Best Ways to Remove Muck? …Pros & Cons of Each Method

Muck is messy, but determining the best way to remove muck is even muddier.

In the list below, we shed some light on the Pros & Cons of the most well-known muck treatment methods.

*Muck is a buildup of organic particles. Read more about why you have it here)

So you’re reading this article because your pond or lakefront property was once the perfect place to swim, but now the bottom has become squishy where it didn’t squish before.

Yep, we’ve been there! Stepping into the water, you sink… deeper and deeper into the murky softness–and deeper into problem solving mode.

How do you remove muck from a lake or pond?

Glad you asked! There are many ways, some more effective, some more expensive, some requiring a little more grit. The list below encompasses the most tried and true methods. Read on to weigh the options for yourself.

Here are the Top Most Effective Muck Treatment Methods 

This list measures pricing, effectiveness, required labor, and time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavy Duty Rake

$0-$180

Pros

  • Affordable, easy concept to rake away partly digested organic matter.
  • Agitating the lake bottom with a rake will reintroduce oxygen to the muck. Also it will re-suspend the sediment to encourage bacterial breakdown.
  • You may rake as often as needed, if problem recurs and it is $0 to do so.

Cons

  • Labor can be intensive & time consuming relative to the size of your lake and level of accumulation.
  • Results are not guaranteed and vary from 0-60%, depending on the tool design, teeth, and intended purpose. If you go this route, dig deeply with strong, chiseled/sharpened tines.

Muck Pellets

$28-$400

Pros

  • Pellets are a simple concept with minimal labor required during application.
  • Noticeable change in small areas where muck is only a couple inches (or less) deep.

Cons

  • Not effective in thick, deep muck. Best used in thinner areas, such as shoreline edge.
  • As a result, the volume of pellets needed for noticeable change in thick muck will be great, and extremely expensive.
  • Being a consumable good, repeated application is necessary in subsequent years (and often the same season). As a result, pellets require more time and money in the long run.

Fountains, Aerators, Bubblers

$2,000-$20,000

Pros

  • Great way to reduce algae, and prevent further muck accumulation.
  • You’ll notice a decrease in muck along the shallower areas like shoreline.

Cons

  • Marginally effective in thick muck. Oxygenating the water column alone does little to breakdown existing layers beneath sediment. Deep muck needs agitation to introduce oxygen, not just surface bubbles.
  • Price is high for purchase and often requires maintenance. Plus deep muck will still cover the bottom.

Manual Roller (Muck Razer)

$249.95

 

Pros

  • Instant, noticeable change in bottom hardness.
  • One time investment for industrial grade agitation.
  • Affordable and re-usable as often as needed.

Cons

  • Assembly required, power tools recommended.
  • Moderate physical activity (rolling filled drum back and forth) needed to operate tool. See video for example.
  • Take care as offset tines are sharp, and designed for ripping.

 

 

 

Muck Blower/Hydro Jet

$900-$2,000

Pros

Cons

  • Requires power hook-up within 200 feet.
  • It’s recommended to look up laws & regulations in your area to ensure you have the proper install depth, angle, etc.
  • Some items in the water (i.e. fishing line, weeds, excessive debris) can impact performance of the blower.

Automated Rolling Arm

$3,000+ (not including permitting fees)

Pros

          • Very thorough method of reducing muck.
          • After install, process is automated– requiring minimal user effort.

Cons

          • Permits are necessary to install an automated roller.
          • The permitting process has become very regulated and fewer and fewer permits are given out each year.
  • Swimmers need to be aware of the arm’s location because encountering the roller with a foot can cause injury.
  • The price is more than $3K to purchase, install and maintain this solution as the device will need to be taken out and reinstalled every winter/summer.

Dredging via Pump/Scoop

$3,000-$10,000+

Pros

  • Extremely effective at eliminating and removing muck.
  • This method will completely change the lake bottom and likely decrease weed infestations.

Cons

  • From an environmental perspective this totally disrupts the ecosystem, wipes out fish habitat and changes the ecology of the lake.
  • For the average consumer, it is very expensive to rent and hire a dredging service and often needs to be booked months ahead of time.
  • To maintain it, (dependent on lake size) the bottom will need dredging every 1-2 years. Permits often required.

Bulldozer

$3,000-$30,000+

The News-Herald

Pros

  • Extremely effective at eliminating muck immediately.
  • You can reconstruct the lake bottom however you desire, modifying depth, berm grades, and more.

Cons

You must completely drain the lake/pond in order to access it by bulldozer. After that you’ll then need to refill the bed with water (once all the muck has been scraped and hauled away).

  • Pricing is completely based on lake size, number of truckloads needed to haul, rental fees, and refill fees in your area.
  • As a consequence, this solution will 100% impact wildlife, destroy habitat, and eliminate naturally occurring ecosystems

 

For more info on muck, removal methods, or general questions, call us at 877-356-6455

 

featured

Products

SHIPPING AND RETURN POLICY

Weed Razers