Problems with my pond?

[Thenewguy]

hey everyone...ive been having some problems with my pond which is about 3
months old now. I can only view through the water to about 6 inches or so.
from there on its murky green. Theres small pieces of what appear to be
algea floating throughout most of the pond. I have some shade coverage, not
sure if its enough though. View my site for details. I heard that a UV
clarifier can help me...but i would like to know of other ways to clean up
my pond. I have a 13x13 and about 2 feet deep pond.. a nice water fall
which has a filter right before it. There are 4 large goldfish, 1 koi, 2
bass and 2 sunnies. I wanted to keep the number of fish low at first to keep
the amount of waste down. Here are the pictures of my pond. i hope i can get
some help on this. thanx!
http://www.thehvscene.com/pond.htm

[K30a]

A new pond usually means green water. Don't worry!
I'll post the green water primer for everything you ever wanted to know ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
This is a collection of tips offered by readers of rec.ponds
To achieve clear water, instead of pea soup green water, in your pond you
should:

~ ~ know that excessive algae means too many nutrients in the water. Nutrients
for algae are sun, new water, fish poo, fish food, decaying plants, fertilizers
and dirt.

~ ~ Learn as much as you can about the natural balance of a pond and realizing
that new ponds must go through
a growth period which usually means green water before balance occurs.

~ Realize that algae is tough! It exists in extreme conditions, like ice, just
fine. It has many, many different
forms. It even has a home page! http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany/projects/algae/
And, finally, without algae we wouldn't
be here so we should treat it with a little respect ;-) ..... up to a point.

~ Mother Nature designs ponds to have few fish, many plants and subtraction and
addition of new water from time to time.
She lets the fish find food on their own, lets the fish fertilize the plants,
encourages predators and lets the plants run rampant.
She never cleans her ponds out unless she sends a flood. If things really get
out of control she throws up her hands and lets the chips fall where they may -
lets the pond fill in, turn emerald green, flood it out, earthquakes,
hurricanes, record snowfall, elections too close to call - whatever...

~We pondkeepers stuff in lots of pretty fish, spoil them rotten with tasty fish
chow, over fertilize our plants and do everything possible to discourage
predators.

~Plan on 20 gallons of water per goldfish and 100 gallons of water per koi and
as many plants as you can stuff in.

~ Do not use chemicals, killing algae just makes lots of suddenly dead algae,
rotting algae robs the pond of oxygen and makes more stuff for the new algae to
feed on (unless you have a bottom drain to get it out).

~ Do not worry about green fuzzy algae on the side of the pond, that is good
algae and helps balance your pond.

~ Ignore a little string algae.

~ Install bottom drains and skimmers for ease of removing sludge and debris.

~ Net the pond during the fall to keep leaves out of the pond.

~ Trim dead growth from the plants and removing floating tropicals if you live
in colder climates.

~ Lower your fish stocking, not over feeding fish - algae loves fish waste
(lots of yummy phosphorous)

~ Add lots plants of any type, marginal plants such as reeds, cattails, iris,
pickerel weed, arrowhead, floaters such as water hyacinth, water lettuce and
lots of underwater plants such as anacharis uses the nutrients up that the
algae would like.

~ Shade - lilies, the floaters (water hyacinth and water lettuce) and
artificial shade - shade cloth, umbrella, arch or trellis planted with vines,
No sun for the algae.

~ Clean up debris from the bottom of the pond and
stock snails to chew up the debris - less decaying stuff for algae food.

~ Cut back or stop fertilizing plants - same principle.

~ Plant in fine gravel and top with larger rocks if you have koi.

~ Mechanical filtration of the fish waste - usually a settling chamber in your
filter, or the first row of brushs, filter media.

~ Biological filtration - more than you think you need as your fish are going
to grow and you will probably add more fish to your pond via purchase or your
fish breeding in the pond. (This does not help with the algae problem but
contributes to the overall health of your fish and any critters.

~ Construct a veggie filter - an area, 10% to 20%, of the size of your pond
surface area. A couple of inches deeper than the plant baskets (the rigid black
mesh baskets made specifically for water plants) you are going to use to plant
in. Plant the baskets with marginal plants with fine gravel. Pump the pond
water through at a turnover rate per hour 1/2 to 1/4 of the pond volume. Veggie
filter uses up many of the nutrients and provides a good place for bacteria to
grow. Build it with a bottom drain (or two) for ease of cleaning - very
important or you'll end up with backups and leaking over the edge. Go here to
read a great description about how to build one
http://hometown.aol.com/k30a/myhomepage/garden.html
or
A veggie filter can be as simple as floating water hyacinth at the top of your
stock tank filter. Mine get to be almost three feet tall with leaves as big as
my hand.

