Stagnant preforms, crystal clear water

[addy1]

There has been a lot of discussion about green water, algae, etc recently.
This is just a, who knows why post............lol

Before we left, maybe 3-4 weeks, I installed a couple preform ponds, made a loop so the big pond water went into the preform, which water falled into the lotus tub, then into the second preform which water falled into the big pond. A nice loop

This picture is when it was a work in progress

In each preform is a lily planted in kitty clay, in the lotus tub is 4 growing lotus, planted in kitty clay

Before we hooked it up, the lotus tub did have algae, murky greenish water, could not really see into it.

We started the flow, the lotus tub cleared up beautifully, the preforms stayed clear.

Next we left town, for two weeks, within two days of leaving we had to have our neighbor turn off the flow, due to blockage which was draining the big pond. So these three ponds, two preforms, one 300 gallon lotus tub, with tads, tons of rosey red minnows, some gold fish, frogs, sat stagnant for almost two weeks, full sun, hot 100 degree days.

We just arrived home, a few hours ago. I went outside expecting to see algae ridden, green water, stagnant ponds.

The lotus tub, clear water, no algae to speak of, no green water. Same with the two preforms with lilies in them.

 

[crsublette]

I believe I do see some green very thin ribbony hairy looking stuff, be it algae or biofilm bacteria, i don't know. This and plants probably consuming whatever nutrients are available. Those fish look awfully small so I bet they are not excreting much Ammonia. I know ya mention ya have goldfish in there and that ya don't have any koi; so I assume the comets are not much bigger than the minnows. I know comets eat their own when they're growing as a baby comet. Do comets eat smaller fish like minnows as well ??

I know ya mentioned ya fertilized the plants in those preforms heavily and it created some sort of algae in the beginning before ya connected the preforms to the big pond. Maybe the residual of the fertilizer has been dilluted or consumed previously before this blockage occured and whatever remains is bound by the plant roots.

I suppose there could be some dilution of allelopathic chemical introduced prior to the blockage which indicates why only the tiny green hairy algae or biofilm bacteria is growing instead of the bigger macroalgae or photoplanktonic algae. Eventually, the dilution of allelopathic chemical will reach its "shelf life", dissipating.

I also do not see any, or very little, plant decay. I also read that decomposition of organics is what introduces Phosphate, which is a key nutrient required for algae growth.

I'm still not convinced that algae cannot be retarded by nutrient supply so I believe the current algae or biofilm bacteria and the plants are having some affect on algae management.

I bet there might be a dilution of allelopathic chemical and that all the key nutrients are not in sufficient supply for any of the bigger macroalgae to grow. I am told that every type of algae requires something different to live and grow, some adapt to allelopathic chemicals and others require particular nutrients.

Ya probably don't have sufficient nutrients nor dilution of allelopathic chemical to allow a really nice rampant macroalgae or any noticecable planktonic algae growth. I bet there is photoplanktonic algae floating in the water, ya just can't see it yet. There probably is more bacteria and/or algae ya can't see.

How hot do ya think the water actually is? with a thermometer


I would give it another 2 weeks or month to see what happens.


((Personally, I never have experienced any photoplanktonic algae blooms ... yet. Trickle water change at 30% a week so supposedly this should cause a greater dilution of any allelopathic chemical. Also, I am told this water exchange helps prevent planktonic algae as well. I know I am getting plenty of wind and plant decay and a dozen comets and a dozen toads plus a couple bullfrogs, i think since I can't always see them all, for my 435 gallon water feature))

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Those are my thoughts at this moment. I don't know much so it's pretty easy for me spew it out. Hopefully, this might teach me something. It will be interesting to read more.

Sheesh, some of those fish are SMALL !! I've never really seen a picture of baby fish before. Pretty kool. I can now see why or how they can survive being transported through a pump. Crazy.

 

[addy1]

There are a bunch of lotus leaves that have died, just not in the picture, they are still on the stems.
Yep they are small fish, the gold fish are around 4-5 inches. Not many No clue if the gf eat the minnows, the tub is loaded with minnows.

Had 7 different loads of toad eggs dumped in the lotus tub this year, frogs x 3 in the perform. They are full of tads and each has frogs.

The algae on the rope handles has been there since spring.

I fertilized very heavy the day before we left town, tabs and slow release. Two days later it was turned off.

They will sit without flow for another two weeks, see what happens. If you are interested I will post an update. I need to fix the connection so it can never overflow again, right now way too much stuff to do to worry about them.

I was just surprised at the lack of algae, did not except that result.

 

[Waterbug]

My 30 gal pond in San Jose, 10" deep never had an algae bloom. It did have macroalgae and Mosquitofish who were regularly fed.

This 100 gal pond 3" and a stream also never had an algae bloom. Also had macroalgae.

 

[crsublette]

Yep, it'll be interesting.

Bah, no tadpoles in my water feature yet. I know have a dozon or more toads and a couple bullfrogs. When I go out there are really late, around midnight, I see them all chilling out on the rocks and the bullfrogs inside my plants. Grr, still no tadpoles.

Share what ya find out with your overflow fix. That sounds like it could be an interesting fix. I might learn something.

 

[addy1]

All part of all this typing, learn and share lol

 

[j.w]

Interesting addy. My bathtub pond w/ the 5 shubbies and a couple water lilies and a reed plant all in kitty litter has cloudy green water in it. It gets a topping off of water added each day automatically for 10mins at a really low hose flow. The only way I can get clear water in there is to add more clean water. Not worried about it tho cuz it won't hurt the fish. Every now and then I let the hose flow slowly till it clears so I can see if they are all still alive. Maybe it needs more of that macroalgae in there to clear? How long before I get some? Wonder if it will clear if I just leave it alone. It has a small air pump and a little bubbling water fountain in it also. No filter and not making one for it.

 

[crsublette]

JW, ya really don't have any macroalgae??

I thought any kind of noticeable fuzzy or lengthy or thin green stuff would be considered to be macroalgae.

I thought it wasn't possible to not have some type of macroalgae.

 

[j.w]

Well this is the bathtub quarantine pond and it hadn't had any fish in it since last year and one plant so it's really just starting out. It has green on the sides all over and green water so I guess in time it will clear. It's prolly still cycling.