Bog building, also called upflow filter, eco filter, wetland filter

[tbendl]

Well now I'm really curious. Maybe the hub was trying to be nice and scooped it out thinking it was weeds without telling me.

 

[addy1]

Yep is strange you don't even have fish to eat it up. I even have some in the big pond that is managing to survive the fish munching.

 

[sissy]

Maybe there was not enough nutrients for your stuff to grow T .That is why I have to add jobes plant spikes to my lotus pond .I was looking to contact the guy I got mine from to see about more .I am not sure mine made it in the basement tub .I know the lilies did .The lotus ,lily pond is now full of taddies

 

[tbendl]

And see that confuses me so much. How can I have algae and not enough nutrients in my water? I thought Algae was a by-product of too much nutrients and Lord knows I had green water this winter and spring.

 

[CountryEscape]

Don't feel bad, T, my anarachis did not make it either. Wonder where is a good place to buy that stuff that it survives? Wonder if what I got was a more tropical type or maybe they are all hardy. I wondered, too, since everyone says it is so easy to grow, and they have to toss extra. I put some in goldfish pond, and some in koi pond. So far, all seems to be gone. Maybe my local greenhouse that has pond plants will have some.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

And see that confuses me so much. How can I have algae and not enough nutrients in my water? I thought Algae was a by-product of too much nutrients and Lord knows I had green water this winter and spring.

The growth of all living things is temperature related. The growth response for many species of algae is triggered at a much lower temperature than plants or bacteria. Once certain bacteria begin growth they out-compete algae for Carbon resulting in a die-back of the algae. This, in turn, frees up the Nitrate supply so it can now be utilized by plants as the begin their growth cycle,

 

[tbendl]

Ahh so that would explain why a lot of ponds go green initially in the Spring right? And if so now that my pond is warming up, I can add fertilizer to my plants without accelerating algae growth? I don't mean tossing in a bag of osmocote but adding some to my potted plants in the water.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Ahh so that would explain why a lot of ponds go green initially in the Spring right? And if so now that my pond is warming up, I can add fertilizer to my plants without accelerating algae growth? I don't mean tossing in a bag of osmocote but adding some to my potted plants in the water.

I would not add supplemental fertilizer until the algae growth show signs of receding. Adding fertilizer while the algae is in active growth will only encourage more algae growth.

 

[tbendl]

So it's kind of a boogered if you do, boogered if you don't situation isn't it? I need more plants to battle the algae but by planting more plants I'll encourage more algae. Tough hobby. Thank you for the help and info, I do appreciate it.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

So it's kind of a boogered if you do, boogered if you don't situation isn't it? I need more plants to battle the algae but by planting more plants I'll encourage more algae. Tough hobby. Thank you for the help and info, I do appreciate it.

Planting more plants will not encourage more algae. Fertilizing these plants at the wrong time will.

 

[tbendl]

Well my water has never been perfectly clear so when is the right time? I can now see a hazy outline of the bottom but it has been a lovely green color pretty much from day 1.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Well my water has never been perfectly clear so when is the right time? I can now see a hazy outline of the bottom but it has been a lovely green color pretty much from day 1.

Green water is an indication that a substantial level of Nitrate is present in the water column. When plant growth is triggered by rising temperatures, the plants will also compete with the algae for this nutrient. If the green water persists after plant growth has progressed then the source for the nutrient level that is required to support both algae growth and plant growth should be determined. Fertilizing plants in these conditions will only exacerbate the problem of excess nutrients.
I know that you do not have fish and no bio-filtration, but do you have any mechanical filtration? This would certainly aid in maintaining water clarity.

 

[CountryEscape]

What type of water do you use in your pond, T? The reason I ask this, is in my two indoor aquariums, one (brackish) was getting well water, the other (tropical) bottled water because I had too high of something or other in my well water. LOL Turns out the brackish water was getting lots of algae, and the pet store guy told me it was because of the well water, having excess nutrients in it that were encouraging the algae. Does that sound possible, Meyer?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

What type of water do you use in your pond, T? The reason I ask this, is in my two indoor aquariums, one (brackish) was getting well water, the other (tropical) bottled water because I had too high of something or other in my well water. LOL Turns out the brackish water was getting lots of algae, and the pet store guy told me it was because of the well water, having excess nutrients in it that were encouraging the algae. Does that sound possible, Meyer?

It is very possible. I do find it strange that a well in Illinois would have brackish water, but am not surprised by well water anywhere having elevated nutrients. About five years ago the EPA estimated that a full 86% of ALL wells in the CONUS were polluted to some degree. It seems that all of the agricultural fertilizer that was trapped by the soil over the past 150+ years has finally percolated deep enough to reach the aquifers. This means that as time goes by more wells will be polluted and those that already are will see the pollution levels rise.
Do you have any numeric values for the salinity and nutrient levels?

 

[CountryEscape]

Oh, sorry, my well does not have brackish water. I meant in my brackish water tank, those fish were not as delicate toward the nutrients in my well water, and I was glad to be able to use full well water. However, I started getting cloudy water, and turns out it was the nutrients. I think the KH and GH levels were really high. So, now I use about half and half bottled water and well water in that tank.
My well did not test "good" by the Health Dept. when I bought my house, so poured bleach in it to clear out bad stuff. Turns out my house is connected to two wells, and I'm still not positive how or if the second well is being used. That second well has a concrete lid with no handle on top, and no hole in it to drop a cup down to check the water, or pour bleach into it! Would take a tractor to lift the lid off to check it. So, after having my first well dug down to 8' and capped off at that level, I now don't worry about the well. Yes, surface chemicals will be in everyone's wells, that's why they have "city water" in the country around me now. I don't have access to it, as former owners and 2 other home owners on my road (1.5 mile long road) opted not to hook up! But, everyone CAN have it, if they want to pay for it.