Last Year's Pond Gunk: Keep it or Remove it?

[PineSong]

My 110g stock tank pond sat out all winter with potted and floating plants and snails in it, and froze to at least several inches deep for weeks at a time.

I would have thought that the freezing would kill all the snails but when I started draining it today, there are lots of snail egg blobs visible on the sides.

The water tested at pH at or below 6.4, which is slightly lower than my tanks and the pond usually run (6.8) and the potted plants I pulled up had a definite stink to them, like rotting stuff, and sheets of hair algae.

Here is my question: Should I leave all the pebbles, leaves, and gunk on the bottom of the pond alone, because they are full of  beneficial bacteria and nutrients, or should I remove them because potentially hundreds of snails froze to death in this pond over winter?

My plan is to refill the pond today and start the airpump up so the water can be warming up and WCMMs can go out next week.

TIA for advice or telling me what works for you. This is my second year with my tub pond so my first year dealing with last year's gunk.

 

 

 

 

[Expectorating_Aubergine]

I say leave it in. Aside from bacteria, there going to be lots of microfauna in there for your fish to eat.

[nabokovfan87]

Could be full of anything, good or bad.

I would clean up algae as best you can to let the plants grow as best they can.

[PineSong]

Thank you both. I removed two potted plants that didn’t overwinter well and all the mats of hair algae. I drained and refilled the tub and added some fresh frogbit. It looks better and this week’s weather should warm it up enough for the goldfish and white clouds.