This is my second season with a small pond that was present when I bought the house. Initially, the water was pea soup first spring I draiNed it Power washed. It added bio balls and denitrifying bacteria and returned the goldfish to the pond. Had a good first season, water quality was good however, once or twice had to pool filter media to unclog it this year water quality is good however, I'm having to clean the filter media every 2 to 3 days as it is clogging with green algae and restricting water flow to the pump. Any suggestions on what I can do to control the degree of algae that shows up in my filter and blocks water flow?
Second season with pond, algae, clogging Media
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j.w
I Love my Goldies
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You could use some plants in there that suck up the algae and perhaps a better filter. I never put any chemicals in my pond. Just causes more issues. For now I would use a net to scoop out the algae if it is string algae. If it's the fine kind tho a good filter will suck it up and not clog as much. Get plants in there, quite a few. Fish will like to hide in them also. Plants make shade also that helps stop algae.
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Yep, add lots of plants. That solved my algae issues.
Welcome!
Any other details or pictures of your pump and filter? I have changed to more porous pre-filter media than what came with my equipment to get a better balance between flow and cleaning frequency.
Here is a similar thread that might expand on solutions for you.
www.gardenpondforum.com
Any other details or pictures of your pump and filter? I have changed to more porous pre-filter media than what came with my equipment to get a better balance between flow and cleaning frequency.
Here is a similar thread that might expand on solutions for you.
Pea soup water and how to clear
Help!!!! I have had my pond for 7 years. It is 16 x 9 x 3. Its spring here and I am having a problem getting rid of pea green water. I have done water changes, cleaned filters and have been adding beneficial bacteria. No change. Today I lost 2 koi. Not sure what else to do here.
Every spring there is a surge in algae growth. Fish will eat some and plants will compete for nutrients.
I grab the algae out by the handful when it gets too thick for me. They say a clean toilet brush is great for grabbing it too.
It shouldn't stay that bad all year. At least that is what my experience has been.
Another vote for no algaecide. It kills snails and other living creatures. It is not clear if you need to be adding bacteria at this point. Maybe after a big water change. But your pond likely has enough bacteria to be self seeding even when cleaned out.
I figure if there is enough fish waste to grow that much algae, the algae is doing a job of cleaning up the water.
I just replaced my filter media too. They can be hosed off a few times. But eventually a new one is needed.
I grab the algae out by the handful when it gets too thick for me. They say a clean toilet brush is great for grabbing it too.
It shouldn't stay that bad all year. At least that is what my experience has been.
Another vote for no algaecide. It kills snails and other living creatures. It is not clear if you need to be adding bacteria at this point. Maybe after a big water change. But your pond likely has enough bacteria to be self seeding even when cleaned out.
I figure if there is enough fish waste to grow that much algae, the algae is doing a job of cleaning up the water.
I just replaced my filter media too. They can be hosed off a few times. But eventually a new one is needed.
If you look at the picture, you can see the filter set up that I have. It's a 12 x 12 box it has two types of filter media, a black charcoal pad and a white floss filter on top of it. The white floss filter is the one that keeps getting easily clogged even though the water does not have suspended algae in it. Any suggestions on alternate types of filter? Mechanisms would be appreciated.Welcome!
Any other details or pictures of your pump and filter? I have changed to more porous pre-filter media than what came with my equipment to get a better balance between flow and cleaning frequency.
Here is a similar thread that might expand on solutions for you.
Pea soup water and how to clear
Help!!!! I have had my pond for 7 years. It is 16 x 9 x 3. Its spring here and I am having a problem getting rid of pea green water. I have done water changes, cleaned filters and have been adding beneficial bacteria. No change. Today I lost 2 koi. Not sure what else to do here.
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I've had filters like yours with pads to clean and ditched them and built a bog for my current pond. All the water slowly flows through gravel and plant roots and then returns to the pond. The only chemicals I add are to dechlorinate the water and Mosquito dunks. I never change water or scrub - it's such a low maintenance operation compared to my previous attempts. The older I get the more I enjoy that level of effort.
Bogs can come in any size or shape, in a vessel or in the ground. Here's an article that helped me a lot: https://www.gardenpondforum.com/thr...-filter-eco-filter-wetland-filter.6894/unread . Feel free to ask lots of questions, there's a lot of experience here
Bogs can come in any size or shape, in a vessel or in the ground. Here's an article that helped me a lot: https://www.gardenpondforum.com/thr...-filter-eco-filter-wetland-filter.6894/unread . Feel free to ask lots of questions, there's a lot of experience here
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Welcome to the forum!
I also only filter with a bog. It takes care of 5 ponds, more if you count the stream ponds.
I also only filter with a bog. It takes care of 5 ponds, more if you count the stream ponds.
I have that same filter, Danner PM1000, and had the same problem with constant clogging. I replaced the pads with some Laguna Coarse Foam, Powerflo 4500, and cut some 2" green Matala filter material to fit on either side of the handle. I zip tied the Matala to the top grid and this keeps leaves from from blocking the flow. The Matala is strong enough to take the weight of the rocks needed to keep the filter submerged and will also keep them from restricting the flow as they do when sitting directly on the top grid.
Although this will help with flow, the algae issue will only be solved long term by plants, bog filter or UV which can be a hassle. I put a small bog area next to my pond and let the pump return through that in to my pond and solved my own green water issues.
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It's that time of year, Springtime. It's when your pond is transitioning from winter. You're going to get some algae until it all balances out.
I filter with a bog and the water is crystal clear almost all year. This is the only time (Springtime) when I get cloudy water and algae. Once my plants wake up, it all clears up. It usually takes about a month. Plants are a big part of the ecosystem.
Your fish have woken up, are eating and producing waste creating an excess of nutrients. Try not to overfeed them.
Nature protects the ecosystem by adding algae (plants). Get some plants in there. Lots of them. They will starve out the algae by competing against them.
You can throw floating plants in there. They are easy. Just toss them in. Plus they can shade the sun which may help against the algae.
You can stick plants between the rocks with their bare roots in contact with the water.
If you add plants that are in pots, replant them in mesh planting bags. The roots will have better contact with the water.
You can also get floating rings that can hold plants.
Of course, your filter does matter too, but if it was working well last summer, I'm guessing things will clear up in a month or so.
I know it's hard, but try to keep the fish population down. The more fish the more waste. Plus, as they grow larger, they produce more waste.
It's a balancing act. Filtration, plants, fish and sunlight to a degree.
I filter with a bog and the water is crystal clear almost all year. This is the only time (Springtime) when I get cloudy water and algae. Once my plants wake up, it all clears up. It usually takes about a month. Plants are a big part of the ecosystem.
Your fish have woken up, are eating and producing waste creating an excess of nutrients. Try not to overfeed them.
Nature protects the ecosystem by adding algae (plants). Get some plants in there. Lots of them. They will starve out the algae by competing against them.
You can throw floating plants in there. They are easy. Just toss them in. Plus they can shade the sun which may help against the algae.
You can stick plants between the rocks with their bare roots in contact with the water.
If you add plants that are in pots, replant them in mesh planting bags. The roots will have better contact with the water.
You can also get floating rings that can hold plants.
Of course, your filter does matter too, but if it was working well last summer, I'm guessing things will clear up in a month or so.
I know it's hard, but try to keep the fish population down. The more fish the more waste. Plus, as they grow larger, they produce more waste.
It's a balancing act. Filtration, plants, fish and sunlight to a degree.
The filter box has a fitting on the side with a short piece of hose, about a foot, to the pump intake.
