Sooo frustrated!!

[lauragal]

I can barely see my fish for the last 2 weeks (or more). Had crystal clear water and then all of a sudden it turned brown. Thought my UV clarifier wasn't big enough for the pond, so I replaced the 9wt with a 40 watt clarifier. It has changed NOTHING. Now I don't think it's algae because it is brown. I can see brown particles throughout the entire pond water.

Any suggestions? My pond is about 2300 gallons. I have a waterfall, pump, bio filter and UV clarifier. I feel like the summer is going to come and go and I'm not going to be able to enjoy seeing my koi. I have done water changes too, to no avail. Tested my water and everything is good. Can't imagine what is causing this. I have also cleaned out the waterfall filter on a daily basis because it is full of muck every day.

 

[addy1]

Not sure what it might be, you might want to get some quilt batting, put it where water will flow through it to collect the brown muck. Also get some activated charcoal to remove the brown color.

Could it be some dieing algae? I have seen brown muck floating off the bottom in some ponds, but not well taken care of ones. Yours does not rate the not well taken care of rating.

 

[lauragal]

Thanks Addy - but how would I use the activated carbon? I'm seriously thinking of emptying the pond and starting over! The only thing I haven't done is check the bio-filter. I was afraid to clean that out (it is a hayward pool filter filled with bio-media) because I didn't want to mess with the established bacteria.

But maybe I need to do something with that - maybe empty it and then just flush some clean water through it? Or throw some of those scrubbie sponges in with it? I've only had the pond for 3 years and still feel like a total newb.

 

[addy1]

You can flush the filter with pond water, don't use city water if that is what you have, so you don't kill the bacteria. I would do that way before you empty the pond.
How long has it been since your filter has been cleaned?

charcoal would just be put in your filter in a bog or somewhere there is water flow.

 

[lauragal]

Well, lately, I've been backwashing it several times a week now. My husband and I just took the top off and it seems like something was clogged (unscrewed the drain and it didn't drain). So we just moved stuff around and now when I backwashed it came out filthy. So maybe that was the problem? I'll see how it goes the next few days before changing out the water. My husband is convinced it's dead algae floating around. It's like millions of particles in the water. Don't know how I'm gonna get rid of it all.

 

[addy1]

quilt batting really works for removing fine stuff, if you have an area the water flows in like a stream water fall , put the batting there. Let the water flow through it. You may want to pull your medium out of the filter and rinse it in pond water. Don't scrub clean, just rinse.

Moving the stuff around may have broke loose junk in your filter allowing it to flow into your pond.

 

[ponderpaul]

It seems every situation is a little different :nananananana:. Sand & gravel filter has done wonders for me. I am sure you can find diy instructions on one of the forms

 

[mew5280]

The trick for me was adding a mechanical filter with filter media I clean daily or weekly. I use quilt batting and the foam filters and throw out the batting, though you can rinse and use it again, I might use it twice. It will get gunked up right away so if you change it daily for awhile, maybe it will clear up the water. I already had the filter and pump though, not sure you want to go buying more things.

 

[lauragal]

Thanks Addy - I'll give it a try

 

[addy1]

Mine was just used for around 3 days, once the silt was gone it was gone, did not want to build a filter just for short term use.

 

[klmustang67]

Is your pond in the shade? If so my guess is that you probably have sludge on the bottom of your pond. It may not be much, but there is probably a thin layer coating the liner and when you touch it the brown particles go everywhere.

My suggestion is to get an organic digester, perhaps microbelift sa, this should take care of the problem. Activated carbon will help and a water change will help as well. I would also check your biofilter to make sure that it has seeded correctly and isn't filled with the same sludge....

 

[lauragal]

The first year I had the pond, I tried the sand and gravel filter - didn't work for me - wound up removing the sand and gravel and replaced it with sinking media. Last year my pond was great. I'm obsessed with this now so I'll get it clear again!

I clean the waterfall filter daily, sometimes twice a day right now. I'm amazed at how nothing I'm doing is making one bit of a difference! In fact, sometimes the water looks worse.

 

[addy1]

Good luck, let us know how it goes

 

[lauragal]

Yes, kimustang - my pond it mostly in the shade - gets maybe 4 hours of full sun, then the rest is shade. You are exactly right - there is a thin layer (okay, no, it's a thick layer! of what looks like sludge to me on the liner. When the fish swim by you can see the particles going everywhere.

I almost bought Microbelift today, but they only had the huge $80 gallon of it (it's the live bacteria). They also had the Microbelift sludge remover - was tempted to get it but I thought if it breaks down the sludge, don't I end up with the same problem? I'm not sure I know what the Microbelift sa is?

 

[lauragal]

Thanks Addy - I will. I have tomorrow and Saturday totally free and I intend to get to the bottom of this!