What size pond can you clean?

Around 1/8 acre to 10 acres.

How often does this have to be done?

Depending on how well you maintain your pond after cleaning, it should last 15-20 years.

How does the system work?

The system hydraulically removes the decaying MUCK from the bottom of ponds. Any area could be specifically targeted and is incredibly efficient and environmentally friendly.

Will this adversely affect aquatic life and fish?

No, you do not have to relocate any aquatic life.

What do you do with all the sludge that you pump out?

Most people have enough property to discharge on site, if not, we provide other alternatives.

Will this destroy any of my property?

Because of its liquid form, the MUCK will disperse evenly among the grass and trees.
In addition, it is so nutrient rich that plants love it and so do farmers.

Do you have to clean the entire pond?

No, we are concerned with mainly the bowl area, which is the deepest part, where the bulk of the MUCK has accumulated and is doing the most environmental damage. As a matter of fact, we serviced a pond which was going to take at least three days, but because of their budget, we only worked one day. The pond cleaned up so well, it was five years later before she called us back to finish the pond, which confirms any start is a good start.

How much MUCK can you remove?

In one pond we went through 12 feet of MUCK before we reached the original bottom. Most ponds, however, have an average of 1 – 3 feet of MUCK.

How far can you pump the MUCK?

Up to 2000 feet, depending on grade and elevation.

Why do bodies of water need to be cleaned?

The Earth tries to reclaim all bodies of water. In the deeper water lies anaerobic bacteria that cannot decompose the onslaught of organic matter. This material slowly builds as a nutrient-rich compost, or natural plant fertilizer, saturating the water with nitrogen, phosphates, sulfur dioxides, methane gasses, and the list goes on. This causes excessive algae and weed growth, foul water, and sometimes kills fish. All this dies through the winter, adding and compounding a natural cycle that builds over time, and fills your pond over time.

What about aeration systems?

Most of the ponds that we clean have aeration systems. Even the ponds that have had aeration systems in place for several years have considerable depths of MUCK in the bottom of the bowls which should not be there if the system were that effective. That’s the main reason our system was developed. Aeration systems are a big plus to alleviating some gases from saturating the water but as far as decomposing sludge/MUCK from the bottom, there has been little success. After we clean the pond bottom, aeration systems are a great help in keeping a body of water healthier longer.

What is the difference between your system and mechanical excavators?

Water is a disadvantage to heavy equipment. A reputable excavator will drain the pond first to ensure that the MUCK solidifies to a more manageable solid form; otherwise, the MUCK will just slop around the blade; the equipment will often sink into the soft bottom and get stuck which is another reason why this method is so costly. Check around. The average cost is around $75,000 per acre. To dragline wet (remember the MUCK is in a soft liquid state), when the bucket hits the MUCK, the MUCK explodes in the water, saturating the entire water column (like a spoon stirring chocolate milk). Yes, you will have a deeper pond, because they can remove the hard clays and soils at the bottom when they dig. But when they are finished and the pond settles, you are right back where you started. Our system uses water to our advantage. How does this sound? Insert a straw into the chocolate and suck it all up, and your problems are over. No mess, no costly re-landscaping, only efficient and cost-effective results.

Do you need to visit the site and dive the area to receive a proposal?

No, we do not have to visit the site and dive the body of water but we highly recommend a site visit and dive of the area as it is impossible to know accurately the depth and density of the MUCK. However, we will offer a preliminary proposal based on the answers to several key questions listed in our questionnaire.

How much does this cost?

Because all ponds are so different and even sediment samples are not really reliable in indicating how much MUCK is in the bottom of the ponds, we charge on a daily basis, like time and material. Typically we can restore 1/8th acre per day when removing an average of 12 to 18 inches of MUCK, naturally, it would take more time if we were removing 2 to 3 feet from the same area. Daily rates can be obtained by request.