STILL Green :(

[crsublette]

well been at this for 10 years and my dad had his pond 30 years ,took my dad and I a month to dig the pond by hand .Only reason I had to rebuild is because something chewed holes in my liner .You can't just say because we don't do it your way we are all wrong .We cannot all be wrong .Yes things may go wrong but we manage with out all the fancy stuff or all the talk over stuff that to me seems crazy .Plus we do not put people down for what they do .You will always have some type of problem with a pond no matter what .

Nobody has even come close to suggesting "we don't do it your way we are all wrong. We cannot all be wrong" nor suggesting that "people should be put down for what they do". However, there actually are better choices out there, which this inherently means there are also worst choices.

Sure, folk can wait 3 months or more for "green water" algae to eventually collapse and resolve itself or spend every 2~4+ hours to clean quilt batting until the algae is removed. This is fine. However, can not deny that these "fancy" UV devices will resolve the problem in a matter of a week or even a few days if the UV is properly rated or over-sized, maintained, and properly installed.

Yes, some folk will always have some type of problem. Then, there will be other folk that realize how predictable all of this stuff is once the "why" is understood and have much fewer, if any problems, that is with the exception of unavoidable act of god events intervening (i.e., tornado).

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Yes things may go wrong but we manage with out all the fancy stuff or all the talk over stuff that to me seems crazy .

I completely agree on "all the fancy stuff". A pond will function quite efficiently and trouble free If it is properly designed (right balance of fish to plants) and has an adequate flow rate and ample filtration, bio and mechanical. UVs, fancy bio-filtration, ionizers, fancy skimmers and the other 'bells and whistles' that are foisted on the public in the guise of improving water quality.
This 'talk over stuff' that you refer to is about the Nature driven bio-chemical processes that make any pond function. This is why one would test their pond's water....to gauge how well these processes are working.

You can't just say because we don't do it your way we are all wrong ..

The only way that one can 'do it wrong' is to work against Nature and the established laws that enable her to function.

.You will always have some type of problem with a pond no matter what .

The only real problem that I see any pond experiencing is when the inhabitants begin to die off.

 

[sissy]

I understand about uv's being used wrong that is why when I decided to use them on my pond I decided to use 1 dedicated pump that is for all 3 u.v.'s and each 1 was set up at a different point on the pond .The pump is in the middle and the u.v.'s all go straight back into the pond at different areas of the pond .I knew from the beginning that it could take weeks or more for the water to clear after I rebuilt .When the filters were put back in I used microb-lift to help .Plus I do not over feed my fish .I still use quilt batting when needed ,it does work but does take time .I have lots of patience .Better choices for one person are not always better choices for another person .We all live in different climate zones .I myself like a change of season ,at least it gives me time to get caught up with my hobbies .Not sure I would ever be able to take care of a pond year round like warmer climates have too.I give them credit for there dedication to there ponds .

 

[sissy]

I grew up on an organic farm from the age of 9 and it takes a lot of work and dedication for anything you do in life .I never fight mother nature .Learned that from my father ,Work hard enough and you can succeed in any thing you do .

 

[Meyer Jordan]

For some reason, I only got a partial posting of my comment.
Omitted was the following:

Yes things may go wrong but we manage with out all the fancy stuff or all the talk over stuff that to me seems crazy ..

I totally agree about the "fancy stuff". UVs, Fancy biofilters(pressurized, floating bed, etc.) trickle towers, Bakki showers, ozone generators, etc. are completely unnecessary attachments to a pond. Proper balance of fish and plants, proper water flow, and adequate bio/mechanical filtration is all that is required. None the ponds that I have crafted or rehabilitated have experienced 'green water', low Oxygen levels, parasite/pathogen issues or loss of fish. None of these ponds have any of this "fancy stuff"
The 'talk over stuff' is merely a discussion on the Nature driven biochemical processes that keep a pond properly functioning. These same processes are what you are monitoring when you perform water tests. So every pond owner is affected by this "stuff" that is being talked over.

 

[Priscilla]

Sometimes you have to eat your words ........

