I need help! Haha.

[betty_]

Hey! I have been keeping tanks for years from 5 gallons to 5,000 gallons, coral, sharks, cichlids, discus, you name it we just moved into a house with a pond and I don’t know what I’m doing. I want to clean it but it has chorus frogs, dragon flies, boatmen and skimmers so whatever I do I don’t want to kill anything or everything by being dumb.

If I had to guess, it’s been accumulating sludge for at least 20 years and I don’t know if the bottom is natural or cement or what. The flow in from the spring is about 2 gallons an hour. I added 2 - 850 gph waterfall canister filters, added Pond Clear, and have been scooping out duckweed like a maniac.

What else should I be doing?

Betty

 

[Hound Heaven]

Welcome Betty. Sounds as if you're in the right place to get some advice. I've got a traditional lined pond so I'm probably not very helpful to you, but someone else will drop by that will. I have a bog as my filter and use no chemicals or uv lights. Best of luck.

 

[betty_]

Welcome Betty. Sounds as if you're in the right place to get some advice. I've got a traditional lined pond so I'm probably not very helpful to you, but someone else will drop by that will. I have a bog as my filter and use no chemicals or uv lights. Best of luck.

Thanks Hound. What does that mean, you have a bog as a filter?

 

[Hound Heaven]

Thanks Hound. What does that mean, you have a bog as a filter?

It's a 9'x4'x2' planted container full of pea gravel that receives a trickle from the pond. The plants suck up the nutrients. The remaining output from the pump is sent to a lotus tub and the waterfall. I may have explained it poorly so here's a photo.

 

[betty_]

Oh COOL!! Kind of a hydroponics setup. How big is your pond?

 

[Hound Heaven]

Oh COOL!! Kind of a hydroponics setup. How big is your pond?

Much smaller than yours I think, around 1500 gallons. Yours looks fascinating

 

[Meadowlark]

Hey! I have been keeping tanks for years from 5 gallons to 5,000 gallons, coral, sharks, cichlids, discus,

Sharks, coral, ? Saltwater tank? Curious it must have been a big one for sharks.

I think I would start by finding out as much as I could about the pond...before taking actions. The old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

One thing I would want to know if it was my pond is "does it have any leaks?" The answer would dictate a course of action.

A second thing I would want to know is "Why Duckweed?" Duckweed thrives in warm, calm water with excess nitrogen and phosphorus. So, where is that excess coming from?

I'd also like to know what it has for water containment, if it were mine. By feeling around the edges at depth you can reach, you should be able to answer that.

Then I'd wonder what creatures are in it...close inspection might give a pretty good count.

The max depth, you could use a bobber and line to measure depth. From the photo, it could be fairly deep.

I think I would test the water or have it tested.

To me gathering all the info you can about the pond is important before doing anything to it.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the forum!

Spring fed pond nice. It looks like a nice pond.

I only filter with a big bog. All the water is pumped up through the pea gravel and plants.

I don't clean the bottom, don't like harming the critters.

 

[j.w]

@betty_
Nice big free water pond and if I am seeing right it looks rather clear.

 

[GBBUDD]

Thanks Hound. What does that mean, you have a bog as a filter?

 

[GBBUDD]

think I would start by finding out as much as I could about the pond...before taking actions. The old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix i

Could not agree more. You have to remember this is a pond it is not a swimming pool though you can swim in a man made pond.
Ponds have life we as humans dont see a foot of muck at the bottom aa anything but muck. But to criters its not only home its a dinner table as well. While other areas breed only bacteria good and bad

 

[GBBUDD]

A second thing I would want to know is "Why Duckweed?" Duckweed thrives in warm, calm water with excess nitrogen and phosphorus. So, where is that excess coming from?

Here while i agree i have to also disagree duckweed in the east is everywhere almost every pond is covered. Ia the nutrients yup but to even think about trying to remove it all to stop duckweed from growing is a hell of a task. My koi love to eat duck weed as do ducks. Ì have duckweed everywhere the kou are not

 

[GBBUDD]

Then I'd wonder what creatures are in it...close inspection might give a pretty good count.

In 8 years i just redid the bottom of my pond. I found shrimp cocapods crayfish salamanders worms even caterpilas poly wods frogs you name it. And god only knows what i didnt manage to find.

 

[GBBUDD]

To me gathering all the info you can about the pond is important before doing anything to it.

Agreed to many come here i just cleaned every drop of muck out of my pond. Those criters living there are the ballance of the pond. Is there to much waste ? Possible can filtering be increaed should it be ? Probably. But lets get to know what your specific pond needs not what works for others.

Your first and foremost difference is a spring. Your in a different league. I would get that water tested. That will give you ideas or us what might help and what might be a total waste of money.

 

[Hound Heaven]

Thanks! I was hoping you'd jump in and explain what I meant