New Here, my name is Jerry Smith and I built a small 1600 gallon pond 3 years ago. I thought I would post a long overdue succesess. When first buidling the pond I had nothing but problems with string algae and green water. This year I change my approach and got rid of the filters, barley, and chemicals and built a small "top pond" with a short stream into the main pond, using Lava rocks I buried the return hose and then added water Hyacinth to the top pond only. I have never had such clear water even with record heat and T storms this summer. The plants have completely covered the lava rocks and latched on the them and have created an amazing filter, plus it seems to me that the top pond with 100% shading to the water seems to cool the h20 off a few degrees, even with consecutive 90 plus days the ponds water seems quite cool. I do use a UV filter, and I keep the cirucation from the pump prettly slow. Come fall it seem like a minor clean up of the top pond is all that will be required. Anyways I enjoy your forum. I thought a small pond would not be much work, I was wrong for the first 2 years with draining and scrubbing and re-filling only to have problems re-appear again and aging , but this year I do nothing to it and its literally crystal clear.
Lastly, the pay off this year was the pond planting, the third year and it really naturalized, this has been great fun, I really look forward to a cigar and cocktail next to little pond on occasion.
A pic below......
Lastly, the pay off this year was the pond planting, the third year and it really naturalized, this has been great fun, I really look forward to a cigar and cocktail next to little pond on occasion.
A pic below......
Welcome to the forums.
