Hello To All from Arizona

[Karla Marie]

Just found this forum and it has a ton of great information. I have a pond (170 gallons) with a waterfall. We have a pump and external filter. And now I have a GREEN MESS. This is my second summer with this thing and last year was a lot easier than this year. My plants froze and now I'm wondering, after reading a few posts here, if that's what happened. Should I drain it? Then start over or any suggestions will help. I've used chemicals and it didn't touch the Algae Bloom. The pond is not in direct sun for more than a few hours a day in the afternoon but it is quite hot here. Any suggestions will be appreciated. The pond supply stores all give different information and I'm not sure they know much except how to sell chemicals. Thank you!
Karla Marie

 

[DrCase]

Welcome to the Forum !!
If you dont have fish starting over is not a bad way to go

 

[addy1]

My pond in arizona, I had algae issues, think it is just the darn heat. I used to treat with hydrogen peroxide, 1 liter per 1000 gallons. I did not have koi, just gold fish.

It would kill it off nicely, once gone stayed algae free until the next year.

 

[Karla Marie]

Thanks! We have seven shubunkins in there. They seem to be fine buy I can't do any more chemical treatments and feel good about it. When I add water I use the stuff to take the chlorine out. I'll have to think this over. Thanks again.

 

[sissy]

welcome Karla and you could start over but warning it will more than likely happen again .Do you test your water .That's true about most stores they will sell you anything and give you false hopes .If you don't have fish or plants and don't want them again you could put a little bleach in or peroxide to kill algae or maybe just go like some for ornamental ponds and put chlorine in .I had a huge fountain with a pond under it and nothing in it just decoration and I used to put a cup of bleach in once a month .Kept it sparkly clean and always kept an eye on my pump ,so I would not put to much bleach in it .

 

[Karla Marie]

addy1, thanks for the info. Did you have plants in there too? I can get nice lilies for about $40.00 a plant. I have a feeling that's what we need to do. Thanks again.

 

[sissy]

Do you have a big enough filter and pump that would be my next guess .Or go to using a uv for your pond ,they are not cheap but hear they work great .

 

[Karla Marie]

We have a 560 gph pump and a Clear Choice Bio Filter PF-1. I think it's big enough. Also, we were told that when you use chemicals you have to turn the UV off (9 Volt) so we did. But I'm wondering if the UV didn't do more good than the chemicals. Tomorrow is filter cleaning day so I'll see how we're doing. Thank you!

 

[addy1]

addy1, thanks for the info. Did you have plants in there too? I can get nice lilies for about $40.00 a plant. I have a feeling that's what we need to do. Thanks again.

My pond in arizona had some plants not a lot, it needed more. I worked two jobs when there, other hubby never touched the pond, it was somewhat ignored. There are no plants now, but a professional takes care of it for me. He uses peroxide granules on any big algae growth.

I did have gold fish and shubunkins did the peroxide once a year, just poured it into the stream. I used 14 liters, it never bothered the big fish or the mosquito fish.

Get some floating plants also, they help a lot with algae. The lilies help by shading the water.

Check craigs list, you might find the lilies a lot cheaper, someone dividing theirs.

 

[sissy]

how old is your uv bulb they may still light up but do not do anything .

 

[Karla Marie]

sissy, we are going to change the UV bulb tomorrow. I think they last about a year. This one has been off and on many times depending on who we're getting info from. We'll give this a try!

 

[addy1]

oh and welcome to the group!

 

[DrDave]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[fishin4cars]

Welcome aboard! Start with adding some floating plants and if your changing out the uv bulb anyway run it for about two weeks, Go ahead amd clean the filter. If you don't see improvement in two weeks do a good 20% water change trying to get as much as possible from the bottom of the pond. Leave the UV running until the pond has cleared for about a week, then turn off. Then consider the peroxide. Not sure how much that would be for 170 gallons, Maybe Addy can figure that out for you. Each water change you do try and get as much of the muck out of the bottom as you can each time. This should help tremendously.

 

[j.w]

Karla