UV/Filter & water still green!

Hi,

I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the pond if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!

"SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the pond if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!



where is your pump in relation to filter outlet?

how is your pond fed? is it a liner or natural?

is it string algae (blanket weed to UKers)?

how fast are you pumping it through the UV?

where is the UV in relationship to pump and filter?

how much sun does your pond get?

for an approx 3000 gallon pond, id expect it to take longer than 2 weeks to
clear.. also might be worth slowing down the flow through the UV..

if its string algae (blanket weed) it will NOT be affected by the UV or the
Filter (it could however block your pump's impellor)

how old is the pond? how long has it been "green slop"?

recommend shading it a bit if in full sun.. and maybe introducing duck weed
(and many other floating plants...) to starve the algae of light and use up
some of the nutrients the algae is feeding off..

really need a LOT more info to really offer help...

BTW what GPH (LPH) is the pump? what Bio filter media are you using? what
wattage is the UV?

TIA

Lost

In article ,
SkyCatcher wrote:

Hi,

I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the pond if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What unit is this, how many watts ? Sounds like the quartz sleeve
needs cleaning.

jay
Tue Jul 13, 2004




What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!

"SkyCatcher" wrote:

I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the pond if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

UV filters only work on clean water. The UV can't penetrate cloudy
water. Hence it takes a long time for a UV filter to catch up with a
pond full of green water. Also, if the water flows too fast, the UV
doesn't work at all.

I have solved my green water problem with no UV, no filter and no pump.
I use lots of marginal and oxygenator plants, a bale of barley straw and
snails. The algae is all gone and my water lilies are just beginning to
shade the water. My marginal plants and lilies are all planted in pure
clay with no nutrients. There are enough nutrients in the water that
everything is doing fine.

I have a 20,000 gallon pond (17'x47'x2'-4') with just minnows, no Koi.
I put my filter plants directly in the pond rather than in a special
veggie filter. My pond is spring fed, so I need fairly aggressive
filter plants. The pond has stone wall sides (old swimming pool) but I
have greenhouse benches under the water around the outside so I can use
marginals or under water plants.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

"Lostin1999" wrote in message
...

"SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the pond if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!



where is your pump in relation to filter outlet?

it is in the same side as the return fromthe filter - perhaps I need tomove
it to the furtherest away point?


how is your pond fed? is it a liner or natural?

its a closed system which & is sealed concrete


is it string algae (blanket weed to UKers)?

well I've never seen blanket weed so I don't know. Its clumpy and goey!


how fast are you pumping it through the UV?

according to the pump it would be at about 4500l/h at the height the filter
is at.


where is the UV in relationship to pump and filter?

the UV is attached to the filter - it is a heissner unit (filter & UV)


how much sun does your pond get?

it is in full sun (not hat we get much here in the North of the UK)!


for an approx 3000 gallon pond, id expect it to take longer than 2 weeks
to
clear.. also might be worth slowing down the flow through the UV..

I expected a few weeks but it seems to be getting worse!


if its string algae (blanket weed) it will NOT be affected by the UV or
the
Filter (it could however block your pump's impellor)

the flow seems to be the same from the pump but I'll check the impellor


how old is the pond? how long has it been "green slop"?

I inherited the pond with the house about 3 months ago & it has always been
green but it is getting worse!


recommend shading it a bit if in full sun.. and maybe introducing duck
weed
(and many other floating plants...) to starve the algae of light and use
up
some of the nutrients the algae is feeding off..

I've added marginals & floaters & lilys to help with this


really need a LOT more info to really offer help...

BTW what GPH (LPH) is the pump?

it is a Lotus 7500

what Bio filter media are you using? bio balls (the knobly oplastic type)

what
wattage is the UV? 18W



TIA

Lost



thanks for your help...

The UV is 18w heissner unit

I cleaned the quartz sleeve when I changed the bulb. It was coated in
limescale (& I mean coated)


"Go Fig" wrote in message
...
In article ,
SkyCatcher wrote:

Hi,

I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the pond if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What unit is this, how many watts ? Sounds like the quartz sleeve
needs cleaning.

jay
Tue Jul 13, 2004




What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!

In article ,
SkyCatcher wrote:

The UV is 18w heissner unit

I cleaned the quartz sleeve when I changed the bulb. It was coated in
limescale (& I mean coated)

I know what you mean, I soak them in the product 'Lime-Away'.

