Pond foam

[Wolvesfan71]

Hi looking for a bit of reassurance.i have a pond approx 2000 gallons and was running geat.unfortunately a few weeks ago I had a peice of slate fall into the pond and damage the lining resulting in the water level continually falling so decided to replace the lining a few weeks ago.i bought a steel framed pool to house the fish and filled with pond water and also used existing filter system.i have since replaced lining filled with tap water and left for a week before adding the fish and the remaining pond water,approx 1000 gallons.i am now experiencing a large amount pond foam and looks like ice over the pond.do you think this is due to the bio filter being interrupted and will this improve in time.testing shows no ammonia but a small amount of nitrite.the fish seem okay.i have never added any chemicals and don't really want to.any advice greatly appreciated

 

[Wolvesfan71]

I also need to add the I have a substantial amount of plants including elodea crispa.hornwort,4lilies and other potted plants.when emptying the pond I was shocked how much there was.all of the plant were kept and reintroduced to the pond

 

[GBBUDD]

Foam is a result of death/waste its proteins that have entered the water column increase the filtration, water changes or protein skimmer . or you could break out the pond vac

 

[Wolvesfan71]

Foam is a result of death/waste its proteins that have entered the water column increase the filtration, water changes or protein skimmer . or you could break out the pond vac

Thanks for that,but I can't see where the excess protein could come from,the pond with the new liner has only been running for two weeks so there should be no waste material/sludge in the pond

 

[Wolvesfan71]

Please see photos

 

[Mmathis]

Maybe, spawning?

 

[WaterGardener]

Foam is a result of decomposing organic compounds, DOCs. They could be coming from the plants which are almost constantly growing and breaking down.

Most ponds do this in the spring when the pond is getting itself established again after the winter. After a few weeks, the pond settles and gets itself balanced again and the foam disappears.

Since your pond is now new again, I would think that this will sort itself out with a little time.

If it is of concern to you, you could add a foam fractionator to your pond to draw the foam out. You can even make your own and there is info online on how to do that.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Maybe, spawning?

This was my thought, too....

 

[Wolvesfan71]

Foam is a result of decomposing organic compounds, DOCS. They could be coming from the plants which are almost constantly growing and breaking down.

Most ponds do this in the spring when the pond is getting itself established again after the winter. After a few weeks, the pond settles and gets itself balanced again and the foam disappears.

Since your pond is now new again, I would think that this will sort itself out with a little time.

If it is of concern to you, you could add a foam fractionator to your pond to draw the foam out. You can even make your own and there is info online on how to do that.

Thanks for the advice

 

[j.w]

Or a combo of spawning and plant decay?

 

[GBBUDD]

Thanks for that,but I can't see where the excess protein could come from,the pond with the new liner has only been running for two weeks so there should be no waste material/sludge in the pond

Your showing us tons of plants . if that is a new liner, and you dropped old plants in there or you bought a bunch either way that's all it takes. Freshly planted can result in some death , if your old liner was thick with bio film it may have been keeping the pond in check . and now that it's gone your pond is going through growing pains again.

It could also be protein as fish will often spawn when they get stressed.

 

[dinm]

I had a lot of foam in Spring, and sometimes when I refill with tap water I'd have foam. It goes away though.

 

[RMaynard]

Could just be from phosphates in the tap water. Either way, it will likely sort itself out with time.

If you don't have a skimmer in your system, adding one may help. It will pull the surface water where the DOCs concentrate back into circulation with the rest of the water, giving them a chance to get filtered out.