2500 Gallon Teapot

[Casbah]

Another battlefront has emerged in my war with the muck.

I've been diligently working to remove years of organic debris from my pond, and have made some steady progress with water clarity. However, it's become obvious that tannins have stained the water a lovely Earl Grey brown.

I've read on the internet a couple of strategies for removing tannins and hoped someone already had 1st hand experience and could share their recommendations.

 

[Lisak1]

We've used activated charcoal with great success for removing tannins. I have a few bags of it placed in areas that water will flow through. I also use sodium per carbonate in the pond from time to time for string algae and find that helps with tannins as well.

 

[Casbah]

IWe've used activated charcoal with great success for removing tannins

I just ordered some filter-bags of activated charcoal, figuring that was the way to go.

I guess Kingsford briquets wouldn't work?

 

[Lisak1]

I guess Kingsford briquets wouldn't work?

Yeah... not quite the same!

I will also admit that our pond is always slightly tea colored... it doesn't bother us all that much so we don't mess with it unless it gets really dark. I think people who really care about crystal clear water are raising fish where they want to see the true colors come through. Goldfish and shubunkins - not that critical!

 

[Casbah]

sodium percarbonate

Please tell me you experience with this.

 

[Lisak1]

Please tell me you experience with this.

Sure! We discovered sodium percarbonate the first year when our waterfall got covered thick with string algae and we bought a product called Eco-Blast. It was $25 for 8 ounces. Worked great, but way too expensive. That amount was about enough for one treatment. So I started doing some research and learned that it was just sodium percarbonate. I sourced it online and paid about $1.50 a pound the first time and bought about 10 lbs. The last time I bought it, I paid a bit more per pound, but I got 50 lbs so it will last a good while.

We use it now about twice a year - in the spring I use it exactly like another product we bought one time called Microbe-Lift. I sprinkle it all over the surface of the pond, wait about 20 minutes and the organic debris just starts floating up from the bottom. We also sprinkle it on the waterfall and let it sit - one time in the early summer keeps it algae free all season.

Does that answer your question? I love the stuff - it's cheap, safe and makes pond maintenance quick and easy!

 

[Casbah]

Does that answer your question? I love the stuff - it's cheap, safe and makes pond maintenance quick and easy!

Is it safe with the fish in the pond? I can't seem to find a straight answer to that question using Google...

 

[Lisak1]

I've used it for 8 years with fish in the pond with no issues. When it comes in contact with water it breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and soda ash.

 

[SherrysPond]

I really need to try this...............my waterfall is covered in THICK, dark green algae, I pull it off, its back 3 days later. It is a wonderful dirt filter, it holds onto all the gunk that runs through it, when i pull it off, it is loaded with dirt, but it just gets too thick.

 

[Casbah]

I've used it for 8 years with fish in the pond with no issues. When it comes in contact with water it breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and soda ash.

OMG... I love this stuff. I've cleaned and cleaned but how much detritus this stuff bubbled to the surface was incredible! The little string algae I had was totally dissolved. Not to mention the fish are so active it's like I put amphetamines in the water.

The tannins weren't reduced like I'd hoped, but so much better!

 

[Lisak1]

Good to hear! It's my favorite pondkeeping "tool"!

 

[Lisak1]

The tannins weren't reduced like I'd hoped, but so much better!

Have you tried activated charcoal for the tannins? We've used it in the past and it works. The sodium percarbonate will reduce the discoloration in the water as well, but it may take a few more treatments... and keeping the pond free of tannin producing organic material. I just stopped worrying about it at some point. The fish don't mind so I don't mind!

 

[GBBUDD]

Make sure you remove as much of the hair algae that bubbles up as you can or it will be the food for the next algae bloom