Pond help please?

[Lauren's pond]

We moved into a home 2 years ago with a pre-existing pond. Actually 2 ponds. A smaller pond up top with a small stream to a larger pond below. We estimate total to be about 4500 galleons. There are no fish in the pond, though lots of tadpoles and other visiting frogs. There is a large variety of plant life. There is a small pump but no filter. And so now, we are sick of the pea soupy look of the pond that starts now and lasts almost all summer. I have been trying to research what to do to clear up the green, which I believe to be algae bloom, but there are so many options, and I am not at all familiar with pond talk. And often the options have to do with fish load, which we have none of. So, my very naive question is, can someone help by suggesting how we can get rid of the pea soup? Things I have read include: skippys filter, a UV light, larger pump? I do not want to spend a ton of money, but would prefer to spend whatever necessary to get the right solution to the problem with first time around. I think UV filters seem like a good choice for clear water getting rid of algae bloom, but there is a lot of choice in UV's, some seem to be a tube that sits outside of the pond, whereas others are inside a pump, inside the water?

Sorry for my ignorance about this all. Thanks in advance for anyone's help.
Cheers.

 

[Tula]

Welcome! You could begin by doing a nice water change and hooking up your pump, just to recirculate the water and provide aeration. If it's the type of pump that is submerged in the pond, just attach a hose / pipe/ pvc, and let the water shoot out of it, back into the pond.

Once you do that, you can make decisions about filters and plants BTW, we love pictures.

 

[Lauren's pond]

Thanks Tula. Our pump is hooked up, I just think it may be a bit small for the size of pond, but no idea really. Yes, it is the kind that is submerged in the pond. OK. I will try as you suggested. I have never changed the water before...is this something that should be done
[/ATTACH]

frequently? And I have included a couple of photos I just snapped right now.

 

[sissy]

welcome and hi there lauren and i have added extra aeration to the water .i bought the laguna air pump and have not been disappointed .My pond rebuilt and done in march about 4 ft deep and you can see the creases in the liner

 

[haver79]

Hi Lauren, Beautiful pond you have there. Loving all your spring blooms!

 

[RobAmy]

Agreed, beautiful pond. I think you have the best setup to make what is called a bog filter. You would do this in the upper pond and let the filtered water come down the stream to the lower pond. This would be the most economical with the setup to already have. It will require a little plumbing and a bigger pump but I think you could have outstanding results. I will let others chime in on this also.

 

[sissy]

can i ask how big your pump is .I just used a smaller stock tank and lava rock in my filter and plants .Works for me but maybe not every one.oh by the way love your home

 

[Lauren's pond]

Thanks. Can you explain what a bog filter is and how it works?

 

[Lauren's pond]

Sissy, I have no idea how big our pump is. We didn't install it (or the pond, or anything in the pond) and it doesn't say anywhere not the pump, so I don't know, which is part of the problem. Would the laguna air pump be good for my pond even though I don't have fish in it? Thanks

 

[RobAmy]

Thanks. Can you explain what a bog filter is and how it works?

This post will explain it much better then I can type it. https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/bog-building.6894/

 

[addy1]

Beautiful pond, yard and house. I agree with robamy, (being a lover of bogs, my only filter on my pond) I would convert the top pond to a bog/plant filter, they do a great job of keeping your pond water clear.

This is a shot of my pond water, around 5 foot deep, 15 or so feet to the edge of the pond you are seeing.

to our group

 

[Tula]

Wow, your pond is beautiful, I love it! I agree, you have an ideal set up for a bog and it would be in keeping with the setting of your pond. I would love to have a bog, but don't have the right setting for one.

Sissy mentioned an air pump. I too run one year round, but I have fish. Thank you for the pictures....nice way to start my day

 

[sissy]

It is a gamble on if an air pump would work on a pond with no fish .Since UI have fish I would not know if it would work with no fish .I bought my laguna air pump on ebay from wayfair and it was 129 dollars but since then i see they lowered it to 119 dollars.It does make for a nice show in the pond .You can add 12 air lines and the manifold has shut off valves for each 1 .Some of the air lines I put on mine have air stones and some I drilled a hole in a big sea shells and loosely tied the air hose to the shell and dropped it to the bottom of the pond .Looks pretty with the big bubbles coming up .

 

[Tula]

Neat idea about the sea shell