New Pond; Ways to minimize algae?

[JBtheExplorer]

Here's the new pond (and stream) I just installed, and am still in the middle of adding plants in and around it.

Before this, I had a small 30g pond. I couldn't tell you how much this one holds but I'd have to assume its over 200g. It's almost 3 feet deep in the deepest section which is only about 1.5' x1.5', and steps up from there. The surface is about 7' by 4'.

In my 30g pond I always had problems with algae making the water cloudy. I know certain things like plants can help reduce it, but with the 30g pond I didnt care enough to figure out the right amount. Currently I have 5 water lettuce and 1 hardy water lily. I also have a horsetail rush at the beginning of the stream. As for fish, I currently have 3 Shubunkin and 1 Koi. I'm hoping in the future this becomes a place for a few frogs to hang out as well.

Here are a bunch of questions I have for you guys:

What are the best types of plants to add to minimize algae, and how many should I add?

What other ways can I fight against algae?

Is duckweed a good plant to help cover the surface?

Are slimy walls and rocks normal or can it be avoided?

Should I add snails?


I apologize for asking so many questions, but I'm pretty excited to be working on this project and had these questions floating around in my head.

 

[CometKeith]

Good luck with your pond. It looks really nice. To reduce algae add to your pond things that will compete for the same nutrients that algae feeds on. Plants are excellent for this. Also reduce the sunlight that hits your pond that helps algae grow. Floating plants are great for this and fences etc that shade the pond. A UV light is good for eliminating single cell algae. Other people use snails or tadpoles but as you introduce new things you have to take into account what affect the new things will have in your pond. Also some algae is really not so bad. It might not look so good but algae produces oxygen for the water, food for the fish, and have other beneficial effects. My two cents is your pond is too small for a Koi so you may want to think how to enlarge it! Another issue is how you will keep it from freezing in the winter. Most people recommend at least 4-5 ft at its deepest unless you plan on using heaters in the winter.

 

[addy1]

Put some plants in your stream, just stuck in the rocks, they will help suck out the nutrients the algae lives on.
Nice looking pond you made, agree with Keith, too small for koi, you may need to re-home the one you have.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

agree with Keith, too small for koi, you may need to re-home the one you have.

It is a small koi, how long until it gets too big?

 

[shakaho]

In my 30g pond I always had problems with algae making the water cloudy. I know certain things like plants can help reduce it, but with the 30g pond I didnt care enough to figure out the right amount. Currently I have 5 water lettuce and 1 hardy water lily. I also have a horsetail rush at the beginning of the stream. As for fish, I currently have 3 Shubunkin and 1 Koi. I'm hoping in the future this becomes a place for a few frogs to hang out as well.

Here are a bunch of questions I have for you guys:

What are the best types of plants to add to minimize algae, and how many should I add?

Land or bog plants with their roots in the water. As addy said, your stream is a perfect place for them. Lots and lots.

What other ways can I fight against algae?

It's best to make a good environment for your fish and relax. Many beginners want to clean the algae off the walls of the pond. These are an important part of the ecosystem that keeps your pond healthy. You will probably get string algae growing in your stream. This makes your stream look natural and helps to purify your water. But if you get more than you want, this is great fish food. Pull it out, and take a shears and cut the glob of string algae crosswise to make it easy for your fish to swallow it. My fish go crazy over this stuff.

The algae that bothers people most is the free-floating algae that cause green water. I am told that it is normal to get green water in a new pond and in the spring. I have no experience with this since I have never had green water. The best thing to do with this is to wait a few weeks to see if it goes away.

While I can't tell you how to avoid green water, I can list some things that will encourage it to grow so that you can avoid them:

overfeeding
inadequate filtration
debris in the bottom of the pond
overstocking with fish

Is duckweed a good plant to help cover the surface?

It would be, but as fast as it grows, the fish will eat it faster. Grow it in a separate pond/tub.

Are slimy walls and rocks normal or can it be avoided?

Not only normal, but essential for the health of your pond.

Should I add snails?

They will appear whether you want them or not.

I apologize for asking so many questions, but I'm pretty excited to be working on this project and had these questions floating around in my head.

Very pretty little pond. What do you have for filtration?

You would do best to find a new home for the koi right away unless you are planning to build a MUCH larger pond. Keep it around for the summer and you will get atttached.

 

[sissy]

soon you will have baby fish .Try lemon grass and lemon verbina and the smell will be great

 

[sissy]

Oh and I added snails and my koi ate them all ,no garlic either :cheerful:

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Very pretty little pond. What do you have for filtration?

