don't often go into his chlorine pool, but the biggest problem he has with it is the hair that blows in and is on the floor. He uses a vacuum type cleaner to get rid of it.

My own dog probably will not get in the pond. We tried to get her into his pool, and she wouldn't go above her knees. I'm sure it's at least in part because she

didn't know what that big blue expanse was.

Will HER light, fluffy hair, which she is constantly shedding, that will likely blow into the pond, be a problem? Will I need a vacuum to constantly pull

it out, or will natural forces take care of it, digest it, eliminate it? Do I need to worry about it getting to and plugging the pump?

I would plan to use the existing system to circulate the water, move it to the skippy filters, etc.

How do I handle the dog hair?

Ella

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

sheepco
15 years ago
Wouldn't the skimmer take care of the dog hair? Of course that would mean running the pump(s) all the time, but most people do or end up with a mosquito haven :)

I have no experience with pool conversions and their filter systems so hopefully someone else will jump in here and answer your question. My ponds are small enough I can net out the dog hair on the rare occasion some blows in (usually when the 3 big dogs are getting lots of petting while sitting by the pond).

Good luck, S
in ny zone5
15 years ago
Fish in any pool/pond will love to eat any mosquito larvae, so no mosquito haven! For aquariums it is their favorite fish food, when you can buy it.
Related Professionals
Florence Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Evansville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Florence Landscape Contractors · Waco Landscape Contractors · Bemidji Landscape Contractors · Albany Landscape Contractors · San Angelo Landscape Contractors · Salisbury Design-Build Firms · Winston-Salem Design-Build Firms · McAlester Design-Build Firms · Hilton Head Island Design-Build Firms · Austin Design-Build Firms · Lafayette Design-Build Firms · Hilo Design-Build Firms · Lagrange Design-Build Firms
Ella5
Original Author
15 years ago
I don't understand what you mean.
Ella
sheepco
15 years ago
Sorry Ella - Ponds without some water movement may become breeding spots for mosquitoes (they thrive in stagnant water). In many parts of the US this is a problem. Berndnyz5 is right of course, fish love to eat them, and circulating the water in your pond will discourage the insects.
ccoombs1
15 years ago
Dog hair in the bottom of a pond will never, ever rot. It will stay there until it is removed. The best thing you can possibly do with your design in to incorporate bottom drains. I am not talking about pool bottom drains, I am talking about pond type bottom drains. These are 4" drains with 4" pipes that carry waste from the bottom of the pond to the filters. Having bottom drains means you will never have to vacuum the pond. I know someone who did a pool to pond conversion. They laid the 4" drain and plumbing in the bottom of the pool and had another concrete floor poured to hide all the plumbing. If this is too impractical to do, you could use black ABS pipes and a retro-fit bottom drain and let the pipes sit on the pond floor. I would never consider a pond project as large as this one without incorporating bottom drains. You will also need a skimmer to handle floating hair and leaves.
jjaazzy
15 years ago
I have two border collies and they produce hair like no ones business and never has hair in either of my ponds been an issue, and I have tiny ponds.
And I have had a fish tank for 20 years and had 2 borders before these two and never an issue with that. Forget about it, I think your over thinking it. Plus you are talking about 25000 gallons of water.. Yikes move on with your project.