A bit mirky

[chris.eaton]

• Hi everyone, I’m looking for some help if possible. Ive recently built a pond in my back gaden. It’s approximately 3200-3500 litres (750 ish gallons).
  i have an pass 16000 filter and oase 10000 pump running with some oxygenating plants and three established lilies.
  
  so here’s the problem- I’ve noticed the bottom of the pond is mirky, however when the fish come up towards the surface they are clear. See pics.
  my question is , lots of people talk about crystal clear water but should the water be Clear all th way to the bottom like a swimming pool or is it going to naturally going to fur up anyway and the best I can hope for is surface clarity?
  
  i had to top up the pond today with some tap water which in appreciat has phosphates that algae will feed on so it might get worse before it gets better but I’m just after some reassurance that what I’m doing is right.
  ive got three koi 6 months old and 2 small gold fish. Currently about 40 cm of fish. Regs Chris
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

Yes, it’s somewhat normal not to have crystal clear water. If you are concerned about muck on the bottom, you can get a pond net and scoop it out. It looks like you don’t have any plants. Plants will compete with the algae. I see a lily. They are great for shade and cover, but don’t do a lot to help keep the water clean.

Keep in mind that those small koi will turn into large koi before you know it. 750 gallons is kinda small for koi.

 

[JamieB]

750 gallons is small for koi unless you amp up your filter and add a bog. They’ll be fine for now, but expect in under a year or two to either extend the pond or rehome koi. Your pond is new still, the first year it will fluctuate until it finds its balance. Murky bottom is expected. Net out any solids, and add more plants. The more plants you have the better, as koi will munch them and they’ll help balance the pond.

 

[cas]

I’ve noticed the bottom of the pond is mirky,

In my pond, when I have slightly cloudy water at the bottom (mirky) but clear at top, it has been suspended algae. As the plants start growing, the water clears all the way to the bottom. My pond is about 34" deep.

 

[IPA]

Welcome. A nice stand of marginals along the back wall might look nice and would help a lot with the water quality.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum!

Lilies don't do a lot in removing excess nutrients. You pond could use a lot more plants, either a nice bog planter filter, i.e. sitting on the edge of the pond flowing back in or planter bags with plants in the pond. I have a small bog on our hot tub pond, full of plants. It sits across the corner of the tub.

 

[chris.eaton]

750 gallons is small for koi unless you amp up your filter and add a bog. They’ll be fine for now, but expect in under a year or two to either extend the pond or rehome koi. Your pond is new still, the first year it will fluctuate until it finds its balance. Murky bottom is expected. Net out any solids, and add more plants. The more plants you have the better, as koi will munch them and they’ll help balance the pond.

Hi thanks for this.
Ive been and bought about 5 large tetra and one Large iris plus some floating plants to hopefully combat the additional nutrients the fish have introduced.

what time frame would you consider would be advisable to expect the water to clear based on intruding these now and also the pond being less than a week old?

Regs Chris

 

[addy1]

what time frame would you consider would be advisable to expect the water to clear based on intruding these now and also the pond being less than a week old?

Well two issues, don't add any more fish. Your pond has not cycled, it will turn green, it will have water issues, ammonia etc . Get a good test kit and keep track of the water, esp the ammonia, ow you might lose the fish.

The beneficial bacteria has not gotten a good start yet.

Many write ups about it

How Long to Cycle a New Pond?

A new pond slowly develops beneficial bacteria on its own, and those bacteria keep water...

homeguides.sfgate.com

 

[Tula]

Welcome Very pretty pond and setting . Patience is a virtue when it comes to pond keeping....it takes time for a new pond to go through the nitrogen cycle . I'd feed your fish very lightly, maybe just every other day until the cycle is complete. As others have mentioned , the koi will grow.....and grow....and grow !

 

[JamieB]

Lots of factors will impact how fast the water clears, weather, what you feed your fish, how much the plants grow. You need to be patient.

 

[j.w]

@chris.eaton
Yep just be patient!

 

[chris.eaton]

Hahaha yeah we’re pea souped up here at the moment .im hoping for a miracle. Got some plants in there now though so hopeful will help. Here’s a pic fellow fish lovers

 

[addy1]

im hoping for a miracle

Time and patience.

 

[poconojoe]

Nice pond!
Yes, what everyone else said. Especially the patience part. It takes time. Results don't happen overnight. A new pond especially will take some time. Maybe weeks or a month. New pond syndrome (green water) is normal.
You need lots of plants and good filtration.
I listened to the people here and built a bog with fantastic results....crystal clear water.

 

[poconojoe]

Oh, and please don't try to combat the green water with any chemicals. We've heard too many horror stories resulting from so-called fish friendly algecides.