Swimming Pond Help

[bigring]

Hi All,
I have a 5 yr old natural swimming pool/swimming pond in my back yard that I built myself. I made a ton of mistakes and the entire process has been a huge learning experience. The past two year have been the best in terms of water quality and plant growth. I recently read Chelseabreeze’s re-posted article on his pond - we are somewhat neighbours as he lives in the next province and fairly close to where I am.

However, I am dealing with the same issue that I can’t seem to remedy so I am kindly asking for your knowledge and suggestions.

First I’ll give you the details of the pond and the issue I am having:
- approx 40’x21’ (swimming zone is about 30’x13’)
- deepest section is 6.5’ and shallowest is 1.5
- I built two 55 gal drum mechanical and bacterial filters which I clean on a regular basis
- a slimmer with the correct size/power pump
- 4 plant zones which make up the correct percentage that I should have vs swimming area
- plants are all bare root planted into pea gravel
- no fish
- I use an Aquascape iogen ionizer system
- I use an air lift system in which the water is filtered through the plant zones
- I have a 12” aerator in the deepest part of the pond to help with circulation
- waterfall with a mechanical and bacterial filter
- shade sails to limit algae growth due to too much sun
- pavers cemented and mortared together in the shallow end - the rest is just liner
- I use a pond vacuum once a week to clean out debris and organic build up
- I have to UV sterilizer (had the wrong size originally, bought the correct size and now have them both hooked up)
- skimmer/pump puma to 55 gal drum filters, they push water to the UV and then that goes to water fall
- have two girls and we swim in it regularly - they love it. Strict "No Pee" policy which they follow - I'm sure the odd pee still happens though ; )

So the issue is this organic build up on everything. I know that the pond will naturally be slippery and you want that layer, but this is so much goo that it gets stirred up easily. Yes, you want that bio layer - but this seems in excess - you don't see goo this thick on rocks & plants at a lake or pond. I can’t tell if it’s an algae. I don’t have green/pea water due to the UVs - my water is crystal clear as you can see the aerator in the deepest part of the pond easily. My water quality is good from the test kits I use and right where it should be.

I’ve used Micro-lift Sludge Away but haven’t had any success with it (followed directions correctly).

sludge(?) vacuumed up

green brown snot coloured goo on everything - plants, rocks, wood
it's not stringy

after vacuuming gravel in plant zone - it grows back completely in about 2 weeks if left untouched

55 gal barrel filters - bio and mechanical filtration. It looks greenish due to the trees around it - it is perfectly clean and clear. The last layer of filtration is crushed oyster shells.

after cleaning the substrate

Thoughts, suggestions, questions?

Thanks all - I really appreciate all and any help that you can provide.

Cheers
Craig

 

[Tula]

Wow, it's utterly beautiful !!! I take it you have no living creatures in the pond?

 

[MitchM]

You might want to have a look at Edmonton's natural swimming pool filtration system and incorporate some of it's features.
https://www.gh3.ca/work/natural-swimming-pool-02

 

[bigring]

Wow, it's utterly beautiful !!! I take it you have no living creatures in the pond?

Thank you Tula. No fish. Tried introducing frogs two years ago but they all left - I think they hopped to my neighbours ornamental water garden! LOL
Lots of water bugs and dragon fly nymphs.

 

[bigring]

You might want to have a look at Edmonton's natural swimming pool filtration system and incorporate some of it's features.
https://www.gh3.ca/work/natural-swimming-pool-02

Thanks for the link Mitch. I read up on it - isn't it beautiful!?!
I would like to create a marsh/bog type filter - however, room is an issue. I think I have adequate filtration - could be wrong though.

 

[MitchM]

It is beautiful, but you need to consider health and safety. Algae is good, cyanobacteria and pathogens are not.
Edmonton's setup needs to be focused on safety, and I found it interesting how they made things like phosphate, cotton clothing and showering before entering the pool form part of their policies. So many things can enter our pond water that we don't really think about.
What are you doing to monitor water quality? Have you considered sending a test sample to an online testing lab? There are a few out there that could give you a snapshot of your water quality. A more comprehensive snapshot than our hobby test kits, at least.

