Seeking advice about brown stains on rocks in pond please

I have a small pond (my first) that has been in existence since March this
year. I live in Melbourne, Australia, where we have a temperate climate -
approx 35degrees F when it's really cold (for us, at least) up to about 105
degrees F at the peak of summer.

My water feature consists of a small waterfall where the water falls into a
small creek and then flows into the pond and the process is repeated. I
also have a skippy filter running all the time which seems to keep any green
algae at bay. The pond only holds about 800-1000 litres.

We are now (late November) coming into Summer and the weather is getting
warmer. We recently had very heavy rain and the pond was filled to capacity
(I take a runoff from the roof of my house, as we are currently in year 7 of
drought). When the rain filled the pond it was quite muddy and took a few
days to clear.

I have taken the runoff from the house all during winter without any
problems but now I have a problem.

The rocks in the pond have now turned quite a deep brownish red colour where
they are constantly wet and exposed to the light (they are all clean on the
bottom of the rock).

I am hoping someone knowledgeable out there can suggest a cure for this
problem.

If you would like to see photographs of the area (which has lots of trees
around) and the stained rocks you can take a look at this address:
www.noelb.com/pond/index.htm

I would certainly appreciate any advice you may be able to give.

Cheer

nb

"nb" wrote in message
...
I have a small pond (my first) that has been in existence since March this
year. I live in Melbourne, Australia, where we have a temperate climate -
approx 35degrees F when it's really cold (for us, at least) up to about 105
degrees F at the peak of summer.

My water feature consists of a small waterfall where the water falls into a
small creek and then flows into the pond and the process is repeated. I
also have a skippy filter running all the time which seems to keep any green
algae at bay. The pond only holds about 800-1000 litres.

We are now (late November) coming into Summer and the weather is getting
warmer. We recently had very heavy rain and the pond was filled to capacity
(I take a runoff from the roof of my house, as we are currently in year 7 of
drought). When the rain filled the pond it was quite muddy and took a few
days to clear.

I have taken the runoff from the house all during winter without any
problems but now I have a problem.

The rocks in the pond have now turned quite a deep brownish red colour where
they are constantly wet and exposed to the light (they are all clean on the
bottom of the rock).

I am hoping someone knowledgeable out there can suggest a cure for this
problem.

If you would like to see photographs of the area (which has lots of trees
around) and the stained rocks you can take a look at this address:
www.noelb.com/pond/index.htm

I would certainly appreciate any advice you may be able to give.

Cheer

nb


Your link is not working for me. What kind of material is on your roof? What
kind of rock do you have in your pond?

My Guess... Probably Iron... if you wait for a dry spell (sorry about
the drought) and run a magnet through the sediment in your roof gutters
you'll normally find lots of Iron dust..

I've heard lots of differtent explanations as to the source of this
Iron .. from outer space through industrial polution, in any case it is
certainly there when I checked years ago.

I don't have a solution but maybe a settleing chamber to condition the
run off before it gets into your pond... water softening salts work if
your have iron in well water but I don't know if they would work in
this instance..

Noel,

I don't know what is staining the rocks besides possibly too much iron in
the water, but I have to say that the whole setup looks absolutely gorgeous!
I can almost picture myself reading a book while lounging on the chaise,
enjoying the lovely ambience!

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC


"nb" wrote in message
...
I have a small pond (my first) that has been in existence since March this
year. I live in Melbourne, Australia, where we have a temperate climate -
approx 35degrees F when it's really cold (for us, at least) up to about
105
degrees F at the peak of summer.

My water feature consists of a small waterfall where the water falls into
a
small creek and then flows into the pond and the process is repeated. I
also have a skippy filter running all the time which seems to keep any
green
algae at bay. The pond only holds about 800-1000 litres.

We are now (late November) coming into Summer and the weather is getting
warmer. We recently had very heavy rain and the pond was filled to
capacity
(I take a runoff from the roof of my house, as we are currently in year 7
of
drought). When the rain filled the pond it was quite muddy and took a
few
days to clear.

I have taken the runoff from the house all during winter without any
problems but now I have a problem.

The rocks in the pond have now turned quite a deep brownish red colour
where
they are constantly wet and exposed to the light (they are all clean on
the
bottom of the rock).

I am hoping someone knowledgeable out there can suggest a cure for this
problem.

If you would like to see photographs of the area (which has lots of trees
around) and the stained rocks you can take a look at this address:
www.noelb.com/pond/index.htm

I would certainly appreciate any advice you may be able to give.

Cheer

nb

I should have asked this before, but on Page 1 of Images (most excellent
work, BTW) is the woman in the scarf holding a live frog?

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC



"nb" wrote in message
...

Hi Anne,

Yes, it is a great spot to read a book and the frog in the pic is real and
very much alive.

nb

"Anne Lurie" wrote in message
m...
I should have asked this before, but on Page 1 of Images (most excellent
work, BTW) is the woman in the scarf holding a live frog?

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC



"nb" wrote in message
...

Hi Anne,

Yes, it is a great spot to read a book and the frog in the pic is real and
very much alive.
nb

Saw the stained rock picture, have no explanation other than what has been
given and the suggestion of settling chamber, since the surface area of a
roof is just like runoff from the surrounding ground, not good.

I did not see this picture of the lady and the frog?

Like Anne, gorgeous set up. ) ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~


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Hi Jan,

To see the frog pics go to www.noelb.com

I have subsequently discovered that the brown stains are slimey and respond
to soaking the affected rock in a weak bleach solution by mostly
disappearing.

cheers nb



"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
Hi Anne,

Yes, it is a great spot to read a book and the frog in the pic is real
and
very much alive.
nb

Saw the stained rock picture, have no explanation other than what has been
given and the suggestion of settling chamber, since the surface area of a
roof is just like runoff from the surrounding ground, not good.

I did not see this picture of the lady and the frog?

Like Anne, gorgeous set up. ) ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet
News==----
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Newsgroups
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Noel, wow! Whatta site. I enjoyed it visiting Australia very much.
Glad you found a 'cure' for the algae stuff. Your pond surrounds is simply
gorgeous.

Nedra in Missouri
Zone 6

"nb" wrote in message
...
Hi Jan,

To see the frog pics go to www.noelb.com

I have subsequently discovered that the brown stains are slimey and
respond
to soaking the affected rock in a weak bleach solution by mostly
disappearing.

cheers nb



"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
Hi Anne,

Yes, it is a great spot to read a book and the frog in the pic is real
and
very much alive.
nb

Saw the stained rock picture, have no explanation other than what has
been
given and the suggestion of settling chamber, since the surface area of
a
roof is just like runoff from the surrounding ground, not good.

I did not see this picture of the lady and the frog?

Like Anne, gorgeous set up. ) ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet
News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000
Newsgroups
---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

Hi Jan,

To see the frog pics go to www.noelb.com

Very cool. And now I know why mushrooms are sometimes painted red with
white polka dots, something I thought only happened in fairy tales. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~


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