I really would appreciate some suggestions. I installed a new pond last June and I experienced some problems I am clueless how to fix. Water clarity and Zero plant growth. Of course I had green water June and July. I installed a somewhat cheap UV light and had some success, but have never seen the bottom of the 2 – 4 ft depth, not even now. I am in Pa. and just starting to plan what I can do to solve my plant and clarity problems. I’ll explain my setup. There are 3 pond chambers, an upper 500 gal ”filter” pond which spills over to a middle 500 gal “plant filter” pond, which spills into the main 5 - 6000 gal pond.
A 4500 GPM submersible pump pumps water to the Upper “filter” pond. Water enters the bottom 1 1/2” fitting of a 100 gal submerged Rubbermaid stock tank with 200# lava rock as the first layer, 3 cu ft PVC shavings as the next layer, and on top of everything, a 2” thk fiber pad. The next 500 gal shallow pond downstream was to be a natural plant filter filled with floating plants such as hyacinths. Water then “waterfalled” into the main large pond.
We added some sort of bacteria liquid that was supposed to get the “correct” water balance started. Zero results after $100 for the liquid. I purchased approx 100 beautiful lush water hyacinths throughout the summer. Most eventually dyed and shriveled up. Zero growth whatsoever from the hyacinths. Most lillys and other potted plants survived, but no real growth as compared to others ponds. The water never cleared up and was different shades of mainly greenish , some brownish colors the entire year, even after the 30 watt uv light was added in late july and was on 24/7.
I have a gut feeling that I have too many fish in the pond, maybe that’s contributing to my problem. My biggest concern is the stunted plant growth. Zero growth for hyacinth seems really bad to me. We had the water tested but to no avail. Does the green algae compete with the hyacinths for whatever nutrients are in the water.? Do I have too many fish? Is my filter method inadequate?
I purchased several “blowup ring” type swimming pools to store the water while I clean all 3 ponds next month and do some maintenance and “muck” cleaning as well as some fish “thinning”. Any suggestions to help would be greatly appreciated.
What could be wrong?
Mark and Jessie
A 4500 GPM submersible pump pumps water to the Upper “filter” pond. Water enters the bottom 1 1/2” fitting of a 100 gal submerged Rubbermaid stock tank with 200# lava rock as the first layer, 3 cu ft PVC shavings as the next layer, and on top of everything, a 2” thk fiber pad. The next 500 gal shallow pond downstream was to be a natural plant filter filled with floating plants such as hyacinths. Water then “waterfalled” into the main large pond.
We added some sort of bacteria liquid that was supposed to get the “correct” water balance started. Zero results after $100 for the liquid. I purchased approx 100 beautiful lush water hyacinths throughout the summer. Most eventually dyed and shriveled up. Zero growth whatsoever from the hyacinths. Most lillys and other potted plants survived, but no real growth as compared to others ponds. The water never cleared up and was different shades of mainly greenish , some brownish colors the entire year, even after the 30 watt uv light was added in late july and was on 24/7.
I have a gut feeling that I have too many fish in the pond, maybe that’s contributing to my problem. My biggest concern is the stunted plant growth. Zero growth for hyacinth seems really bad to me. We had the water tested but to no avail. Does the green algae compete with the hyacinths for whatever nutrients are in the water.? Do I have too many fish? Is my filter method inadequate?
I purchased several “blowup ring” type swimming pools to store the water while I clean all 3 ponds next month and do some maintenance and “muck” cleaning as well as some fish “thinning”. Any suggestions to help would be greatly appreciated.
What could be wrong?
Mark and Jessie