 

[bigring]

It is beautiful, but you need to consider health and safety. Algae is good, cyanobacteria and pathogens are not.
Edmonton's setup needs to be focused on safety, and I found it interesting how they made things like phosphate, cotton clothing and showering before entering the pool form part of their policies. So many things can enter our pond water that we don't really think about.
What are you doing to monitor water quality? Have you considered sending a test sample to an online testing lab? There are a few out there that could give you a snapshot of your water quality. A more comprehensive snapshot than our hobby test kits, at least.

Good points. I don't have any run off from a garden or grass. We don't use pesticides, herbicides, etc on our gardens/grass either.
I monitor it with basic test kits that we all use for our ponds. Didn't think about sending it off for a professional assessment - good idea Mitch.

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

If it were mine I would not run uv all the time and let the beneficial bacteria have a chance. Also I like Shac Ponder which is amazing product which i guess you could say feeds the beneficial bacteria.

 

[Lisak1]

It's really lovely! Looks refreshing!

I'm thinking your pond could benefit from a lot more plants. I understand that your plant zones comprise the "appropriate" amount of space, but perhaps being more heavily planted would help.

I also think I would nix the IonGen - I get the purpose, but the end result is just dead algae in the pond. Work to crowd it out rather than kill it and leave it to decay in the pond. I also think the IonGen has the potential to kill other single celled beneficial organisms in pond. It's non-discriminating.

 

[MitchM]

It's really lovely! Looks refreshing!

I'm thinking your pond could benefit from a lot more plants. I understand that your plant zones comprise the "appropriate" amount of space, but perhaps being more heavily planted would help.

I also think I would nix the IonGen - I get the purpose, but the end result is just dead algae in the pond. Work to crowd it out rather than kill it and leave it to decay in the pond. I also think the IonGen has the potential to kill other single celled beneficial organisms in pond. It's non-discriminating.

I missed the iogen.
Definitely get rid of that. It will kill algae and invertebrates and leave the nutrients available for dinoflagellates to take over and smother any periphyton layer that would benefit the pond.
Dinoflagellates can release toxins into the water column.
The yellowish colour was an indicator. Every time I see that colour the pond has an iogen.

 

[Lisak1]

Every time I see that colour the pond has an iogen.

I'll remember that @MitchM - interesting point! Any idea why?

 

[bigring]

Thank you Lisa and Mitch for the feedback and suggestion. I will definitely try it without the iogen.

So that’s what the build up is - dinoflagellates?

Getting rid of the iogen system will the bacteria that’s in the pond gradually eat it up?

Thanks again guys!

 

[bigring]

If it were mine I would not run uv all the time and let the beneficial bacteria have a chance. Also I like Shac Ponder which is amazing product which i guess you could say feeds the beneficial bacteria.

Thanks Jack - will look into the Shac Ponder. I do turn the uvs off from time to time for up to a week or two.

 

[MitchM]

Unfortunately, dinoflagellates can be very difficult to get rid of.
Chlorine and mechanical filtration is the most straight forward method.
Large water changes to reduce the nutrient level in the pond will be required.
If you are patient, you can try no longer using the iogen while increasing filtration and regular water changes. See how that goes. Hopefully you'll see typical algae start to take over again at some point.
It depends on how much nutrient buildup you have in the water plus detritus that will still break down.

I'll remember that @MitchM - interesting point! Any idea why?

I'm not sure. It must be because of what the iogen adds/takes away from the water column that creates the conditions for that specie of dinoflagellate to take hold.
We've seen that colour in ponds from here in Canada down to California.

 

[bigring]

Unfortunately, dinoflagellates can be very difficult to get rid of.
Chlorine and mechanical filtration is the most straight forward method.
Large water changes to reduce the nutrient level in the pond will be required.
If you are patient, you can try no longer using the iogen while increasing filtration and regular water changes. See how that goes. Hopefully you'll see typical algae start to take over again at some point.
It depends on how much nutrient buildup you have in the water plus detritus that will still break down.


I'm not sure. It must be because of what the iogen adds/takes away from the water column that creates the conditions for that specie of dinoflagellate to take hold.
We've seen that colour in ponds from here in Canada down to California.

Thanks again Mitch- much appreciated. I removed the iogen yesterday and will see how it goes. I will be doing a complete clean out in the Spring so hopefully refilling with new water will help.

You mentioned chlorine - could I add some to the pond without it having any negative affects on the plants?

Thanks again All!