Just for kicks I decided to test my well water - Nitrates 40ppm My pond is at 20ppm because of the green water. So I guess that explains why my water changes haven't been working! UGHHHHHHHH! What in the world changed? Did anything change? I have never tested it before because I haven't had this problem. Bizarre.

I tested my RO water, its at 0 for nitrates. PH seems to be pretty close to the well. So I'm going to do a water change with that (should I?) and see how things work out. Or just let the system run through the UV for a while longer?

I suppose 40 isn't that high but for whatever reason my pond is green - maybe all the super bright sunlight! I'm impressed my pond is doing as well as it is considering these stinking iguanas pooping in the pond several times a day.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Glad we are back on topic. This thread had wandered a little too far.

Too many pond owners never test their source water. It should be the first thing that they test, especially if it is well water.

A Nitrate reading of 40 is high if one is concerned about excessive algae growth (green water). It is not too high if one is considering the overall health of the pond. Goldfish, and Koi, prefer turbid water. Goldfish, in particular, thrive in 'green water' and will quickly become 'fat and sassy'. The 'green water' provides them will a constant source of rich nutrients, protection from predators, and the perfect conditions for spawning. A human's point of view of this condition is the complete opposite. They think it looks terrible and they can't see their fish.

The fact that you have an RO unit on your home's water system indicates problems with the local water supply.

My concern, all along, has been the iquana poop and whether or not it may transfer pathogens or parasites to the pond water.

 

[crsublette]

Sometimes you have to eat your words ........

Just for kicks I decided to test my well water - Nitrates 40ppm My pond is at 20ppm because of the green water. So I guess that explains why my water changes haven't been working! UGHHHHHHHH! What in the world changed? Did anything change? I have never tested it before because I haven't had this problem. Bizarre.

I tested my RO water, its at 0 for nitrates. PH seems to be pretty close to the well. So I'm going to do a water change with that (should I?) and see how things work out. Or just let the system run through the UV for a while longer?

I suppose 40 isn't that high but for whatever reason my pond is green - maybe all the super bright sunlight! I'm impressed my pond is doing as well as it is considering these stinking iguanas pooping in the pond several times a day.

Yeah, if you are can afford the additional RO filter depletion, then I would use the RO water rather than the well water due to the high nitrate levels of your well water. In the meanwhile, continue to use your UV since you have recently said it has improved the situation. If using RO water for the pond rather than well water significantly increases RO filter replacement costs to the point you do not want to absorb, then using the high nitrate well water while operating and maintaining a UV may likely be your more cost effective option. However, there will still be a significant accumulation of nitrate occurring if you continue to use the well water that should be addressed.

A properly planted bog device or some other appropriate nutrient sponge solution will fix the nitrate concerns.

You can try the vodka dosing approach in the meanwhile as well.

Another option to deal with the nitrates and if you do not use any carcinogenic pond medication products, then, during the relatively warm (not hot) weather, growing very heavy nitrogen feeding, short season, leafy green annual vegetable crops will significantly decrease the nitrate levels and phosphate levels plus you get something out of it your self. Annual vegetable plants very much enjoy consuming nitrate nitrogens, that is in contrast to their perennial cousins whom are slower to intake nitrate nitrogens. An easy way to construct the grow bed is to simply get a 2" styrofoam board, cut 2" holes in it appropriately spaced apart, install 2" net pots in these holes, use perlite as a grow medium, place some lettuce seed or a seedling in this grow medium, float this styrofoam on the pond; if you want a greater chance at success, then germinate the seedlings in its own tray and then transfer the strongest seedling to the net pots. If you are concerned of the fish eating the roots, then construct a netted ring that attaches to the styrofoam or use a container placed outside of the pond to float this styrofoam and using a small pump recirculating the water. The depth of the container would only need to be enough so to allow the styrofoam some room to float and allow water to flow underneath. Instead of styrofoam, you can also get 2.5" PVC pipe and cut 2" holes for the net pots, place the pipe on a slight grade, and then simply use a pump to trickle water from one end to the other end; however, there are concerns with water temperature becoming too hot for the plants or warming up the pond's water if this approached is used outside without shade. Just a few ideas.

