New here from NC

[TTuckertbnc]

Hi All,
I am a 52 yr old happily married grandma ... I no longer work outside the home due to disability , but I try to keep movin as much as I can .... A few years ago I convinced my husband to put in a preformed 100 gallon pond for me . We had our learning curve and fish survived :redface: ... I learned just how much equipment you really need lol , but I wanted bigger ... :razz: Last year for Mother' Day he built me a pond that I designed ..... It is approximately 8 ft. x 6 ft with 34 in deep 'circle' (think baby pool) and earth 'shelves' in the 4 corners they are appx 28in below water level ... by my figuring it should be close to 1000 gallons ..

Currently I have 2 box type filters rated for 500 gallons ea .. the kind that has a fine filter, coarse filter and those plastic balls . One pump just 'filters'and powers the fountain , the other filter pumps water thru a clarifier back into the pond. We clean both box filters weekly , but my husband is bothered that he cannot see the bottom of the pond clearly at all times. First thing in the morning when I go out and feed them I can see the bottom clearly but when he comes home from work and feeds them they've been busy all day and its just not totally clear ..... I put a new bulb in the clarifier but there still 'seems' to be a slight green tinge ... It has been above temperatures here in NC like it has been all over and if I'm fighting algae now it will be worse come July and August.

I am wanting advice on either a bigger better submersible or an external filter or what ?? What do I need to install that will keep the water cleaner 24/7 ..... and just what do I do about 'trash' that ends up on the bottom ?? just net it ??
I tried to attach a picture of my pond when it was first built (I can't find a current one) .... it now has a good 'coating' of algae over the black liner ... We have 4 goldfish from 6 to 8 in long and 5 koi from 8 in to appx 12 inch long (2 are butterfly koi and they are all tail lol) ... I just put 4 apple snails and 2 plecos in last week for the summer to help keep the alage growth down .... my pickerel plants haven't really started growing yet, not sure if they survived the winter and 1 water lily overwintered and is growing great ( added another but its not growing yet..

That's all I can think to say about my pond . I hope someone can give me some advice on what I need ... My husband is all for hurrying me to get the $89 one I found on ebay that 'sounds' like it might fix my problems but I know all about getting the cheapest fix :grumble: ...... I'd rather spend $150 and know what I get will be more than what I'll ever need .. if that makes sense.

Thanks ,
Tammy

 

[addy1]

to our group Tammy

You can get a swimming pool net and just net the bottom, that is what I do for mine.

What kind of box type filter? Do you have a name on them?

If you are handy you could check out the diy section, there are some good working filters you can make.

 

[j.w]

Tammy
Like addy said there are good diy ones on this forum but if you could provide more info on the exact ones that you are interested in buying more help could be given from people here. Keep that good algae growing on the liner as that is a good thing and fish like it also. Some here use uv lights and you said clarifier so presume that is the same? I hear that the lights need to be changed now and then. I don't have a uv so can't really say. I put clay kitty litter and barley straw in my pond to help keep algae away. Also using a temporary plastic laundry basket or something similar w/ white floss batting in it with a hose from your pump running into it will help rid your pond of the fine algae or muck. You can stick it under the falls if you have a waterfall. The white batting will really collect that junk and then you just take it out and put a new bunch in and clean the old and do the old switcheroo till you have clear water. Lots of plants seem to help more also.
I made this one out of a swim pool tube thingy and put a plant pot and cut holes in the pot so water seeps through. Had to tie the tube together w/ twine and made the hole where the pot goes just big enough so the pot can't fall through it.

 

[CountryEscape]

I think your pond has not cycled yet for the year, and your biggest problem may be that you are feeding in the a.m. and your hubbie is feeding in the pm. Try not feeding them more than 2 or 3 times a week. I know, it's tough, I have a VERY hard time not feeding, but when the water clarity goes down the tank, it's often too much food, and therefore too much poop. LOL
Remember, when your plants start growing actively, and your pond has a chance to get the good bacteria up and working, your pond will clear up.
Your filters are probably doing their thing, but how well do you clean them? Are you cleaning the bio balls? Those should not be cleaned much if at all, as they are the item that the bacteria attaches to. And, if you are rinsing the filters off, are you using city water or well water? City water has chlorine in it, and will kill the bacteria. Bad thing. Well water doesn't have chlorine, so you are ok with that.
Just some pointers I have learned along the way. Usually the word for green water and murky water is ... patience! I have the murky water, and am filtering it at the inlet (waterfall for koi pond, beginning of the stream for the goldfish pond) with quilt batting like JW suggested, although I don't have the fancy schmancy contraption JW has! Anything that works for you works for the fish. And, algae on the liner is a good thing. String algae can be a problem. I had HUGE amounts of string algae early when our temps went way high for end of February, and was frustrated, so used peroxide, and likely killed all my good bacteria at the same time. So, going to do water change.
Good luck!
Oh, almost forgot ... WELCOME!!!

