Dark water and algae that we can't get rid of

We put in a fish pond in the fall of 2002. The water was nice and
clear until spring of 2003, when it got very green. We used Aquazyme
liberally (recommended by Southern States - the business that we
bought all our supplies from) from spring until winter. Even through
the winter, the water has remained dark and we can only see the fish
when they are at the surface. We have underwater plants, water
lilies, and other plants. Does anyone know of anything else to
restore normal water color?

Marilyn, your post sounds exactly like the ones I was posting
several *years* ago. I tried everything under the sun to try
to get rid of the algae ... to no avail. Suddenly one morning I
awoke to a bright clear pond... it was about the 3rd year for my
pond. What I'm getting at is that patience is the best cure for green
water. BTW, my koi loved the algae!

Kathy has a great list that I hope she will post.

Nedra in Missouri
zone 6
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Marilyn Tate" wrote in message
om...
We put in a fish pond in the fall of 2002. The water was nice and
clear until spring of 2003, when it got very green. We used Aquazyme
liberally (recommended by Southern States - the business that we
bought all our supplies from) from spring until winter. Even through
the winter, the water has remained dark and we can only see the fish
when they are at the surface. We have underwater plants, water
lilies, and other plants. Does anyone know of anything else to
restore normal water color?

Here is the list ~


Algae fighting tips
~ Nutrients for algae are sun, new water, fish waste, fertilized run off,
rotting plants, blown in dirt.
~ New ponds and spring ponds need time for plants to get established, algae is
quicker at getting going.
~ add plants, of any kind, in the pond. Especially underwater plants.
~ Shade is good - provided by lily pads, floating plants or artificial shade
for part of the day.
~ LOW fish stocking (20 gallons per goldfish, 100 per koi after starting with
1,000 gallons) and *not* overfeeding the fish. Too many fish and too much
feeding is probably responsible for most pea soup water, followed closely by
too much decaying plant matter, sludge and overall gunk in the water
~ adding a combination mechanical and biological filter to screen gunk and
convert fishy ammonia waste.
~ build a veggie filter, to run water through plants, as easy as floating water
hyacinth in your filter.
~ clean up dead plant matter and screen for falling leaves
in the fall.
~ water movement, occasional water changes of 10%
~ add a sludge consumer, concentrated bacteria.
many rec.ponders use http://www.united-tech.com/m-aq4u-toc.html
~ building ponds with bottom drains and skimmers.
~ do not use algaecides, they only make lots of suddenly dead algae
and that will feed the next algae bloom.
~ do not worry about algae that grows on things (substrate algae) this is good
for a pond
~ gently remove string algae
~ UV lights work on suspended algae (green water) - does cost some $$.
~ patience and time ;-)


kathy :-)
A HREF="http://www.onceuponapond.com/"Once upon a pond/A

"Marilyn Tate" wrote in message
om...
We put in a fish pond in the fall of 2002. The water was nice and
clear until spring of 2003, when it got very green. We used Aquazyme
liberally (recommended by Southern States - the business that we
bought all our supplies from) from spring until winter. Even through
the winter, the water has remained dark and we can only see the fish
when they are at the surface. We have underwater plants, water
lilies, and other plants. Does anyone know of anything else to
restore normal water color?

Plants. Plants. Plants. Don't let these mechanical filter yahoo's tell you
any different. IMHO, the only way to fight algae is a good offense. If you
have enough plants, they'll out compete the algae. Try some duckweed, or
frogs bit. Water Hyacinth are another favorite.

BV.

On 26 Feb 2004 14:23:26 -0800, (Marilyn Tate) wrote:

We put in a fish pond in the fall of 2002. The water was nice and
clear until spring of 2003, when it got very green. We used Aquazyme
liberally (recommended by Southern States - the business that we
bought all our supplies from) from spring until winter. Even through
the winter, the water has remained dark and we can only see the fish
when they are at the surface. We have underwater plants, water
lilies, and other plants. Does anyone know of anything else to
restore normal water color?

Besides what the others have said, and to repeat this one that is in K30's
list: frequent partial water changes, have you been doing them? ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
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