Pond pumps with uv

[Maggie12]

I’m getting a headache and confused… my pond is approximately 2x1.5 metres and the depth in a small section is about a metre.. I’ve been told ( after buying an expensive aqua pro pump ) that I need to get something with a uv …. Aqua pro has a 3 in 1 pump but I’ve also been told that oase is the best.. my pond is in full sun most of the day… any advice would be appreciated.. I have plants and goldfish in it
Maggie

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Nope. You most certainly do not *need* something with a UV. Some people do choose to add a UV light to their system to combat free floating algae (pea green water) but if your pond is well balanced with the correct number of fish (not too many) and plants (IMO, can never have enough! lol) your pond will be just fine with nice, clear water - no UV necessary.

 

[Maggie12]

Nope. You most certainly do not *need* something with a UV. Some people do choose to add a UV light to their system to combat free floating algae (pea green water) but if your pond is well balanced with the correct number of fish (not too many) and plants (IMO, can never have enough! lol) your pond will be just fine with nice, clear water - no UV necessary.

Guess I haven’t got it balanced

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Guess I haven’t got it balanced

How old is your pond? How many goldfish & how many/what type of plants do you have? Any pictures? (we LOVE pictures!!) I'm calculating your volume at about 675 gallons (2500L) Does that sound about right?

If your pond is new, some algae bloom is pretty much expected until it finds its balance. The more details you can give the better people will be able to help you get things on track.

 

[Lisak1]

All good questions from @BKHpondcritters - more info will definitely help us. But generally speaking I agree - a UV is a personal preference, but to me it adds to cost, maintenance and may in fact be killing off beneficial single celled organisms in your pond along with the free floating algae. Look at the excess algae as a clue - you need to solve the question of "why do I have so much algae?"

 

[sissy]

Iuse koi clay to bind to algae and kill it and send it to the filter . I have a uv but did not get a bulb for it this year . We had so much rain i did not feel a need for it

 

[Maggie12]

At the moment it looks pretty ok because I emptied it the other day and started again.. I have 4 large goldfish and 5smaller ones

 

[Hound Heaven]

Nope - a UV is nonessential. But good filtration is essential as is not overstocking your fish. Lot's of us here do fine without a UV and are happy to help.

 

[Maggie12]

Nope - a UV is nonessential. But good filtration is essential as is not overstocking your fish. Lot's of us here do fine without a UV and are happy to help.

I’m in Queensland Australia where it’s hot and sunny 360 days a year maybe I should look into a different pump/filter.. the one I’m using needs the sponge cleaned every couple of hours atm just to stop pond going green again

 

[Hound Heaven]

As I understand it, it's not the sun that causes the algae but the excess nutrients in the water. You have lots of alternatives as a filter -- I happen to have a bog that is nothing more than gravel and plants that my water passes through. The plants suck up the nutrients. It did take a couple of years before ALL of the algae was controlled by the plants, but it did work.
Bogs can be as simple as a container filled with gravel that the water passes through. Or you can create a filter with various types of materials. I can't think of the guys name at the moment, but I'm sure others will -- I think he's even in Australia and is big on DIY filters. Lots of videos online that you could grab tips from that will help you save money and make it work for your situation.

 

[Maggie12]

Thank you… I’ll go find him

 

[BKHpondcritters]

At the moment it looks pretty ok because I emptied it the other day and started again.. I have 4 large goldfish and 5smaller ones

It's a beautiful little pond! But! Every time you empty it & start again, you're starting the entire balancing process over from scratch & it WILL go 'green' again. Patience is the key. How old is your pond? Please keep in mind -- Green water is only a problem for the humans involved, not the pond or fish or wildlife. Algae is a natural plant that is using up those excess nutrients which will, ultimately, keep the water parameters safe for your fish. Yes, it's frustrating not to be able to see your fishies, but suspended algae isn't 'the devil'. Letting your plants mature, limiting excess nutrients in the water (so, no overstocking or overfeeding of fish) and decent filtration (yes, a bog filter of any sort will do nothing but help), plus keeping debris skimmed off or manually removed, will eventually (there's that need for patience again) clear your water. Honestly, you might want to limit yourself to just two or three smaller goldfish, which would reduce your bioload.

And, I just have to mention this, although there's nothing you can do in the immediate future to 'fix' the problem, but... a small pond such as yours is *much* harder to keep balanced than a larger one. Don't get frustrated, just know that there might be times of year that you will have to endure algae blooms.

 

[j.w]

@Maggie12

 

[Maggie12]

Thank you

 

[Lisak1]

Every time you empty it & start again, you're starting the entire balancing process over from scratch & it WILL go 'green' again.

This is the most important thing you can hear. The temptation to clean and start over gets to many many new pond owners. Unfortunately you are just causing yourself more waiting time. Your pond needs to seek and find balance. It can take UP TO TWO YEARS for a pond to completely balance itself. You'll know when it happens. Will you still get algae? Sure. But you'll learn to understand why and how to make the necessary adjustments. Emptying and cleaning is never a solution.