~ Purchase sludge eating product - concentrated bacteria culture.

~ Some folks love their UV sterilizer. Does cost some $. And you have to change
the bulb every year.

~ Add a bale of barley straw to your pond for string algae. Read this webpage
http://hometown.aol.com/rosiedawg/myhomepage/collection.html

~Phosphate Remover - It comes in a large clear container (maybe about gallon
sized) but it's also available in a smaller quart sized carton. It's usually
near the aquatic plant fertilizers and different chemicals available such as
ammonia remover and such.
You measure out the amount suitable for your pond size, place it in a mesh
bag, and first soak it in a pail before you put it in your filter. You need to
soak it because it gives off heat when it first gets wet.

~ Read this web page for interesting theory on the life and times of algae
http://www.koiclubsandiego.org/GRENH2O.html

~ Make sacrifices to the Pond Goddess.
Run to your nearest garden center and buy a gazing ball,
a dragonfly garden stake and bullfrog spitter.
Place around your pond and ask humbly for clear water.

~ Patience, patience and eternal optimism.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergardeninglabradors/index.html

[jammer]

On Fri, 08 Aug 2003 21:48:54 GMT, "Thenewguy" >
wrote:

>hey everyone...ive been having some problems with my pond which is about 3
>months old now. I can only view through the water to about 6 inches or so.
>from there on its murky green. Theres small pieces of what appear to be
>algea floating throughout most of the pond. I have some shade coverage, not
>sure if its enough though. View my site for details. I heard that a UV
>clarifier can help me...but i would like to know of other ways to clean up
>my pond. I have a 13x13 and about 2 feet deep pond.. a nice water fall
>which has a filter right before it. There are 4 large goldfish, 1 koi, 2
>bass and 2 sunnies. I wanted to keep the number of fish low at first to keep
>the amount of waste down. Here are the pictures of my pond. i hope i can get
>some help on this. thanx!
>http://www.thehvscene.com/pond.htm

Cute!
More plants.

[Phyllis and Jim Hurley]

Hi newguy,

Nice pond. Nice pix.

Jammer is right: Lots more plants, some that grow like crazy (Think hyacinth
or parrots feather). Perhaps a veggie filter (Pond 2 is jsut a step in the
right direction! Ponders always think 'more').

The green is certainly to be expected in the cycle. A UV would cut the
green as well. We did that as we got under way. Sufficient growing plants
would help you a lot, tho.

Jim

--
____________________________________________
Check out Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $140+ per jogger) at:
www.jogathon.net
See our pond at: http://www.home.bellsouth.net/p/pwp-jameshurley
"Thenewguy" > wrote in message
...
> hey everyone...ive been having some problems with my pond which is about 3
> months old now. I can only view through the water to about 6 inches or so.
> from there on its murky green. Theres small pieces of what appear to be
> algea floating throughout most of the pond. I have some shade coverage,
not
> sure if its enough though. View my site for details. I heard that a UV
> clarifier can help me...but i would like to know of other ways to clean up
> my pond. I have a 13x13 and about 2 feet deep pond.. a nice water fall
> which has a filter right before it. There are 4 large goldfish, 1 koi, 2
> bass and 2 sunnies. I wanted to keep the number of fish low at first to
keep
> the amount of waste down. Here are the pictures of my pond. i hope i can
get
> some help on this. thanx!
> http://www.thehvscene.com/pond.htm
>
>
>

[[email protected]]

UV light works great.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Thenewguy]

also one more thing....i have a bunch of iris planted in the ground next to
my pond. is it possible to get some of those into pots and into the ground??
and if i do this, will it help clear up my pond.

[jammer]

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 12:15:29 GMT, "Thenewguy" >
wrote:

>so than my answer is simply more plants? thats a good thing. I was hoping it
>wasnt because of the weather and that its only 2 feet deep, with not that
>much shade. another question of mine is....if i add alot more plants will my
>pond slowly start to clean its self up? with all the mess that it already
>is? or is it recommened that i drain some of the nasty green water and
>replace it with clean water and plants??
>how should i go about this? and wat are some really good cleaning plants
>that grow really fast and are cheap?!
>thanx

plants, (but not iris) some shade, LOW fish load, feed fish little
or none, and didnt someone JUST post green water tips? If no one shows
up, i'll go find it.

