Topic: Oil in pond

[Noozan]

Please help!

I've moved into a house which already has a pond in the garden which is planted.

I noticed a small oil slick in the pond so investigated further; as I lifted one of the pumps out of the water, it leaked more oil into the water.  The pump is well and truly knacked as the oil has leaked out from the sealed unit.

How can I remove the oil slick safely?  There are 2 small fish in the pond who (at the moment) do not seem adversely bothered.  The oil has also coated the plants.   :'(

[Margaret]

Hi there.you cannot remove the oil;remove the fish............quick!!use rainwater and as little of the pond water as you can,to fill the largest receptacle you have and they will be fine in there out of the shade for a day or so.Otherwise it will affect them and once fish get sick they are not easy to treat.

As for the pond,you would be better emptying it and starting again.How big is it? You say "one of the pumps"...check the other is ok.You may be able to get the oil off the plants,it is not going to affect them as long as it has not been on too long.Rinse the pond out,refill and treat the water with dechlorinator? does it have a filter? if so you will have to possibly replace the medium.

Good job it is bank holiday!! Sounds as if the pond is probably due for a clean up anyway if they have neglected to notice the pump leaking oil.

[tedd]

If you have located and removed the source of oil then you could skim off the remaining using a container like a pan with a handle. Try to disturb the water as little as possible. Hold the lip just below the surface and let the water and oil run in.

Oil and water dont mix though the oil can degrade and form an immulsion. If the plants have become contaminated you can wipe the leaves gently with paper towel, old sheet and anything absorbent. Remove the plants from the pond if you can easily do so but it sounds as if the pond has been neglected so the plants may be BIG.

Do not use detergents. In the days of the tanker sinkings the detergents caused more damage than the oil. You can also use a wet and dry vacuum cleaner to skim the surface but be careful.

And especially DONT empty the pond. If you do you will coat the sides and other surfaces as the water level goes down. The oil will then resurface as you fill up and you will put lots of chemicals in and kill off the pondlife.

On one occasion I skimmed the duckweed off a pond with a
fountain pump connected to a long length of flexible hose with a rigid bent tube on the end. I put the outlet into a filter box and was able to hold the bent tube inlet just under the surface.