Pond Gone Bad

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My wife and I have a 16 foot x 9 foot oval pond. Average depth is 13 inches, with the deepest part 31 inches. Last week the pond turned all green, with a slimy surface, and all our fish died, except 1. I took out 20 goldfish. I removed all the water from the pond, hosed it down really well, and refilled it. Started up the two pumps, which both lead to a waterfall bio-filter. What caused the green water, and slimy surface? When cleaning the pond I took out at least a foot of muck in the bottom of the pond. We have plants in the pond, including two water lilies, several pickerel rush, and other plants. All in pots. Someone, please help, as we want to restock the pond, but we are afraid to.
 
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Welcome!
If you haven't done any water tests with a drop test kit, please do and post the numerical test results here.
Sorry about your fish deaths.
Please post some pictures and state what model pumps and filters you have.
 
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If the water turned green very suddenly and the fish died, is there any chance there was fertilizer or other lawn treatment runoff from somewhere? Sorry that happened! The folks on here are very knowledgeable and and helpful! I'm sure when you give them some of the details, they can solve your mystery!
 

j.w

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Green water (algae) and slimy sides are normal and it is good to leave that short growing algae grow on the sides of the pond. The green will clear up in time but a foot of muck on the bottom is a lot! I would never let that much muck accumulate again. Use a net w/a long pole to pull out stuff before it gets that bad.
So you had slimy surface on the top of the water? Sounds like the water just went bad from all that muck and maybe hot weather? Fish need to breath and dirty water is not healthy. Get the test kit and test your water to make sure it is right, then add that one little fish back in and keep testing. Don't get anymore fish for awhile till the water has had a chance to acclimate. Here is some info that might help you:
http://www.lagunakoi.com/Pond-Water-Chemistry-Water-Testing-sc-29.html
 
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Warm water, oxygen crash around dawn... assuming the fish died at the same time.

Not much wrong with the pond, its vulnerable to low dissolved oxygen levels during the heat of summer.... towards dawn
 

Meyer Jordan

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Warm water, oxygen crash around dawn... assuming the fish died at the same time.

Not much wrong with the pond, its vulnerable to low dissolved oxygen levels during the heat of summer.... towards dawn

True, but Goldfish are known to be quite adaptable to extremely low Oxygen levels for an extended period of time.

Need more information on what events led up to this fish loss.
Was this large amount of sediment disturbed before the loss?
Were any water treatments administered?
Was there a pH crash?
 

sissy

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Never understood that as I have taken out ponds that have been neglected for years with no pumps no water movement and yet fish survived and some were koi .I was amazed sometimes that anything could be alive in some of the ponds .
 

Meyer Jordan

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Never understood that as I have taken out ponds that have been neglected for years with no pumps no water movement and yet fish survived and some were koi .I was amazed sometimes that anything could be alive in some of the ponds .

Nature has a way of balancing itself. What one may believe is an unhealthy pond due to how it looks and how it has been maintained, is, in reality, from the inhabitants point of view,
a healthy ecosystem.
Too much emphasis is placed on the aesthetics of a pond and the erroneous belief that man is absolutely necessary for it to function properly biochemically.
Typically man feels the need to intervene to correct a problem that was likely caused by man;s previous intervention(s).
 

sissy

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I guess my neglect of my pond has helped it a lot then .Water is clear fish look good and water is clear and they have not been fed in 2 weeks .I have totally forgotten to feed them .I did give them a big handful of that new food when I got it and not even sure when that was .I guess I will go out and throw in another handful now
 
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Nature has a way of balancing itself. What one may believe is an unhealthy pond due to how it looks and how it has been maintained, is, in reality, from the inhabitants point of view,
a healthy ecosystem.
Too much emphasis is placed on the aesthetics of a pond and the erroneous belief that man is absolutely necessary for it to function properly biochemically.
Typically man feels the need to intervene to correct a problem that was likely caused by man;s previous intervention(s).
I knew there would be criticism about whether to leave the pond all green and murky, or clear, so you can see the fish and the activity in the pond. I'm looking to clear up the pond and not have fish die in it, that's it. You want a green, slimy pond, be my guest.
 

Meyer Jordan

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I knew there would be criticism about whether to leave the pond all green and murky, or clear, so you can see the fish and the activity in the pond. I'm looking to clear up the pond and not have fish die in it, that's it. You want a green, slimy pond, be my guest.

Perhaps you have been reading too many advertisements for Pond treatments or just reading the wrong information on the internet.

Goldfish (and Koi to an extent), actually prefer green water and Koi thrive in murky water. A Koi or Goldfish is no more likely to have health issues in a 'Pea Soup' pond than they are in a clear pond.
 
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With climate change, ponds have longer growing seasons (more, bigger plants) More decomp from increased metabolisms, with co2 levels going from 300 to over 400ppm radiative forcing is increased, ponds are warmer after dark, soooo, you have less dissolved o2 in the water, more plants soaking it up through the night, ponds are more likely to be depleted through the night, especially during LP weather.... Top that off with increased power outages during warm weather....

Pond casualties from low oxygen levels, will increase.
 
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I knew there would be criticism about whether to leave the pond all green and murky, or clear, so you can see the fish and the activity in the pond. I'm looking to clear up the pond and not have fish die in it, that's it. You want a green, slimy pond, be my guest.

I think you misunderstood - we all strive for a pond that is enjoyable for us while maintaining a healthy ecosystem for fish, plants and other pond life. The only point was ponds can be healthy and not look all that appealing to us. But no one here will criticizs your desire for a pond you can enjoy.
 

j.w

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Yep we just want you to have a nice pond the way you want it w/fish that will live in it and thrive. I wish we knew the magic answer on why your fish died. Sometimes you just have to start over and go on and hope it doesn't happen again. We live and learn through trial and error sometimes.
 

Meyer Jordan

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With climate change, ponds have longer growing seasons (more, bigger plants) More decomp from increased metabolisms, with co2 levels going from 300 to over 400ppm radiative forcing is increased, ponds are warmer after dark, soooo, you have less dissolved o2 in the water, more plants soaking it up through the night, ponds are more likely to be depleted through the night, especially during LP weather.... Top that off with increased power outages during warm weather....

Pond casualties from low oxygen levels, will increase.

Although not typically a problem in a Garden Pond, it can be an on-going issue in earthen-bottom ponds and those Garden Ponds that may be experiencing elevated bacteria activity. In these cases supplemental nighttime aeration is indicated.

While temperature may play a part, atmospheric CO2 has little, if any, relationship to Oxygen concentrations.
 

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