2nd Summer pond in need of help!?

[puffin]

First I want to say thank you all for having a forum for us ponders.

I am having a problem yet again this year that I can't seem to fix no matter what I do. I live in Bloomington Indiana and have a pond in my front yard about 7-800 gallons, I can't figure the actual size any better, but have been told it is 720. I have three lilies in my pond and I can't seem to keep my pond clean at all, I have three pumps and filters that came with them, one is 3000gph one is 500gph and the other is 45gph, the two larger ones feed the top pond to flow into the bottom pond via waterfall, and the third is to help agitate the bottom pond in an area that is not well agitated due to its distance from the fall.

So there is the description of my pond... now for my problems.

My first problem is the smallest problem,
This is our small lily, her name is Lillian, after my baby cousin Lillian. She is an odd lily as her roots seem to stem from her shoots where her pads grow. I don't know how to control this, if I can. I a fertilizer cube called LilyGro bu Tetrapond, and I have to admit that I love it. It helps my other two lilies grow really well, but I am afraid that it may be little Lillian's problem. These are my other two lilies.

Yes, these are two lilies, they are the same sort of lily, the flowers are supposed to be white from one and yellow from the other, but they both come up white, which I am not bothered by, but I know that it can have to do with balances of the water... I don't know how to correct that any better than I do. When I treat the water and test it, my balances are perfect for Koi.

My second problem is that my water will turn green and then brown, and no matter what I do, I can't get it clear without doing a full drain and start from scratch. I have used multiple different products that I have been told will do everything I need to the pond and will take care of all my problems. I have used clarifiers, sludge digesters and "healty positive bateria". Yet nothing helps. I measure it according to what I have been told my pond size is (720g) and a couple of times it has helped make all of the nastyness sink to the bottom and I use my wetvac to suck it out, and the next day I come out and it is just as brown as the day before. What should I do?

I want to get the pond to a state that I can have some fish and they will be happy and healthy, please let me know what I need to do to get my pond to where I want it.

This is my whole pond.


Top of pond.


Bottom of pond.

 

[addy1]

Your lily lillian looks like my variegated snow flake which is a lily like plant.

Like your ponds btw very nice.

If you get koi they will love to eat your lilies, they are plant hogs.

Too dark to get you a shot of it now.

 

[j.w]

I've heard of that happening to lilies sometimes (there is a name for it) and I believe you can cut those little pads w/ the white roots off and grow new ones from them. Actually I think people were saying that they thought it was a cool thing to happen and they liked the action. As for your water turning green/brown I think you need lots more plants to feed on the algae. Water lettuce, Water Hyacinth, Water Cress from the grocery store, Parrots Feather and lots more would be good to have in the pond. I think you are supposed to have 70 or 80% of your pond covered in plants to keep your water clear

 

[puffin]

Thank you so much, I will get more plants!

I forgot to mention we have some trees hanging over our pond. I don't know if that will be an issue, but I hope not being that we LOVE the way it looks in the Spring with our Dogwood blooming white flowers over our pond. We also have a big nasty tree about ten feet from the pond that drops those horrible pokey gumballs year round. I want that tree GONE, I would like to blow it up if I could.

 

[addy1]

The stuff that is dropping from the tree could be causing some of the brown water.
Tannins from the tree, activated charcoal will help with that.

 

[puffin]

I was just reading another post and it is talking about activated carbon. What is that?

I just did another dump today and it was nasty. So I have fresh clean water. I was wondering about activated carbon since I was reading about it here, and I am also wondering about the idea from another thread about using a laundry basket with pillow stuffing and was wondering if that would work as a filter for my 3000gph pump as it won't fit any filter box that I can find.

 

[puffin]

One more question real quick...

What would I do to get more plant growth without having to drive forever to get a good water lily? I was thinking since I need about 70% of my water covered by plant life could I take my two stronger lilies and cut them in half to grow into two more plants just like is done with so many dirt plants, or would that kill them? I am also about to leave for about three weeks where I will not be able to do anything with my pond, what should I do to get ready for this pond neglect?

 

[fishin4cars]

Puffin, first off, activated charcoal or carbon is available at most pet stores that sell fish supplies, it will remove some medications, heavy metals, chlorine, help clear tannins from water and more. good stuff! second instead of dividing you lilies give them a fert. tablet and kick them in to high gear. well established lilies grow faster than lilies that have been divided, right now you want and need plant growth. third, for the best filtration you want plants that will send out good roots, my suggestion, water lettuce and parrots feather in the top pond, the water lettuce toward the back of it where it is the calmest, the parrots feather along the rocks, It will grow great in lots of water movement. Also, a 9 watt UV light would not be a bad idea to add and help get things under control as far as the algae goes, I recommend 1 wat per hundred gallons and that just slightly more and one of the smallest made, It only has to be run while the water is green if you want, Does a great job!

 

[j.w]

If you can't buy plants locally you may have to buy them online and have them sent to you unless somebody here has any they may sell you to get you started. Maybe somebody will let you know where is a good place to order some online :yikesu:

 

[vertigo72]

I think most has been said; just like to add or reiterate you shouldnt be draining and refilling each time something goes wrong. Let the pond find its balance, its extremely common new ponds go through of phase of pea water, there is no reason to go through it all the time :yikesu:. If it doesnt stablize by itself after a few weeks and after adding some more floating and underwater plants, then do partial water changes, but never drain the pond entirely. Ever. (And dont clean the filter with tapwater). An UV, as fishing suggested might be a good idea too, but doesnt eliminate the need for other plants.

Also stop adding fertilizer to those lillies, You are fertilizing the algae just as well. The fact algae blossoms shows there is enough (too much) nutrition in the water, so that goes for lilies too.

Last point, your pond is a bit too small for koi. If you are going to add fish, Id go for goldfish, shubunkin or the like.

Nice looking pond though!

 

[sissy]

great looking pond and really your water dosn't look that bad in pics and seems you got oxygen in there that is enough .You may need to clean the gunk off the bottom thats all .That is a lot of pumps you have going

 

[27goldfish]

In the pics, looks pretty clean. You are in the same state as me. If you have a menards, go there for water lilies. That's where I get mine. In the pond section. They are "drop and grow" Some of mine I have had for over 4 1/2 yrs. Getting ready to re-pot them.

 

[puffin]

Ok, so I went out and got some lilies and moved the ones that I already have around so that they are spaced rather evenly to give as even of coverage as possible. I will let those grow in and see how I am doing after a few weeks before getting a uv filter, I understand that they can be a real pain for someone like me lol. Thank you for all the advice. Been a real help and I appreciate it more than you know. I will keep you updated on how it fares through the summer.

 

[lotusfreak]

cute pond

 

[puffin]

Ok, got two new lilies a few days ago in bulb stage and one already has two pads floating on the surface, and the other plant has one that is almost floating. My water is green already, and is turning brown. Happens every time. I have even treated with an algae eater, and it did nothing for the pond. I wonder what the issue is. It has rained once since I refilled the pond, so I wonder if that has anything to do with it.