New here. Introduction and need some help/advice please

[sneakingfart]

Green water in the Spring is normal for some.
I'm in northeastern Pennsylvania and my pond has literally just returned to its crystal clear state around June 18. Even with my bog it can be a bit murky in the Spring.

Nature provides the algae (plants) until your regular plants and your pond's beneficial bacteria wake up from a cold winter.

Add lots and lots of plants.

UV lights are not selective. They kill even the good stuff. Then all that dead matter becomes food for more algae to feed on.

You were very lucky with the algecide.
We've seen so many posts where fish have been killed off from adding that stuff.

I never do water changes and the only cleaning I do is slowly running a net along the bottom in the Spring and Fall.

The bog filter does help, as mentioned.
My pond is way overstocked.
Before adding the bog, I couldn't get rid of the pea soup green water. There was just too much fish waste and the store bought filters couldn't keep up with it.
Now, with the bog, once the Spring wake up is over, the water is amazingly clear.

The best thing to do would be add lots and lots of plants.

Yes, I have killed fish in the past with the algaecide, but the problem was I extremely overestimated the volume of my pond and horribly overdosed it. But I really don't like to use it. The fish are sluggish for 24 hours, and I can tell they really don't like it. Unfortunately plant selection in my local places is mediocre. I ordered a lot of underwater plants online yesterday, and some weights to sink them to the bottom. And the fish will like them also. The algaecide actually worked really well, I can see the bottom clearly this morning and the fish are back to being happy and active. My hope is that the plants, once the growing season gets fully underway, will keep it that way. I will not use the stuff again, I really do fear it.

By next year, i will have to find a way to relocate some fish. I may not be overstocked now as the little fish are still quite little, but they are growing quickly and I can already tell there will be more on the way. I may need to add additional filters, my pump can certainly handle the extra load. It's overbuilt for the pond size.

 

[addy1]

Plants plants and more plants A lot of us filter with only a bog! and plants

Welcome to the forum!

Very pretty pond!

 

[poconojoe]

And I will go ahead and be the immature person who says it: Your online name is HILARIOUS!

I'm thinking of changing mine to "SilentButDeadly"

 

[sneakingfart]

Now I'm really interested to see how I can retrofit a bog into the pond.

 

[poconojoe]

Now I'm really interested to see how I can retrofit a bog into the pond.

I did it after my pond was 10 years old.
I struggled with solid green water the complete previous year. And that was with two pressure filters and a UV light.

As stated, I have way too many fish.
The only way I could have achieved clear water was to add a bog or rehome half my fish.

After adding on the bog, the pea soup green water cleared up within a week and the plants in the bog were new, so their benefit hadn't even been applied yet.

Here's my add-on bog thread:

My add-on bog build

I finally did it! I joined the bog club! The bog is approximately 14 feet by 5 feet and about 12 inches deep. I know my 1600+ gallon pond has been overpopulated due to my fish reproductive rates! Last year the water never cleared up to my liking. I figured my two pressure filters and my...

www.gardenpondforum.com

 

[CometKeith]

Now I'm really interested to see how I can retrofit a bog into the pond.

Hi. Your pond is really nice. I agree with above comments the only chemical you should ever had is decor. Re green color the most important thing is that the water is healthy for your fish. I agree a bog is very helpful. I built a bog a few years ago. I actually built a wall in my existing pond and built a bog in the new area I sectioned off. If you don’t have space to add a bog you can do the same thing!

 

[YShahar]

Unfortunately plant selection in my local places is mediocre. I ordered a lot of underwater plants online yesterday, and some weights to sink them to the bottom.

One thing I've found where I live (Israel) is that plants at water garden places tend to be way overpriced, even though some of the same plants can be found at regular nurseries in the house plant section. Don't overlook marginals, which you can grow in containers on the edge of the pond. They may not suck up nutrients as fast as floating plants, but they do help some.

As an example of some house plants that are actually marginals, see: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/water-plants/wgen/water-tolerant-plants.htm

 

[poconojoe]

One thing I've found where I live (Israel) is that plants at water garden places tend to be way overpriced, even though some of the same plants can be found at regular nurseries in the house plant section. Don't overlook marginals, which you can grow in containers on the edge of the pond. They may not suck up nutrients as fast as floating plants, but they do help some.

As an example of some house plants that are actually marginals, see: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/water-plants/wgen/water-tolerant-plants.htm

Agree.
There are many "pond" plants that are just really normal plants you can find in local garden centers, nurseries and big box stores like Home Depot, etc..

You'd be surprised how many regular plants work well in and around your pond.

I have Iris, Creeping Jenny, Lizards Tail, Umbrella Plant (and Papyrus), and many others.

 

[sneakingfart]

Interesting. Thank you, I didn't realize that some of these regular plants also work.

 

[SarahT]

Yes, I have killed fish in the past with the algaecide, but the problem was I extremely overestimated the volume of my pond and horribly overdosed it. But I really don't like to use it. The fish are sluggish for 24 hours, and I can tell they really don't like it. Unfortunately plant selection in my local places is mediocre. I ordered a lot of underwater plants online yesterday, and some weights to sink them to the bottom. And the fish will like them also. The algaecide actually worked really well, I can see the bottom clearly this morning and the fish are back to being happy and active. My hope is that the plants, once the growing season gets fully underway, will keep it that way. I will not use the stuff again, I really do fear it.

By next year, i will have to find a way to relocate some fish. I may not be overstocked now as the little fish are still quite little, but they are growing quickly and I can already tell there will be more on the way. I may need to add additional filters, my pump can certainly handle the extra load. It's overbuilt for the pond size.

Rehoming. My local pet store and a pond building place accept small goldfish for rehoming (friends, don't tell me some are becoming feeder goldfish. I KNOW I saw Santa Claus last year.)