water color, not algae...

[daddyfrank]

Hello all, I have a small pond about ten feet in diameter, and 4 feet deep. It was here when I bought the house in December, and the water was green soup. After a few days it would settle enough to get a glimpse of the fish but as soon the pump was turned on, it stirred up all the nasty. Anyway, yesterday I pumped the water out, cought the five fish and three frogs that were in it, found three water liily plants that were barely hanging on, and cleaned it all out. I didn't use any chemicals, I just used a hose to wash it out, scooped out all the debris, then power washed all the algae off of the liner and rocks. It took a few hours to fill it but it was crystal clear. I have well water, and a softner. Well, this morning, some 12 hours later, it's a greenish haze. Like a quarry thast fills with ground water through limestone.
the fish are still alive but what do I do about the haze? Would a good filter clear it up? More plants? It looks like dirty water, but it was clear when it went in?

 

[daddyfrank]

Well the fish are happy! Today was the first time I had seen them swimming around. So I fed them a little food and they ate it up, they wouldn't eat before. I guess they couldn't see it!

 

[newbieincalifornia]

I am in no way experienced much at all with ponds. I have second had experience and only a bit over a month long first hand experience myself so please do not take this to seriously and wait for second opinions. But... When I cleaned my pond (i got it used) and filled it it took about 3 days for the water to clear after it became... "foggy". I am beginning to see how the beneficial bacteria and balance works. You pond had a lot of algae from what I am getting off line because it was healthy. Now taking out all the water seems like a mistake from what I have researched. I would think hat letting the pond get situated again would be a good idea, adding a bio filter (if you don't know what that is just Google it there is TONS of info on making a cheap one yourself here as well) and a lot of plants. Algae is a plant, if you give the algae other plants to compete with for "food" and use the other plants as a sun block you will double whammy the algae and that in it's self will cut back a ton of algae. I have heard good and bad things said about the uv lights so I wont comment further than that it has been told to me that on one hand the uv light will kill algae and on the other it will also hard the beneficial bacteria that breaks down the bad stuff that could kill your fish. another thing I have heard of is barely (or something like that) you can find it in your local pond supply store and if you place it in like... you know those plasticish net like bag they some times sell oranges in? if you place it in something like that and stick the bag in the pond it's supposed to ... attracts the algae or some sort of thing. My mother used it a few times. Did nothing but leave small particles of ugly straw looking stuff in the pond. so that's all the information I have to share. I am sue I made a mistake here or there so please don't go off my bit of newbie advice and wait for a second opinion from some of the more seasoned ponder's here and Good Luck! It is defanitly worth all the work and worry!

 

[DrDave]

Patience is needed here and a bio filter as previously mentioned. Welcome to the Forum.

 

[daddyfrank]

Thanks for the replies.
I did change ALL the water, it smelled like a mixture of a fish tank and cow manure. But when I cleaned it with the power washer, I didn't get all the algae off. I used a fan spray on the nozzle to knock off the light stuff but there's still a lot in there. I've seen a lot of pond, both artificial garden ponds and real in-dirt spring fed ponds, and I've never seen this much gunk in one before. I was talking with a few of the neighbors that stopped to talk as i was cleaning it, and they said that the previous owner of the house never did anything with it in the years this pond was here.
I have no problem with waiting for it to do it's natural thing. I'll look into the bio filter. I had an idea for one too.
Thanks again.

 

[daddyfrank]

Well, it's settled in nicely. A fair layer of algae has coated the liner but not too bad. The fish are happy! constantly swimming around, darting back and forth. They eat with aggression and leave nothing behind!

I do need to get a different pump, I knew I would when I first bought the place. It's not a pond pump, but a sump pump. Moves WAAAAYYY too much water. Every time it's turned on it stirs up all the settled debris and algae. I tried to put a reducer in the pipe but it didn't help.
Is there a formula or somrthing to determine pump size? I mean how much water should the pump move compared to the pond size? Half the volume in an hour? All the volume in an hour?

Thanks

 

[koiguy1969]

circulate your pond volume about once an hour or a little more 1000 gallon pond = 1000gph pump to 1500gph pump with a good bio filter. this depends on waterfall height if you have one, if you want to use barley.. use the extract its faster and more cost effective. and doesnt leave the debris of barley bales.

 

[DrDave]

Well, it's settled in nicely. A fair layer of algae has coated the liner but not too bad. The fish are happy! constantly swimming around, darting back and forth. They eat with aggression and leave nothing behind!

I do need to get a different pump, I knew I would when I first bought the place. It's not a pond pump, but a sump pump. Moves WAAAAYYY too much water. Every time it's turned on it stirs up all the settled debris and algae. I tried to put a reducer in the pipe but it didn't help.
Is there a formula or somrthing to determine pump size? I mean how much water should the pump move compared to the pond size? Half the volume in an hour? All the volume in an hour?

Thanks

I use my sump pump for my large waterfall (seldom runs due to cost and evaporation)

The pump I use for my 2nd waterfall which is also my bio filter turns about a pond and hour in volume. I would not go smaller.

 

[daddyfrank]

Thanks guys.