Green Water Concerns

[DigdirtJen]

Hello Everyone!

I have a new 300 gallon pond that was set up on August 21st. I have 6 goldfish, water lettuce, and water hyacinth floating in the pond (well, my fish aren’t ‘floating’, they are swimming J). I set up a small bog last weekend and there is creeping jenny and some elephant ears in that. I have a waterfall bio/mechanical filter and my pumps runs at 700 gph. Everything has been great until about 3 days ago. The water has turned to pea soup. The only thing that has changed is that last weekend I purchased and aerator with 2 air stones. Could putting more oxygen in the pond have caused this algae bloom? Should I take the air stones out? I’ve read that green water is normal as the pond stabilizes but it’s really worrying me. If I were a fish, I don’t think I’d like to be in that water! Do I leave it alone? How long will it take it to clear up? Should I add some beneficial bacteria?

I tested the water a couple of days ago and here are the results:

pH: 7.6, Ammonia: .25 ppm, Nitrite: 0 ppm, Nitrate: between 20 & 40 ppm

I've attached a picture of my set up a few days before the green water started. The creeping jenny was planted after this picture was taken.

thanks for reading!

 

[TheFishGuy]

Thank you for posting all the information in you post, not often we see that!

as I see, your nutrient levels are too high, that is something I could possibly expect in an aquarium

Ideal ammonia is zero, and normal nitrates are a max of around 30, I could suggest doing a water change, but I am sure many others would have better advice.

 

[mrsclem]

The pond isn't even a month old! Green water is normal and perfectly healthy for the fish. It actually doesn't look bad, you can see the fish. I would leave the air stones running. A small water change to lower the ammonia is good, just a small one. More plants will bring down the nitrates. The big thing you need to add to your pond-- Patience! It can take months for a new pond to find its balance. If you are feeding the fish I would limit to a very small amount only a couple of days a week.

 

[TheFishGuy]

The pond isn't even a month old! Green water is normal and perfectly healthy for the fish. It actually doesn't look bad, you can see the fish. I would leave the air stones running. A small water change to lower the ammonia is good, just a small one. More plants will bring down the nitrates. The big thing you need to add to your pond-- Patience! It can take months for a new pond to find its balance. If you are feeding the fish I would limit to a very small amount only a couple of days a week.

he did say the photo was pre green water though.

 

[Mmathis]

Green water caused by an algae overgrowth caused by an un-cycled pond caused by excess nutrients in the water Is perfectly normal. The fish don’t mind it at all. Be patient. Once your pond has cycled and is happily balanced, it will go away — to return again each spring as nature is waking up, and any time your pond’s balance is off. Go back and read other’s threads on here about green water, and learn WHY this happens. It has to do with the nitrogen cycle. IT’S MOTHER NATURE’S WAY OF TEACHING PATIENCE!

 

[DigdirtJen]

Lord knows i don't wait well, but i will...I promise not to add an algaecide or change too much water.

Green water caused by an algae overgrowth caused by an un-cycled pond caused by excess nutrients in the water Is perfectly normal. The fish don’t mind it at all. Be patient. Once your pond has cycled and is happily balanced, it will go away — to return again each spring as nature is waking up, and any time your pond’s balance is off. Go back and read other’s threads on here about green water, and learn WHY this happens. It has to do with the nitrogen cycle. IT’S MOTHER NATURE’S WAY OF TEACHING PATIENCE!

Do you agree that i should leave the airstones running??

 

[Tula]

Absolutely keep the air stones running......oxygen is NEVER a bad thing.

 

[GBBUDD]

Though its close to the end of the growing season I would go and get a hold of some bog plants while they wont do to much this year in the spring it will help tremendously
Have patience

 

[Lisak1]

@DigdirtJen you also have a small pond, which can be more challenging to keep balanced than a big pond. Do practice that patience. Green water bugs you - your fish could care less. And in fact they probably prefer it as they can hide better, and it's helping keep the water healthy for them.

 

[DigdirtJen]

Here's a picture of the nice green water in my pond this morning. Ya'll tell me this is ok....Lord knows i never thought i worry about fish like this!!!

 

[Mmathis]

Normal, OK, nothing to worry about.

 

[DigdirtJen]

ok, i feel better now...AND more peaceful about being patient...thanks!

 

[mrsclem]

Looks good to me!

 

[GBBUDD]

Here's a picture of the nice green water in my pond this morning. Ya'll tell me this is ok....Lord knows i never thought i worry about fish like this!!!

I dont know how they do it but a great deal of fish live in waters that if you were to touch your nose with a finger while under water you'd not see your hand and yet the hunt just fine for food its our dumb beings that need to see what we are doing. Or at least like too. Someone here said the green water also helped protect the fish and that is true.i have spent many an hour watching eagles osprey and sea gull fish and they all need the fish to be at the surface. Usualy breaking the surface.

 

[tuan515]

My pond was a lot worse than this. I bought a 35watts UV light and my water was clear after a few days.

Here's a picture of the nice green water in my pond this morning. Ya'll tell me this is ok....Lord knows i never thought i worry about fish like this!!!