I think if you have moderate sun exposure, you will need closer to
30-40 watts for that many liters.

jay
Tue Jul 13, 2004





"Go Fig" wrote in message
...
In article ,
SkyCatcher wrote:

Hi,

I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the pond if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What unit is this, how many watts ? Sounds like the quartz sleeve
needs cleaning.

jay
Tue Jul 13, 2004




What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!

I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the pond
if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!



where is your pump in relation to filter outlet?

it is in the same side as the return fromthe filter - perhaps I need
tomove
it to the furtherest away point?


how is your pond fed? is it a liner or natural?

its a closed system which & is sealed concrete


is it string algae (blanket weed to UKers)?

well I've never seen blanket weed so I don't know. Its clumpy and goey!


how fast are you pumping it through the UV?

according to the pump it would be at about 4500l/h at the height the
filter
is at.


where is the UV in relationship to pump and filter?

the UV is attached to the filter - it is a heissner unit (filter & UV)


how much sun does your pond get?

it is in full sun (not hat we get much here in the North of the UK)!


for an approx 3000 gallon pond, id expect it to take longer than 2 weeks
to
clear.. also might be worth slowing down the flow through the UV..

I expected a few weeks but it seems to be getting worse!


if its string algae (blanket weed) it will NOT be affected by the UV or
the
Filter (it could however block your pump's impellor)

the flow seems to be the same from the pump but I'll check the impellor


how old is the pond? how long has it been "green slop"?

I inherited the pond with the house about 3 months ago & it has always
been
green but it is getting worse!


recommend shading it a bit if in full sun.. and maybe introducing duck
weed
(and many other floating plants...) to starve the algae of light and use
up
some of the nutrients the algae is feeding off..

I've added marginals & floaters & lilys to help with this


really need a LOT more info to really offer help...

BTW what GPH (LPH) is the pump?

it is a Lotus 7500

what Bio filter media are you using? bio balls (the knobly oplastic type)

what
wattage is the UV? 18W



TIA

Lost



thanks for your help...

Hi Skycatcher...

from the info supplied.. ill see what info I can supply (I'm a relatively
new ponder though, so listen to others too)

so far you seem to be doing things right, if its blanket weed it will be
easy to poke a small bamboo and twist it around it, if it comes out all
binding on the stick its probably blanket weed (only way to remove is either
keep spiralling sticks or to use chemicals (I always advise avoiding
chemicals until a last resort)

your flow rate is WAY too fast over your uv, and id suggest at full sun
(when we do get it) your UV is actually less than half the size it should be
(I have 1000 gallons and advised I need 30W minimum (I've got a 9 watt at
the moment left over from the smaller pond, but when finances allow it will
be going up to a 45W (I always go higher than recommended)

add some oxegenator plants..

get a lettuce, (round type) beat hell out of it in a plastic bag (well
bruise it a lot) and put in a bucket of pond water, when the lettuce starts
looking slimy, introduce the water to the filter (this is called infusoria
(sp) and is a great natural way of getting algae eating "aqua plankton" into
your pond..

id suggest halving the flow to your UV and letting the rest of the flow
create water movement..

your pump is really too small for your pond (to clear it) but ok to keep it
clear once its clear..

the UV will not work well on blanket weed, it will clean "pea soup green
water" but at this size very slowly..

some of this is assumptions, most people say you need to circulate 100%
pond volume per hour (means you need a 12000LPH pump) you (as your in full
sun) need a 18000L Filter and probably a 100W UV

however these are guidelines (and often for people who want to keep Koi and
such)

I think the key here is patience and a few good practice tips

is the filter a "pressurised" filter (below water level) or the "stock tank"
type? (I've never used a pressurised (although may be moving that way in
the spring of next year))

also duck weed (surface plant that breeds like wildfire, covers the surface
(creating shade that kills off the algae)) is a great plant (and when you
want to get rid, just put in some Carp (ghost carp in mine (just the one)
loves the stuff (free food for an age too). but the key problem you have is
the algae so we will do our best to sort this problem first..

BTW I'm in S/E UK and we getting very little sun considering its summer
too..

HTH

Lost

Hi Lost,

would a major water change help speed up the process if it is not blancket
weed?

The filter/UV are the recommended by heissner for this size of pond (they
come as a unit/kit) and I don't even have fish yet! I hope once it gets
clear (fingers crossed) that it will be able to keep it clear.

I'll try the lettuce though - I like those types of methods.

thanks

sky


"Lostin1999" wrote in message
...



