Green water :(

[sissy]

one moves surface water and the other moves deeper water .

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Don't know why I did not catch this earlier. You stated that you have a 16 Watt UV clarifier, but that you had ordered a 20 Watt replacement bulb. Is this correct? If you are increasing the bulb wattage, you likely need to change the ballast to a 20 Watt also, otherwise the bulb will not work.
And I know that many will disagree, but you have no need to add beneficial bacteria to your pond. They occur naturally and at the correct population levels. Have not added bacteria to a pond in over 15 years.
No need to turn your pond into a 'Money Pit'

 

[Priscilla]

Don't know why I did not catch this earlier. You stated that you have a 16 Watt UV clarifier, but that you had ordered a 20 Watt replacement bulb. Is this correct? If you are increasing the bulb wattage, you likely need to change the ballast to a 20 Watt also, otherwise the bulb will not work.
And I know that many will disagree, but you have no need to add beneficial bacteria to your pond. They occur naturally and at the correct population levels. Have not added bacteria to a pond in over 15 years.
No need to turn your pond into a 'Money Pit'

I bought a new light set up, its a 16watt. This new set up is for an 1800 gall pond. Mine is 2200gall. The guy at the store said it would work, but maybe he just said that to make me feel good and sell me the light. I'm running 500gall per hour through it (approx. of course).

The other UV in the pressure filter is a 20watt. I'll be waiting about 3 to 4 weeks for that 20watt replacement bulb.

I feel like I don't know enough about the water chemistry to start adding things. So I'm just going with making it as natural as I can, I feel like it needs to take care of itself (more or less).

 

[Priscilla]

one moves surface water and the other moves deeper water .

My husband is gonna make me get a job if I plug ONE more thing in for the pond. Currently running 3 pumps (2 in big pond, 1 in a small pond), 1 UV.

I might sneak it while he is at work ....... LOL!

 

[sissy]

the slower the water goes through the uv the better it works .It does take a week or more to start working .On my 18 watt uv I only use a 370 gph pump on a 5 foot hose

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I feel like it needs to take care of itself (more or less).

Some of us call that 'Benevolent Neglect'.

 

[tbendl]

Let me know how the UV light goes, I am considering adding that to my Christmas list. I feel for you Priscilla, 4 months and still murky water. But it's still so pretty!

 

[Priscilla]

Let me know how the UV light goes, I am considering adding that to my Christmas list. I feel for you Priscilla, 4 months and still murky water. But it's still so pretty!

The UV light is magic. That's my problem, I'm spoiled with it. Weird that you have murky water with no fish. Do you use a fine filter material, like the quilt batting? I had some problems like that too when I first fired up the pond, but the quilt batting sorted me out.

 

[addy1]

Let me know how the UV light goes, I am considering adding that to my Christmas list. I feel for you Priscilla, 4 months and still murky water. But it's still so pretty!

My first summer, after turning the pond on, I used a 55 gallon barrel, put a bunch of fine filter stuff, ac filters, screen netting, etc, in it and run a very slow low flow pump for a few weeks. It helped removed a lot of the fine dirt from construction and whatever else was hanging out in the fishless, plant less, new body of water.

 

[tbendl]

Yeah @Lisaebetten had suggested that. I have that on my to-do list for spring as well. I'm just waiting for the leaves to stop falling, the sun to come back, and well, you know warmth. I'm looking at that and a larger pump for sure. Since mine is in full sun I was thinking the UV might be a necessity.
I also like the canister pre-filters @j.w suggested. I will get there.

 

[callingcolleen1]

you can balance a pond in the full sun too, I have done it years ago when I worked at Suntec Greenhouses and that pond had all day sun, and others have done it as well in the full sun too. Sometimes extra filtration is needed, sometimes other things are needed.

My little front yard pond would not balance this spring in the front yard when it was in the shade, even with extra pumps and filtration and it just had a very small fish load too, like only three little goldfish! Then I cut a bunch of big trees down cause things were falling in pond, and got a ton more sun, but It only finally balanced when I used the liquid concentrated pond peat, and you might be able to pick that up and the local pet store in the Laguna section and that might me all that you need?

 

[Lisaebetten]

Yeah @Lisaebetten had suggested that. I have that on my to-do list for spring as well. I'm just waiting for the leaves to stop falling, the sun to come back, and well, you know warmth. I'm looking at that and a larger pump for sure. Since mine is in full sun I was thinking the UV might be a necessity.
I also like the canister pre-filters @j.w suggested. I will get there.

How are your pets doing?

 

[tbendl]

How are your pets doing?

?Which pets? The leaches or the fuzzy ones?? lol

 

[Lisaebetten]

?Which pets? The leaches or the fuzzy ones?? lol

Leaches, is have them? Did you end up draining the pond? Sounds like Priscilla's pond is loving the green!

 

[sissy]

you can get a uv cheap on ebay from ccl pets .That is where I got 1 of mine from .They sell uv bulbs also .I think they have a 9 watt one now like I bought for a friends sick fish .I think it was under 30 dollars