Leaves at bottom of pond

[Marb67]

I have a small pond which unfortunately has around a foot or more of leaves at the bottom from next door's wysteria. It's lovely to have it in summer but it's a pain when it sheds. I do my best to scoop as much as I can out but this is a very slow, laborious process as there are snails, shrimpy creatures, tadpoles (yes, even in winter) and other things I don't want to kill. I have to sift through it all by hand. Piling up on the side of the pond will not allow them to fall back in as days later they are still trapped between the leaves. I could net it over but I don't want to get any bird or hedgehog's leg caught in it (as happened to a poor starling that broke it's foot).

The question is, how much dead leaf can I allow in a pond before I clear it ? Does it all have to come out and how without killing the creatures ?

Thanks

[Bigmallly]

If it's just a wildlife pond Marb, just leave it to mother nature. After all, that's what would happen in the wild.

[Marb67]

Ok but I always read that leaves in a pond spells poisonous toxins when breaking down.

[Greenleaves]

The biggest issue is the amount of dissolved oxygen being used up in the leaf decomposition process. That said, if you have wildlife living in the pond all is well

[Martin H]

I keep the pump going all winter to make sure the water circulates, dispersing any nasty gas from decomposition and keeping the water oxygenated. This means I don't worry much about leaves getting in (which they do, mostly from the Acer I've planted next to the pond). If I had koi I might need to be more fastidious, but I only have goldfish and they will tolerate almost anything for a while.

[Jungle Jane]

It would probably be best to leave it for now,frogs could be hibernating underneath the leaves? This link says this~
"If possible, delay pond maintenance until late autumn (September/October), so that tadpoles have been given time to metamorphose and leave the water (and before adult frogs might be returning to the pond to hibernate). If you need to carry out the work more urgently, remove the spawn/tadpoles with a net and place in a tank or suitable container filled with pond water or rain water while you do the work. Carefully return them to the pond when you’ve finished. If you have refilled the pond with tap water, leave it for a day or so or consider treating the water before returning the spawn/tadpoles.
Occasionally tadpoles or newt larvae remain in the pond over the winter and develop the following spring, so be sure to be check the pond carefully before starting work at any time of year."
Froglife

[Bigmallly]

Ok but I always read that leaves in a pond spells poisonous toxins when breaking down.

I currently have a large pond which has a leaf carpet, it doesn't appear to be affecting the 18 year old Koi.

[roitelet]

I currently have a large pond which has a leaf carpet, it doesn't appear to be affecting the 18 year old Koi.

Mine too and I'm going to leave it alone.

[Bill HH]

I never remove dead leaves and my pond is still going strong after ten years. I too keep the pump going all the time.