I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the
pond
if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!



where is your pump in relation to filter outlet?

it is in the same side as the return fromthe filter - perhaps I need
tomove
it to the furtherest away point?


how is your pond fed? is it a liner or natural?

its a closed system which & is sealed concrete


is it string algae (blanket weed to UKers)?

well I've never seen blanket weed so I don't know. Its clumpy and goey!


how fast are you pumping it through the UV?

according to the pump it would be at about 4500l/h at the height the
filter
is at.


where is the UV in relationship to pump and filter?

the UV is attached to the filter - it is a heissner unit (filter & UV)


how much sun does your pond get?

it is in full sun (not hat we get much here in the North of the UK)!


for an approx 3000 gallon pond, id expect it to take longer than 2
weeks
to
clear.. also might be worth slowing down the flow through the UV..

I expected a few weeks but it seems to be getting worse!


if its string algae (blanket weed) it will NOT be affected by the UV
or
the
Filter (it could however block your pump's impellor)

the flow seems to be the same from the pump but I'll check the impellor


how old is the pond? how long has it been "green slop"?

I inherited the pond with the house about 3 months ago & it has always
been
green but it is getting worse!


recommend shading it a bit if in full sun.. and maybe introducing
duck
weed
(and many other floating plants...) to starve the algae of light and
use
up
some of the nutrients the algae is feeding off..

I've added marginals & floaters & lilys to help with this


really need a LOT more info to really offer help...

BTW what GPH (LPH) is the pump?

it is a Lotus 7500

what Bio filter media are you using? bio balls (the knobly oplastic
type)

what
wattage is the UV? 18W



TIA

Lost



thanks for your help...

Hi Skycatcher...

from the info supplied.. ill see what info I can supply (I'm a relatively
new ponder though, so listen to others too)

so far you seem to be doing things right, if its blanket weed it will be
easy to poke a small bamboo and twist it around it, if it comes out all
binding on the stick its probably blanket weed (only way to remove is
either
keep spiralling sticks or to use chemicals (I always advise avoiding
chemicals until a last resort)

your flow rate is WAY too fast over your uv, and id suggest at full sun
(when we do get it) your UV is actually less than half the size it should
be
(I have 1000 gallons and advised I need 30W minimum (I've got a 9 watt at
the moment left over from the smaller pond, but when finances allow it
will
be going up to a 45W (I always go higher than recommended)

add some oxegenator plants..

get a lettuce, (round type) beat hell out of it in a plastic bag (well
bruise it a lot) and put in a bucket of pond water, when the lettuce
starts
looking slimy, introduce the water to the filter (this is called
infusoria
(sp) and is a great natural way of getting algae eating "aqua plankton"
into
your pond..

id suggest halving the flow to your UV and letting the rest of the flow
create water movement..

your pump is really too small for your pond (to clear it) but ok to keep
it
clear once its clear..

the UV will not work well on blanket weed, it will clean "pea soup green
water" but at this size very slowly..

some of this is assumptions, most people say you need to circulate 100%
pond volume per hour (means you need a 12000LPH pump) you (as your in full
sun) need a 18000L Filter and probably a 100W UV

however these are guidelines (and often for people who want to keep Koi
and
such)

I think the key here is patience and a few good practice tips

is the filter a "pressurised" filter (below water level) or the "stock
tank"
type? (I've never used a pressurised (although may be moving that way in
the spring of next year))

also duck weed (surface plant that breeds like wildfire, covers the
surface
(creating shade that kills off the algae)) is a great plant (and when you
want to get rid, just put in some Carp (ghost carp in mine (just the one)
loves the stuff (free food for an age too). but the key problem you have
is
the algae so we will do our best to sort this problem first..

BTW I'm in S/E UK and we getting very little sun considering its summer
too..

HTH

Lost

Hi Sky

Major water changes usually lead TO green water..

remember green water isn't usually unhealthy, Just unsightly...

Another (slow but natural) "cure" is Daphnia.. you can actually Buy eggs
online.. http://www.netfysh.com/quickshop/index.html and these also create a
good source of fish food (for when you do want to install fish)

My recommendation for now is to shade as much of the pond as you can.. (old
bed sheets? Gazebo??) and id also re check your UV as the pond is so badly
algaefied (is that a word?) it might be that the sleeve thing needs cleaning
again..

get 2 buckets, fill one up with water from the pond, and one with water
from the filter return...

compare the water (glass jam jar is brill for this) if both look the same,
the filter is not filtering.. then id recommend turning the UV off and
allow the filter to fill with the "good" bacteria that breaks down waste...
(a month of running without the uv should sort this) and start clearing the
water..

then when you turn the UV back on it will all clear over a week or two (like
magic)...

it certainly sounds like the Filter is not "optimal"

you can buy filter "enzymes" to speed this process up (or ask anyone you
know with a pond for a bit of there filter gunk (syphon a little water from
bottom of there filter tank (the really dirty stuff)) and put that in your
filter)

HTH

Lost






"SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
Hi Lost,

would a major water change help speed up the process if it is not blancket
weed?