[K30a]

This is a collection of tips offered by readers of rec.ponds
To achieve clear water, instead of pea soup green water, in your pond you
should:

~ Know that excessive algae means too many nutrients in the water.
Nutrients for algae are sun, new water, fish poo, fish food, decaying plants,
fertilizers and dirt.

~ Learn as much as you can about the natural balance of a pond and realizing
that new ponds must go through
a growth period which usually means green water before balance occurs

~ Realize that algae is tough! It exists in extreme conditions, like ice, just
fine. It has many, many different
forms. It even has a home page! http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany/projects/algae/
And, finally, without algae we wouldn't
be here so we should treat it with a little respect ;-) ..... up to a point.

.. ~ Mother Nature designs ponds to have few fish, many plants and subtraction
and addition of new water from time to time.
She lets the fish find food on their own, lets the fish fertilize the plants,
encourages predators and lets the plants run rampant.
She never cleans her ponds out unless she sends a flood. If things really get
out of control she throws up her hands and lets the chips fall where they may -
lets the pond fill in, turn emerald green, flood it out, earthquakes,
hurricanes, record snowfall, elections too close to call - whatever...

~We pondkeepers stuff in lots of pretty fish, spoil them rotten with tasty fish
chow, over fertilize our plants and do everything possible to discourage
predators.

~Plan on 20 gallons of water per goldfish and 100 gallons of water per koi and
as many plants as you can stuff in.

~ Do not use chemicals, killing algae just makes lots of suddenly dead algae,
rotting algae robs the pond of oxygen and makes more stuff for the new algae to
feed on (unless you have a bottom drain to get it out).

~ Do not worry about green fuzzy algae on the side of the pond, that is good
algae and helps balance your pond.

~ Ignore a little string algae.

~ Install bottom drains and skimmers for ease of removing sludge and debris.

~ Net the pond during the fall to keep leaves out of the pond.

~ Trim dead growth from the plants and removing floating tropicals if you live
in colder climates.

~ Lower your fish stocking, not over feeding fish - algae loves fish waste
(lots of yummy phosphorous)

~ Add lots plants of any type, marginal plants such as reeds, cattails, iris,
pickerel weed, arrowhead, floaters such as water hyacinth, water lettuce and
lots of underwater plants such as anacharis uses the nutrients up that the
algae would like.

~ Shade - lilies, the floaters (water hyacinth and water lettuce) and
artificial shade - shade cloth, umbrella, arch or trellis planted with vines,
No sun for the algae.

~ Clean up debris from the bottom of the pond and
stock snails to chew up the debris - less decaying stuff for algae food.

~ Cut back or stop fertilizing plants - same principle.

~ Plant in fine gravel and top with larger rocks if you have koi.

~ Mechanical filtration of the fish waste - usually a settling chamber in your
filter, or the first row of brushs, filter media.

~ Biological filtration - more than you think you need as your fish are going
to grow and you will probably add more fish to your pond via purchase or your
fish breeding in the pond. (This does not help with the algae problem but
contributes to the overall health of your fish and any critters.

~ Construct a veggie filter - an area, 10% to 20%, of the size of your pond
surface area. A couple of inches deeper than the plant baskets (the rigid black
mesh baskets made specifically for water plants) you are going to use to plant
in. Plant the baskets with marginal plants with fine gravel. Pump the pond
water through at a turnover rate per hour 1/2 to 1/4 of the pond volume. Veggie
filter uses up many of the nutrients and provides a good place for bacteria to
grow. Build it with a bottom drain (or two) for ease of cleaning - very
important or you'll end up with backups and leaking over the edge. Go here to
read a great description about how to build one
http://hometown.aol.com/k30a/myhomepage/garden.html
or
A veggie filter can be as simple as floating water hyacinth at the top of your
stock tank filter. Mine get to be almost three feet tall with leaves as big as
my hand.

~ Purchase sludge eating product - concentrated bacteria culture.

~ Some folks love their UV sterilizer. Does cost some $. And you have to change
the bulb every year.

