Newbie

[Mattstark44]

Good morning everyone! I'm new to the forum because I'm new to the pond hobby. I have just started my first pond details below with a few pictures. I'm not done yet, so it's a work in progress...I have a feeling it's always going to be a work in progress

Menards pre-formed 275 gallon About 6' X 8' X 18" deep (Wish it was deeper) but it's my first so can always grow!
4000 liter biological pressure filter with UV light on timer 2 hours in morning and 2 hours in evening
Tetra pre-filter to 600GPH pump to Tetra fountain
Tetra in-pond skimmer to 1,900GPH pump to LED waterfall

I had some really clear water and for the first week and then added some Pondworx Pond Bacteria and the next day seemed a brown tint kind of dirty. I also added 3 gold fish my Dad gave me out of his 8 year old pond. They're doing good it seems, swimming around checking things out and seem to love where the waterfall dumps into the pond. They haven't been eating much though? I also added a placostmus (not sure I'm spelling that right) We named him shadow because he seems to hide in the shadows and not do much.

Anyway not sure what I did that could of caused the abrupted change in water condition so I'm sure some "veteran" pond lovers could help me.

I love this new hobby and learning all about it!

 

[Spartamets]

Nice pond; welcome to the forum! This is a good place to learn what you are doing--and why. There is a lot of knowledge and experience swimming around here.

 

[sissy]

Welcome and love your bar but hate to tell you that you are now addicted and we can't help you as we encourage you and then you go bigger We get addicted and can't help adding more people to our addiction

 

[Mattstark44]

Thanks Sissy, I added the patio this spring and have been busy ever sense. I'm already wishing I would of gone deeper and bigger with a liner. Maybe in a couple years.

 

[j.w]

@Mattstark44
Pretty pond and wondering if any of that nice soil around the edges may have gotten in and colored the water a bit. Sounds like it could be that stuff you added to the water tho. Hopefully it will clear up on it's own. If not you can stick a plastic basket w/some of that white quilt batting shoved in and put it under your falls to fine clean out the brown. I take a piece of denser plastic screen and lay it over the top of the batting to collect the bigger particles before it goes through to the white batting.
Something like this:
This one is full and I need to clean and start over again:

Just take out the dirty batting and do it again till the water is clear. I have spare batting that I can use while one cleans and dries.

 

[Mattstark44]

Thanks J.W. I just transplanted those evergreen bushes (hopefully don't regret it) I tried to be careful but may have gotten some dirt in the pond. I'm going to take my pre-filter out tonight and pressure wash it to clean it and put it back in. I have an API freshwater test kit in the mail and on it's way to get testing on the water. I'll give it a few days and see if it improves.

 

[Mattstark44]

Sissy, I was just reading another one of your posts and see that you stated the barley extract will tint it brown for a couple days. I did add a little liquid barley extract, I bet that's it. I have a small bail of barley in the pond as well, can you put to much barley in a pond?

 

[j.w]

Too much barley can kill your fish because the straw deoxygenates the water as it decays. Especially when the weather is warm.

http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/ponds/barley-straw

 

[sissy]

liquid barley with peat will tint the water but not just plain liquid barley .I don't care for the straw it just makes a smelly mess .Barley breaks down to be a peroxide type chemical .

 

[Lisak1]

4000 liter biological pressure filter with UV light on timer 2 hours in morning and 2 hours in evening

Welcome! This caught my eye in your post - did I understand correctly that you turn your filter on and off?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Looks nice.
I noticed that the photos are tagged "Koi Pond". I do hope that this is not your plan. Pond is entirely too small for Koi.

 

[sissy]

I think he only means uv on timer but that will kill the bulb fast .He does mention going bigger and only mentions 3 goldfish and that whatever it is .Some say koi ponds because they just associate ponds with koi .I started with a preformed also and went bigger and bigger

 

[Lisak1]

I think he only means uv on timer

I bet you read that right - I read too fast sometimes!

 

[Mattstark44]

3 goldfish, should refer to it as a goldfish pond. I read that it isn't necessary to run the UV bulb all the time? I put it on an outdoor timer hoping to lengthen the life of it. The filter, waterfall and fountain run 24/7.

 

[Lisak1]

Glad to hear the filter is running 24/7 - that's important! I know nothing about UV though, but @sissy did say that you would burn your bulb out faster on a timer.