 

[Priscilla]

I've done two 50% water changes with the RO water (currently doing the second one right now). I will test the nitrates later this afternoon see where I'm at. The water is not improving. I'm baffled. I thought after one 50% change with what would be considered 'pure' water (very very low ppm, 0 nitrates) my pond would start to clear up. I checked my UV light its working, not blocked that I can see.

I added in a few more plants and think I might go pick up a bunch on hyacinths, the fish will eat them, but if they can last a week maybe, just maybe they can suck up some of this green.

My Dad wants me to filter everything through a charcoal filter, but I think it would just be constantly blocked and I'd have to wash it every hour or so.

Any comments? Thoughts? Words of encouragement?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I've done two 50% water changes with the RO water (currently doing the second one right now). I will test the nitrates later this afternoon see where I'm at. The water is not improving. I'm baffled. I thought after one 50% change with what would be considered 'pure' water (very very low ppm, 0 nitrates) my pond would start to clear up. I checked my UV light its working, not blocked that I can see.

I added in a few more plants and think I might go pick up a bunch on hyacinths, the fish will eat them, but if they can last a week maybe, just maybe they can suck up some of this green.

My Dad wants me to filter everything through a charcoal filter, but I think it would just be constantly blocked and I'd have to wash it every hour or so.

Any comments? Thoughts? Words of encouragement?

If the Iguana problem is a great as you have hinted, then this is the source of your nutrient load. Even though you have 2 UVs working and performed a 50% water change, which was risky, the Iguanas are adding organics (poop) as fast as you remove them.Is there some type of baffle that you can place around your trees that overhang your pond to keep the Iguanas out?

 

[Priscilla]

If the Iguana problem is a great as you have hinted, then this is the source of your nutrient load. Even though you have 2 UVs working and performed a 50% water change, which was risky, the Iguanas are adding organics (poop) as fast as you remove them.Is there some type of baffle that you can place around your trees that overhang your pond to keep the Iguanas out?

The iguanas are a problem, but my pond was fine before. I only have the larger UV light running now. Just got home, the pond is green, the RO water is still refilling the pond (just a trickling in, so I will test later when its full.

There's no way to really keep them away. They swim in the pond and even when its netted they crawl on the net and poop so its a lost cause. I just can't understand what has changed so drastically in 3 months.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Remind me of the age of your pond.

 

[Priscilla]

13 months

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Have you always had the same number of fish? If not, what is the approximate time line of adding fish? I am really trying to zero in on the true source of your problem. Need to ask questions.

 

[Priscilla]

I added the fish slowly throughout the year. Around the time the problem started I added 2 small koi (less than 6inches).

Bit of background, started the pond in Dec 31, 2013. Had the usual problems, ammonia, too many fish too fast (a heron helped me out with that real fast). I let the water go green till everything seemed to be at reasonable levels, I turned the UV on in late Feb (I think).

The UV has kept everything fine. I had no ammonia, PH was fine (I didn't have a nitrate test back then so can't comment). I slowly started adding fish. I've always had an iguana problem. I would get floating algae (you couldn't really scoop it, very fine) that would come up in the middle of the day and sink in the afternoon - that was the biggest issue. But looking back, I think that started happening as the UV light got older.

My UV died in Oct (guessing), but I didn't think it was the UV, I thought at first I had some run off in the pond after some very heavy rains. So I kept waiting for that to clear up, doing water changes trying to speed it up. I now know my well has nitrates, so that wasn't helping.

Finally figured out it was the UV. Tried to use a small UV, didn't work. Finally got a replacement bulb in mid December and have been running it ever since. Of course I know I slowed things down with all the water changes and just added more nitrates. Now that I finally know, I add the RO water and I guess I just wait it out.

Did the well water always have nitrates? I don't know. All I do know is I had a crystal clear pond with no issues, I haven't added a bunch of fish, my fish haven't gown that much. I used to check my water all the time, but there were never any changes, so I stopped around summer.

Ohhhhhhh, I did add a huge pot (maybe 30 gall) with a water lily in it ....... I wonder if the dirt in that is causing issues? That was also around the same time of things going wrong. In fact, I added that large pot and probably 3 small 10gall pots with other lilies in them. Hmmmmmm could that be the problem?