Need help

[Tommmy]

Hello everybody,

I'm posting here because I basically don't know where to start with my pond.
I have bought a house about a month ago and there is a fish pond in a horrible state.
The water is green, there is about 20-30cm of sludge on the bottom and it's overgrown with plants.
From what I have noticed there doesn't seem to be any time of filter or anything like that.
There are about 50-60 goldfish in it at the moment.
I would like to know the best steps to try and make it a nice pond and the best way to keep the water clear, please.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum!

You can do one of two things, get a big tub remove the fish into it (filled with pond water) and scoop the stuff out of the bottom. Or leave the fish in and use a net to slowly remove the sludge.

Filtering, my one filter is a bog, pea gravel and plants. Keeps the pond in great condition.

 

[j.w]

Welcome @Tommmy
I agree get a kids plastic pool or whatever and put the fish in there. The old water is good to use as if you put in clean water it would shock the fish. You should get some kind of filter going whether it be a mechanical or a bog so it can help to clear up the water. Try to save the old water in your pond so fish won't be shocked when you put them back into the pond. I think it might be easier to clean it out w/o the fish in there but if you don't want to do that then just do your cleaning slowly like @addy1 said and remove any excess plants you don't want in there. A bog filter is great and wish I had made one on my pond. You can learn how to make one here on this forum.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

Where do you live?

 

[Tula]

Welcome . That looks like a lot of bamboo growing in the pond or pond area. I've read it can be invasive and really take over. You might want to remove the fish to a tank filled with some pond water and an aerator, while you thin out the bamboo.

 

[CometKeith]

Hello everybody,

I'm posting here because I basically don't know where to start with my pond.
I have bought a house about a month ago and there is a fish pond in a horrible state.
The water is green, there is about 20-30cm of sludge on the bottom and it's overgrown with plants.
From what I have noticed there doesn't seem to be any time of filter or anything like that.
There are about 50-60 goldfish in it at the moment.
I would like to know the best steps to try and make it a nice pond and the best way to keep the water clear, please.

Hi and welcome! So you don‘t want to clean any of the green stuff off of the liner. That contains beneficial bacteria that helps convert fish wastes to inert substances. Just because a pond’s water may look dirty or green it doesn’t always mean it so bad for the fish. I would take your time cleaning and go about it by the way people are suggesting and don’t be in too big of a hurry to ”fix” everything until you have read a lot about pond and fish care. Good luck!

 

[Tommmy]

Hello wow I didn't expect so many answers. I live in the south of France so that may explain the different plants.
My pond doesn't have a liner in it, it's a ciment bottom.
I am going to try and find a thread on here to try and make a bog filter.
Thanks a lot for everyone's help.

 

[addy1]

Hello wow I didn't expect so many answers. I live in the south of France so that may explain the different plants.
My pond doesn't have a liner in it, it's a ciment bottom.
I am going to try and find a thread on here to try and make a bog filter.
Thanks a lot for everyone's help.

here you go, and a lot of members have posted threads about the way they built bogs.

Bog building, also called upflow filter, eco filter, wetland filter

I was asked to start a thread on how to build a bog. This is my rendition on bog building 101............. Building a bog: Before you decide to build a bog, you need to know what you want its primary purpose to be. Total pond filtration bog filtration combined with another filter. If you...

www.gardenpondforum.com

 

[cas]

Welcome to the forum @Tommmy ! That's going to be a nice pond when you are done.