Two filters maybe?

[rebelangel_3733]

Well the pond is still green. Am thinking I need more filter media (or another diy filter) with a seperate pump at another level. Right now the water is just going through my skimmer to a diy filter, which I use batting in. Any thoughts as to this helping to cycle this pond more quickly? It is roughly 1900 gallons, 13' x 10'

 

[rebelangel_3733]

oh and the deepest is 3.5 ' for about a 5' circle in the middle. The rest gradually goes up to 2' then 1'.

 

[sissy]

I have 2 filters and 2 waterfalls and they are on each end ,thinking when I get hold of some haydite I will try a third one just to see how it works .I would put it in the middle and have it running back in under the bridge .More can't hurt but less can .I just don't want those ugly barrels ,plus if mine leak they run right back into the pond .

 

[mrsclem]

I have 3 55gal. barrel filters in sequence and a Savio waterfall filter on one pond and 2 150 stock tank filters and my window box bog on the other pond. Can't have too much filtration!

 

[dieselplower]

It is highly unlikely that you will be able to filter out pea soup floating algae. You could fill your entire filter with it and it will smile and keep multiplying. If you do not like it I would suggest getting a UV sterilizer. I also suggested you remove all the dead spot creating rocks inside the pond but I dont recall any sort of response to that suggestion. Those dead spots are a great place for debris to collect like poop and decaying plant matter. MMMMMM algae love that stuff!

 

[sissy]

But quilt batting will take out the fine stuff and as your pond matures it will help ,you just have to wait .i know because i had to wait and wait and wait .But I think what helped mine was I over aerated the pond water squirting out over the surface and on the bottom besides what was going in my filters .I still am trying to get haydite for a filter googled it for here and one place carries it It seems that around Indiana it is available more .The rock quarry here is hardly ever open to the public .I sure don't need 17 tons of it .I hear it is supposed to make great mulch for plants though

 

[DrCase]

You could just add a second filter and let it flow into your existing one , more is better

 

[rebelangel_3733]

The only rocks I have are around the edge of my pond. Decided this afternoon before I went to work to disconnect the skimmer for now (until I get another pump) and just cycle the mid to bottom water through the diy filter I have going. It is filled with batting/lava rock on the bottom and that always worked on my smaller pond. I know I'll be cleaning it ALOT this week to see if it makes a significant difference...if it even makes any difference I will be building yet another diy filter with another pump. All the water in this pond (other than probably 15% of it) is rain water that occured two weeks ago...I just filled it with our tap water to top it off. No fish yet as they are still in my smaller pond. We had 7 inches of rain two weeks ago (yes all in one weeks time) and I couldn't see just waisting good water from up above. So this pond is relatively new (a week with all water and the filter going). My test kit should be here this week (ordered it) then I'll really see whats all going on in there, until then my fish kids will stay in their lil pond happily swimming in chrystal clear water over there for now. Since the weather has cooled off here this past week my lotus really have only put on 5 or 6 new leaves...it's suppose to warm up this week so maybe that will encourage some more new growth. I really dont have that many plants to put in it as it's turning to fall here shortly and I know nothing is going to grow like it would in the spring...so I shall play the wait and see game this week especially after I get my test kits.

 

[sissy]

buy grasses for your pond I found out from colleen that they are great pond cleaners I just cut them back in the winter and leave them .They work great
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[rebelangel_3733]

I actually have that purple grass in my flowerbed and elephant ears but they are all in pots. I do have hyacinths, lotus and black taro and two other grass (long stems with whispy tops) that are in the water right now. Living in nebraska I have to take all of these inside during the winter because we get darn cold some days (usually for about 3 months). I still think I'm going to make another diy filter and might try out a poly pillow or two in that one...and wait and see

 

[sissy]

I had one filter to start with and saw that I needed another one so was simple to do and it sure made a difference .

 

[GreatDanesDad]

Like everyone said, more filtration is good. But maybe what you need is a different kind of filter. If you have algae blooms of any kind it is only because you have an abundance of nutrients in the water. It is like fire, it has to have oxygen to exsist. Fine quilt batting will seperate out the pea soup over time but it doesnt get the source that the algae is blooming on. Once you are fully cycled, the benebacteria should really consume most of those nutrients. If you are going to add another filter, consider a raised bog that gravity feeds back in to your pond. I just made one and posted it as a mini bog and I think I saw 2 or 3 others as well. The bog will filter waste and floating algae, I even run my outlet back thru batting if I get algae, also the plants living in the bog quickly start eating up the nutrients that the Algae is blooming on. So basicly, you have a good DIY filter creating good surface area for your benebacteria and that is just going to take time to mature/cycle, but a bog and another batting catcher may help more quickly. Also, if your water is good for algae, plants should grow very well. I moved all my potted plants into a bog, and it did wonders to clear up my water. My plants are growing better. (I invested $25 dollars into my mini bog, and $45 on a 900gph pump from home depot, best $70 I ever spent on the pond)

 

[dieselplower]

Ok so u did end up taking out all the rocks and bricks on the "plant shelf" type levels? That's good

 

[sissy]

when your pond is new you can go through the green stage and it is just a fact in most cases .I know i was there 2 times first when I built the pond and second was when a neighbors big lab got in the pond and sliced the liner with his claws .I think it helped some what that I had a big tank to put the fish in with what water was left but it was one of the hottest months of the year July and I worked on the pond day and night with the help of lights I set up and I got very little sleep most was sitting in a chair by the pond while i tried to drink coffee to stay awake .That's why i always say be preparred for the worst because you never know what can go wrong .Ponds can also be scarey things .Green will go away as the pond gets established and since she has some filter material from her other pond that should help .Takes a lot of patience also .I know I have always kept plants in my filters and my beloved lava rock :cheerful: rock on

 

[rebelangel_3733]

The rocks/brick that were in the pond were just there holding the folds I had made before the rains came and basically filled up my pond in a weeks time. I was going to gradually straighten out the folds too as it was to be filled by me but mother nature had another idea as to how to fill my new pond. I was also going to have my waterfall done before water was put into it but yup you guessed it mother nature didn't think I needed it done before the water either.
My thoughts are to put a bog in before the waterfall now...may not get done until spring because now it's canning time and our fence still has to be finished. Not enough days in the week I swear nor paychecks. Hopefully my test kit comes soon so I can figure out whats all going on with the water situation. I know patients is a virtue and will probably end up making another diy filter. Its funny though as the water in my filter is clear and when I put it in a glass I really dont see that much green...so my guess is, it is still in the cycling process. I sooo want my fish kids here with me...but alas not yet I'm afraid. It's funny when I go over to my daughters (where my lil pond is) my fish come right up to the water for me...but they dont for my daughter lol and yes she does feed them a few times a week. They must miss me too?