Brown water

[Hawkinszx12]

My pond is three weeks old, it’s approximately 10 x 7 it has three dabs 3‘2 feet and onesie and a shelf around the edge that’s a few inches deep. I filled it water was clear I put plants in the water was clear I put my turtles in the water was clear, then at the two week mark I put in some minnows. I have no idea cause and effect 48 hours later my water is brown where I can’t seem to the bottom Except on The shallow end. The liner has got a layer of brown on it that is slippery. I’ve read and read and read and just got more confused. I would like my water to be clear enough so I can see and check on my turtles. I haven’t seen them for two days now! Also important to note is that I only have a solar pump and it runs 6 to 8 hours a day. It’s not big enough I have a second bigger one on order with a battery back up so it will run 8 to 10 hours a day and the gph Will be correct. My question is what do I do in the meantime? The pump is on back order and will be a couple weeks getting here. Thanks!!!

 

[Jhn]

what type of turtles do you have? Pics?

Patience let your pond mature, that thin layer of brown that is slippery is your biofilm forming on the wet surfaces in your pond, it is a good thing. Water is going to cloud up green/brown, it is new pond syndrome as the pond is establishing the base of the food web ie phytoplankton. For now keep everything running as best you can, don’t overfeed the ponds inhabitants. Turtles are unbelievably messy,so it is going to take abit for your pond to establish itself.

Secondly get yourself a pump that you can run 24/7, if you don’t keep constant/proper circulation moving in your pond it is going to cause issues.

Also what is a dab and a onesie…unless the onesie is for your turtles…then carry on I don’t need to know.

 

[j.w]

and welcome @Hawkinszx12

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

Time and patience.

 

[Hawkinszx12]

what type of turtles do you have? Pics?

Patience let your pond mature, that thin layer of brown that is slippery is your biofilm forming on the wet surfaces in your pond, it is a good thing. Water is going to cloud up green/brown, it is new pond syndrome as the pond is establishing the base of the food web ie phytoplankton. For now keep everything running as best you can, don’t overfeed the ponds inhabitants. Turtles are unbelievably messy,so it is going to take abit for your pond to establish itself.

Secondly get yourself a pump that you can run 24/7, if you don’t keep constant/proper circulation moving in your pond it is going to cause issues.

Also what is a dab and a onesie…unless the onesie is for your turtles…then carry on I don’t need to know.

 

[Hawkinszx12]

I’m sorry, talk to text and I didn’t check! 3 depths, 3’ 2’ 1’.
red eared sliders
I only can get solar where it’s at, so I am hoping for clear ish!
any other suggestions for starting?

thank you!

 

[Hawkinszx12]

 

[Hawkinszx12]

 

[Hawkinszx12]

 

[Jhn]

are you sure your turtles are still in the pond? I ask because I don’t see a fence around the pond. Without being contained by some sort of barrier turtles will wander off.

My other suggestion is add more plants….also redo the edge of your pond, so the
liner Is completely hidden by the rocks and water like this
Credit to @addy1 for the drawing, yes I am not above borrowing others drawings.

You don’t want to leave the liner exposed to direct sun, it just shortens its life. Also stacking rocks along the edge will enable to take plants out of pots and just wedge them between rocks, muvh more natural looking and the plants spread quicker pulling more nutrients from the water.

 

[brokensword]

Listen to @Jhn ; he's got it all right. You really need to figure out a way to have constant water movement or you'll probably never get clear water. Turtles are very messy, worse than koi so you have your work cut out for you. That said, both jhn and I have turtles in our pond and have clear water, but we do it with bog filtration and 24/7 pond pumps (and lots of plants!). NPS can last for a while but with patience and good practices (as jhn has outlined) it can be ameliorated quicker and better. Search for bog filtration and see how effective it is. Again, you're going to need continual water movement to achieve what you desire, even if you have to run an extension cord a long distance; it can be done.

 

[brokensword]

are you sure your turtles are still in the pond? I ask because I don’t see a fence around the pond. Without being contained by some sort of barrier turtles will wander off.

My other suggestion is add more plants….also redo the edge of your pond, so the
liner Is completely hidden by the rocks and water like this
View attachment 141290Credit to @addy1 for the drawing, yes I am not above borrowing others drawings.

You don’t want to leave the liner exposed to direct sun, it just shortens its life. Also stacking rocks along the edge will enable to take plants out of pots and just wedge them between rocks, muvh more natural looking and the plants spread quicker pulling more nutrients from the water.

oooohhhh, you've broken the paradigm now for the rest of us! I'm not above borrowing others' drawings either! (insert evil wicked lol smilie)

 

[Gazzas pool]

View attachment 141288

Have you placed any off cuts of liner underneath those larger rocks? and presumably you laid the liner and know that no sharp solid edges were missed before laying the new protector and liner. Not wanting to be a voice of doom but check out for bubbles in the same particular area, which could mean you have a leak and you would never keep a clear pond, good luck! My concerns may have no connection

 

[Hawkinszx12]

are you sure your turtles are still in the pond? I ask because I don’t see a fence around the pond. Without being contained by some sort of barrier turtles will wander off.

My other suggestion is add more plants….also redo the edge of your pond, so the
liner Is completely hidden by the rocks and water like this
View attachment 141290Credit to @addy1 for the drawing, yes I am not above borrowing others drawings.

You don’t want to leave the liner exposed to direct sun, it just shortens its life. Also stacking rocks along the edge will enable to take plants out of pots and just wedge them between rocks, muvh more natural looking and the plants spread quicker pulling more nutrients from the water.

The turtles are still there, yes. The Edges are straight up and down and higher than the turtles body and then there’s rocks along the edge of the pond, this acts as a fence. If the turtles could somehow scale the slippery vertical pond liner they would then have to climb the rock wall. from a far the pond looks natural without having to have a fence around it. I like your suggestion but then the turtles could climb right out.
I was told the plants I have spread very quickly, so I didn’t want to get too many to start. But I certainly can get more if that’ll help clear it up. Thanks

 

[brokensword]

The turtles are still there, yes. The Edges are straight up and down and higher than the turtles body and then there’s rocks along the edge of the pond, this acts as a fence. If the turtles could somehow scale the slippery vertical pond liner they would then have to climb the rock wall. from a far the pond looks natural without having to have a fence around it. I like your suggestion but then the turtles could climb right out.
I was told the plants I have spread very quickly, so I didn’t want to get too many to start. But I certainly can get more if that’ll help clear it up. Thanks

My turtles can and do climb over/onto the rocks, so make sure they're fairly straight up, too. But it sounds like they'll probably stay contained. That said, do you have place for egg laying? If you keep them only to the pond, any eggs will be laid in the water and be lost. I know, I had it happen a couple of times--didn't know they were mature enough and I didn't provide any land area.

Yes to getting more plants but the other way is to have patience--the water lettuce will indeed propagate quickly. I've been composting buckets now for weeks.