 

[sissy]

Welcome and yes that is way to much food for this time of the year without your pond cycling and really to much any time of the year like ce said .Hey jw like your floating noodle batting great idea .The algae eaters will clean all the gunk and so will the snails and netting the bottom will help but also be a hassle because of the snails ,you may pick them up and have to sort through the gunk to find them .It can be a hassle .I am retired also and thought a pond was a great idea but now wonder about that .Like the looks but not the time it takes up .If you go with quilt batting and take it out to clean it ,you can use peroxide to clean it good and then lay it in the sun to dry and always have a second piece of quilt batting ready to go in while the other is being cleaned .

 

[addy1]

lol sissy, one reason I love my bog, really do nothing much to the pond except a occasional bottom netting.

The care of the lilies (grooming old leave and flowers off) takes way more time than the care of the pond.

 

[CountryEscape]

Sissy, too much time spent on the pond? This from a lady that this year has unloaded and spread what did you say, at least 8 loads of mulch??? I think you have plenty of time for your pond. LOL
And, I did as you said yesterday, washed out the quilt pieces, dunked them in a peroxide solution, laid them in the sun .... then my pup thought they were for him and he started to chew one up. I hollered, he knew he was in deep doodo, and quit. Watched him closely after that, and found him starting to chew on the other one, reprimanded him, and now will purposely leave them out today to see if he remembers his lessons of yesterday.

 

[sissy]

poor doggie thought he had a fun toy and you ruined it for him ,shame on you .lol .I have to get more mulch yet and at least 18 more ton of stone .I did get the grass mowed yesterday .I had one of those big crows take a piece of mine ,gone in a split second and tried to yell at him but no use .He was probably laughing at me .When it gets over used I rip it apart and put it out for the birds to make nests .Also makes a great filler in the bottom of flower pots .

 

[j.w]

Well sissy the crow prolly thought you just put it out for him like you usually do for the birds when it's used up. He didn't know how to tell when it was ready to be tossed out. Next time put a sign out New and Used! That's one nest of crow babies that will have a nice soft bed,lol!

 

[sissy]

Yep and I can see it as it is all nice and neat high up in tree behind my house .Oh well hope the enjoy it for years to come .I know put it under my front porch and afternoon sun dries it out .Hope they don't walk under there and find it .Oh and forgot to ask ttucker where they are located in NC I take day trips there all the time to Reidsville ,Eden ,Stoneville and Mayodan and Greensboro .

 

[TTuckertbnc]

Thanks everyone for the quick reply's ... I live in Lincoln county next door to Charlotte NC and I have a well so chemicals in the watter is not a problem .... I think that the pond will settle out myself .. its hubby that has no patience , he insisted on emptying half the water out last week and we added fresh back so I knew the pond would have to 'reset' ...
Last spring/summer when we were watering our raised garden beds and flowers I 'was' runnning water from the pond thru the water hose to water everything then added fresh back in to replace what I used ...that was accomplishing partial water changes and recycling the water and everything was flourishing ... then I read something about NOT to use 'fresh' pond water on vegatable gardens because of the amonia ..... so I just drained 'some' water out every week or so .... :razz: I have a UV light, I did call it a clarifier .... I love the idea of making a small corner bog with a waterfall return back into my pond ...... I have some liner left over from when we built the pond .... Now to set my mind to planning it ... Any recomendations on plants to plant in it ?? and can I use the plain garden soil from Lowes to plant the plants in net bags in the bog when its built :question: ....

Thanks Tammy

 

[sissy]

Pond water usually will not hurt plants

 

[CountryEscape]

Tammy, you need to check out Addy's thread about bogs! We have all found out that plants that call for "even moisture", no matter what type, can be put in a bog. Hostas even can go in the bog, if you have shade. I'm growing canna bulbs and calla lilies, too. Elephant ears can go in the bog. Besides all the pond plants that typically would be in the pond or bog: Lizards tail, Pickerel rush, cattail (I like the dwarf cattail), water parsley, chameleon plant (find that in with the regular plants, it will be cheaper than if it's sold as a pond plant - same plant!), parrots feather, and on and on. Addy has a huge bog, and I didn't understand at first, but am learning as I go, as I built a bog last year, expanded it right away, and now have a much larger bog on new goldfish only pond. She has all her plants in the bog planted bare root into the pea gravel. You don't want regular dirt or potting soil in the bog even if it's in pots, as it will filter out of the pots into your pond. It's soooo easy to bare root plant the plants in a pea gravel bog. Run lines of water under the pea gravel, it will filter up through the gravel and roots and then let it overflow back into your pond. It's a great filtering system! Good luck!

 

[pondlover]

Welcome to the forum. If you put a bog in, like those of us that have one, you will love it!!

 

[sissy]

I'm bogless or is that clueless LOL