The filter/UV are the recommended by heissner for this size of pond (they
come as a unit/kit) and I don't even have fish yet! I hope once it gets
clear (fingers crossed) that it will be able to keep it clear.

I'll try the lettuce though - I like those types of methods.

thanks

sky


"Lostin1999" wrote in message
...



I have a 12000L pond with plants & NO fish. The filter/pump/UV are
appropriately sized & I changed the UV bulb 2 week ago - AND the
pond
if
still filled with green gloopy algae.

What more can I do to sort this out?

Help!



where is your pump in relation to filter outlet?

it is in the same side as the return fromthe filter - perhaps I need
tomove
it to the furtherest away point?


how is your pond fed? is it a liner or natural?

its a closed system which & is sealed concrete


is it string algae (blanket weed to UKers)?

well I've never seen blanket weed so I don't know. Its clumpy and
goey!


how fast are you pumping it through the UV?

according to the pump it would be at about 4500l/h at the height the
filter
is at.


where is the UV in relationship to pump and filter?

the UV is attached to the filter - it is a heissner unit (filter & UV)


how much sun does your pond get?

it is in full sun (not hat we get much here in the North of the UK)!


for an approx 3000 gallon pond, id expect it to take longer than 2
weeks
to
clear.. also might be worth slowing down the flow through the UV..

I expected a few weeks but it seems to be getting worse!


if its string algae (blanket weed) it will NOT be affected by the UV
or
the
Filter (it could however block your pump's impellor)

the flow seems to be the same from the pump but I'll check the
impellor


how old is the pond? how long has it been "green slop"?

I inherited the pond with the house about 3 months ago & it has always
been
green but it is getting worse!


recommend shading it a bit if in full sun.. and maybe introducing
duck
weed
(and many other floating plants...) to starve the algae of light and
use
up
some of the nutrients the algae is feeding off..

I've added marginals & floaters & lilys to help with this


really need a LOT more info to really offer help...

BTW what GPH (LPH) is the pump?

it is a Lotus 7500

what Bio filter media are you using? bio balls (the knobly oplastic
type)

what
wattage is the UV? 18W



TIA

Lost



thanks for your help...

Hi Skycatcher...

from the info supplied.. ill see what info I can supply (I'm a
relatively
new ponder though, so listen to others too)

so far you seem to be doing things right, if its blanket weed it will
be
easy to poke a small bamboo and twist it around it, if it comes out all
binding on the stick its probably blanket weed (only way to remove is
either
keep spiralling sticks or to use chemicals (I always advise avoiding
chemicals until a last resort)

your flow rate is WAY too fast over your uv, and id suggest at full sun
(when we do get it) your UV is actually less than half the size it
should
be
(I have 1000 gallons and advised I need 30W minimum (I've got a 9 watt
at
the moment left over from the smaller pond, but when finances allow it
will
be going up to a 45W (I always go higher than recommended)

add some oxegenator plants..

get a lettuce, (round type) beat hell out of it in a plastic bag (well
bruise it a lot) and put in a bucket of pond water, when the lettuce
starts
looking slimy, introduce the water to the filter (this is called
infusoria
(sp) and is a great natural way of getting algae eating "aqua plankton"
into
your pond..

id suggest halving the flow to your UV and letting the rest of the flow
create water movement..

your pump is really too small for your pond (to clear it) but ok to keep
it
clear once its clear..

the UV will not work well on blanket weed, it will clean "pea soup
green
water" but at this size very slowly..

some of this is assumptions, most people say you need to circulate 100%
pond volume per hour (means you need a 12000LPH pump) you (as your in
full
sun) need a 18000L Filter and probably a 100W UV

however these are guidelines (and often for people who want to keep Koi
and
such)

I think the key here is patience and a few good practice tips

is the filter a "pressurised" filter (below water level) or the "stock
tank"
type? (I've never used a pressurised (although may be moving that way
in
the spring of next year))

also duck weed (surface plant that breeds like wildfire, covers the
surface
(creating shade that kills off the algae)) is a great plant (and when
you
want to get rid, just put in some Carp (ghost carp in mine (just the
one)
loves the stuff (free food for an age too). but the key problem you
have
is
the algae so we will do our best to sort this problem first..

BTW I'm in S/E UK and we getting very little sun considering its
summer
too..

HTH

Lost