You would do best to find a new home for the koi right away unless you are planning to build a MUCH larger pond. Keep it around for the summer and you will get attached.

Right now we have two 200g pumps with small filters on them that we clean every other day. It was the cheapest route for now, since we already owned them.

soon you will have baby fish .Try lemon grass and lemon verbina and the smell will be great

We've had the Shubunkins for a few years so I don't know if we'll ever get babies.. it would be pretty cool, though!

 

[sissy]

In the 9 years by my list I have given over a hundred babies away .I had 30 babies this year and got rid of them all except for 2 of them I could not catch .My first filter was a tote easy ti hide with concrete block and rocks
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:54032]the new filter set up and the round filter I was using was to small to hold plants
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[sharedmedia=core:attachments:52791]2 of the totes and handle had to be cut off one to fit in the other one .

 

[Mmathis]

Here's the new pond (and stream) I just installed, and am still in the middle of adding plants in and around it.

Before this, I had a small 30g pond. I couldn't tell you how much this one holds but I'd have to assume its over 200g. It's almost 3 feet deep in the deepest section which is only about 1.5' x1.5', and steps up from there. The surface is about 7' by 4'.

In my 30g pond I always had problems with algae making the water cloudy. I know certain things like plants can help reduce it, but with the 30g pond I didnt care enough to figure out the right amount. Currently I have 5 water lettuce and 1 hardy water lily. I also have a horsetail rush at the beginning of the stream. As for fish, I currently have 3 Shubunkin and 1 Koi. I'm hoping in the future this becomes a place for a few frogs to hang out as well.

Here are a bunch of questions I have for you guys:

What are the best types of plants to add to minimize algae, and how many should I add?

What other ways can I fight against algae?

Is duckweed a good plant to help cover the surface?

Are slimy walls and rocks normal or can it be avoided?

Should I add snails?


I apologize for asking so many questions, but I'm pretty excited to be working on this project and had these questions floating around in my head.

Never, I repeat, NEVER apologize for asking questions! That's how you learn! The only ones I can help you with: yes, slime is normal, and snails are optional (Japanese Trapdoor snails).

Oh, and WELCOME, BTW!!

 

[sissy]

my koi were a couple of inches long and did not know and now know .They are now over 2 feet long .I wish I had found this sight back then .We all live and learn and sometimes we learn the hard way .Easier for you to ask and learn now .You can look at filter builds on you tube there are plenty of them and if one does not work another may .Totes are cheap .I paid 4 dollars for each of mine .Great to put plants in them to help clean the water too .

 

[CometKeith]

JB you probably have a few years until the Koi create a problem. Most people recommend at least 1000 gallons if you have Koi and that is not really that big for a large fish. Keeping a big bio-load will make it hard for you to keep your water healthy for your fish. A good rule of thumb for a beginner is 1 sq inch of surface area per inch of fish or 10 gallons of water per inch of fish. So at 200 gallons you should stick to about 20 inches of total fish and hope your fish don't grow or have babies! Also naturally one 20" fish would weigh a hundred fold more than 20 1" fish so larger fish need way more water.

 

[capewind]

Welcome to the group IF your pond volume is about 300 gallons as you think, it would be great for about 5-6 goldfish, shubunkins, etc, with decent filtration. While most fish folks buy are young, you need to account for their adult size when you get them. A good rule of thumb is to allow 50 gallons of water for each goldfish or shubunkin.

Like others have already said, you should place the koi now before you get attached. With good water quality, during the warmer months, you can expect nearly an inch per month in growth. As pretty as your pond is, the reality is it would be pretty cruel to try to keep that little koi in a pond this small. Try to think of yourself LIVING 24/7 in a small closet, with a toilet and some food area too ... I dont think you would be happy for long, and your health may suffer from the stress ... This is what you are asking of this young koi ...

Do you have a water test kit yet?

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Put some plants in your stream, just stuck in the rocks, they will help suck out the nutrients the algae lives on.
Nice looking pond you made, agree with Keith, too small for koi, you may need to re-home the one you have.

what type of plants would work in my stream? Its fairly shallow.



As for the Koi, we want to get rid of it, just cant seem to find anyone around me that owns a koi pond.

 

[capewind]

As for the Koi, we want to get rid of it, just cant seem to find anyone around me that owns a koi pond.

Post to craigslist.