Green Pond

[mrfurley3]

Koi Pond Filtration System

• mrfurley3
• Jun 28, 2018
• 1

Hey Everyone, The attached pic is of my current filter setup in my pond. I inherited the pond and still learning as I go. However, for such an expensive system, I can not figure out why the pond is green. Please review and offer your assistance.

Pond Volume: 3,000 gallons

 

[Lisak1]

Well, what exactly is IN the pond? No plants? Any fish? Just water?

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

Please tell us something about your pond like how long it’s been running; how many fish (koi?); where do you live....? How often are you feeding, and does the pond get full sun?

Doesn’t look like you have any plants. Is yours a dedicated koi pond — since you have so much equipment, just wondering? Here, mostly we have “garden ponds” with plants and a lot of natural ecosystem setups.

Ponds, especially new ponds, tend to do this. There are excess nutrients in the water. The algae is there as a response. Most of us here have plants in our ponds or we have a bog filter which is filled with plants. These plants compete with the algae. We don’t recommend the use of chemicals such as algaecides, but tend to let Mother Nature even things out.

 

[mrfurley3]

There are 5 adult koi and 15 goldfish. Just got rid of the plants because they were being submerged underwater and rotting.

 

[Mmathis]

There are 5 adult koi and 15 goldfish. Just got rid of the plants because they were being submerged underwater and rotting.

What kind of plants did you have in there?

 

[mrfurley3]

This season it's been running since late April. I live in Massachusetts. There are 5 Koi and 15 goldfish. I feed daily in late afternoon. I currently use Microlift pbl gel for the filter media, microlift pl beneficial bacteria in pond, Nualgi, muckoff, microbial algea clean, and pond prime. Ph is at 9, Amn at .25, Nit 0,Phos at .25, and hardness at 125.3.

 

[mrfurley3]

What kind of plants did you have in there?

They were hyacinths.

 

[Lisak1]

Oh boy - that's A LOT of pond chemicals! We may have just discovered (some) of your problem.

Here's the basics on algae (including green water) - it only appears when there are nutrients in the pond to feed it. What nutrients? Well, fish poop for one. Excess fish food for another. And also - organic matter, including all that dead algae you're creating with those products. And it will continue to thrive until you correct the issues that are allowing it to grow.

All well balanced eco-ponds have a few things in common - an appropriate fish load (preferably lower than the pond can support), a well managed feeding routine, water moving through the filter 1.5 to 2 times per hour, and plants. Lots and lots of plants. Please notice that I didn't mention a single "product". They aren't necessary.

I'm not a water tester, but someone else will comment on those numbers. I don't see a GPH listed for your pump, but at 3000 gallons your pump should be moving 4000-6000 GPH. You have a lot of equipment on your pond that I don't recognize - again, someone with more experience than me will pop in here and comment hopefully.

 

[mrfurley3]

Oh boy - that's A LOT of pond chemicals! We may have just discovered (some) of your problem.

Here's the basics on algae (including green water) - it only appears when there are nutrients in the pond to feed it. What nutrients? Well, fish poop for one. Excess fish food for another. And also - organic matter, including all that dead algae you're creating with those products. And it will continue to thrive until you correct the issues that are allowing it to grow.

All well balanced eco-ponds have a few things in common - an appropriate fish load (preferably lower than the pond can support), a well managed feeding routine, water moving through the filter 1.5 to 2 times per hour, and plants. Lots and lots of plants. Please notice that I didn't mention a single "product". They aren't necessary.

I'm not a water tester, but someone else will comment on those numbers. I don't see a GPH listed for your pump, but at 3000 gallons your pump should be moving 4000-6000 GPH. You have a lot of equipment on your pond that I don't recognize - again, someone with more experience than me will pop in here and comment hopefully.

I believe the performance review for the pump is 8o gallons per minute. So that's 4800 gallons per hour which at that rate is flying out of the waterfall. I use the 2nd or half speed which is at half that at 2400 gallons per hour.

 

[Sparky]

You said inherited pond. How long have you been running it? What were the conditions when you started? You need plants big time. Hungry ones. IMO the barrage of chemicals is totally not necessary and maybe causing more harm then good. Get plants, the NH will drop, the water will be green, nature will take over, the water will be clear, the fish will be happy and you will be happy not having to dump dollars to gallons into a struggling pond. You got enough power there to run a few ponds. Once the pond is balanced, you won’t believe the difference.

 

[mrfurley3]

You said inherited pond. How long have you been running it? What were the conditions when you started? You need plants big time. Hungry ones. IMO the barrage of chemicals is totally not necessary and maybe causing more harm then good. Get plants, the NH will drop, the water will be green, nature will take over, the water will be clear, the fish will be happy and you will be happy not having to dump dollars to gallons into a struggling pond. You got enough power there to run a few ponds. Once the pond is balanced, you won’t believe the difference.

I have had it running since Aug 2017. The previous owner had a filter meant for 1200 gallon. Water was green back then too.

 

[mrfurley3]

I have had it running since Aug 2017. The previous owner had a filter meant for 1200 gallon. Water was green back then too.

Plants make that much of a difference? In keeping with my habit..can I overdose with plants?

 

[Sparky]

Plants make that much of a difference? In keeping with my habit..can I overdose with plants?

I always heard 70% cover for your fish. My fish love it. Plants make all the difference man. No joke. Besides, I’m finding my pond way more enjoyable now. It’s alive and vibrant and it’s not even a “pond”.

 

[Mmathis]

They were hyacinths.

Water hyacinths shouldn’t submerge themselves. They are floaters and shouldn’t sink unless something killed them. Koi are notorious for eating roots.

 

[mrfurley3]

I always heard 70% cover for your fish. My fish love it. Plants make all the difference man. No joke. Besides, I’m finding my pond way more enjoyable now. It’s alive and vibrant and it’s not even a “pond”.

Woops... I have never had plant cover for them.