~ Add a bale of barley straw to your pond for string algae. Read this webpage
http://hometown.aol.com/rosiedawg/myhomepage/collection.html

~Phosphate Remover - It comes in a large clear container (maybe about gallon
sized) but it's also available in a smaller quart sized carton. It's usually
near the aquatic plant fertilizers and different chemicals available such as
ammonia remover and such.
You measure out the amount suitable for your pond size, place it in a mesh
bag, and first soak it in a pail before you put it in your filter. You need to
soak it because it gives off heat when it first gets wet.

~ Read this web page for interesting theory on the life and times of algae
http://www.koiclubsandiego.org/GRENH2O.html

~ Make sacrifices to the Pond Goddess.
Run to your nearest garden center and buy a gazing ball,
a dragonfly garden stake and bullfrog spitter.
Place around your pond and ask humbly for clear water.

~ Patience, patience and eternal optimism.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergardeninglabradors/index.html

[RichToyBox]

The pond will stay green until the day that it decides to clear. One day
you will go to the pond and you will see every stone, every pot, every leaf,
and all the fish. The water will be clear. But, not one day before the
pond thinks it is ready. Do not change the green water for new water or you
will just keep the green water longer.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"Thenewguy" > wrote in message
...
> if i add alot more plants will my
> pond slowly start to clean its self up? with all the mess that it already
> is? or is it recommened that i drain some of the nasty green water and
> replace it with clean water and plants??
>
>

[BenignVanilla]

"jammer" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 13:06:32 GMT, "Thenewguy" >
> wrote:
>
> >also one more thing....i have a bunch of iris planted in the ground next
to
> >my pond. is it possible to get some of those into pots and into the
ground??
> >and if i do this, will it help clear up my pond.
>
> No, i dont think so. Anacharis, creeping primrose, water
> hyacinth....those are a few of the plants you want to help clean your
> water.

I dunno. I have some iris in my VF, and they are growing like gang busters.
I need to split them again already this season. And, doesn't Jerri use
nothing but iris in the VF?

BV.

[jammer]

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 11:06:42 -0400, "BenignVanilla"
> wrote:

>
>"jammer" > wrote in message
...
>> On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 13:06:32 GMT, "Thenewguy" >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >also one more thing....i have a bunch of iris planted in the ground next
>to
>> >my pond. is it possible to get some of those into pots and into the
>ground??
>> >and if i do this, will it help clear up my pond.
>>
>> No, i dont think so. Anacharis, creeping primrose, water
>> hyacinth....those are a few of the plants you want to help clean your
>> water.
>
>I dunno. I have some iris in my VF, and they are growing like gang busters.
>I need to split them again already this season. And, doesn't Jerri use
>nothing but iris in the VF?
>
>BV.

I didn't know he was talking about the VF, i thought he meant clearing
in general. Ever look at the roots on a WH, pretty cool. The roots
look like feathers.
>

[BenignVanilla]

"jammer" > wrote in message
...
<snip>
> >> No, i dont think so. Anacharis, creeping primrose, water
> >> hyacinth....those are a few of the plants you want to help clean your
> >> water.
> >
> >I dunno. I have some iris in my VF, and they are growing like gang
busters.
> >I need to split them again already this season. And, doesn't Jerri use
> >nothing but iris in the VF?
> >
> >BV.
>
> I didn't know he was talking about the VF, i thought he meant clearing
> in general. Ever look at the roots on a WH, pretty cool. The roots
> look like feathers.

Yes...water lettuce is also much the same.

BV.

[D Kat]

The irises will suck up some of the nutrients that are feeding the algae but
they won't filter the water (pull out the dirt and such) unless you have
them in some type of container where you are pumping water into that area
from your pond - having it go through the plants roots and then back out
into the water you are pumping from. I have done this several different
ways that are successful. I had a black leaf tub (sold at Target during
Halloween) that floated on the water which I put water hyacinths in, ran a
hose from a pump (which I had stuck in a bucket filled with lava rocks) into
the floating tub and then the water flowed from the bottom of the tub, up
through the roots and out over the rim. You can also get an inexpensive
barrel liner which has a lip for the water to flow out of. You put this
outside of the pond, position the lip so that the water falls back into the
pond. You pump water from the pond into the liner. Almost any plant that
will develop a root system in water will work well as a filtering agent. I
have had watercress, mint, water hyacinths, snow on the mountain, etc.
growing in my tubs but water hyacinths are the best. DKat



"Thenewguy" > wrote in message
...
> also one more thing....i have a bunch of iris planted in the ground next
to
> my pond. is it possible to get some of those into pots and into the
ground??
> and if i do this, will it help clear up my pond.
>
>