Water won’t clear

[CAJ]

Hi we have a pond that is approx 9 x 5 ft and 3ft deep, has about 30 goldfish in it. The water just never clears, we have water lilies in the pond and a bit of pond weed. We have an oase 4000 pump and filter combo. Do you think it not clearing because the pump isn’t strong or big enough to filter out the rubbish? Or what else can we do? Are there any plants that would help? Help please we are new to this!! Thank you

 

[mrsclem]

Is there any chance that an edge of the pond is allowing runoff to get into the pond?The filter you have seems to be big enough. How often do you backflush it?

 

[Lisak1]

I do believe @mrsclem hit not he answer - your edges are too low and dirt is getting in from the edges.

 

[CAJ]

Rinse the filter about once a month. We planted the sides with plants and used aquatic soil and pebbles (should we dig them up and put them in baskets not straight into the edges of the pond? should we drop the level of water? How do we raise the edges to stop this Please? What would you recommend? Thanks

 

[CAJ]

I am now thinking I should have left the plants in the plastic containers they came in and just placed them in the side and covered them with pebbles. being new to this I treated them like garden plants and planted them directly in the side,

 

[Stephen Noble]

That is too many fish in my opinion. It looks like the sun is blasting your pond. Get many more floating plants to reduce the sunlight. I can't tell from your photos but agree, eliminate any garden runoff. Your water will eventually clear up if you reduce nutrients and get more plants to out compete the algae. To answer your question, I don't think the problem is your pump. The problem is excess nutrients and sunlight.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the forum!

Having the plants right in the side is fine. It looks like you have a pond in a pond, or a separation of some sort. From what I can see the outside edge of the pond appears high enough, the inside is below water which is fine.
Once those plants take off, you will have bog type filter effect, passive. It should really help clear the water.

I agree that is a lot of fish, feed them less will help. Goldfish are good at eating from the pond, mine seldom get fed.

 

[addy1]

Add more plants, don't dig the ones you have up. Get some blue forgetmenot, rushes, iris etc. Water willow is a real pretty small plant that has purple flowers and a great root system for sucking up excess nutrients.

 

[CAJ]

Thank you, I think I will reduce the number of fish and dig a trench around the outside to stop the runoff! And put some paving around it. yes it does get full sun, so I Will be popping to get more plants as suggested above and some floating ones. Glad I don’t have to dig up the plants! So I can remove the plants from their baskets and plant directly in the side then cover the soil with gravel. hopefully that will sort the problem!

 

[addy1]

So I can remove the plants from their baskets and plant directly in the side then cover the soil with gravel. hopefully that will sort the problem!

I would do that, just not with any agressive growers, ie you want to control the spread. I have turned all looses except pickerel rush, that is still in pots in the pond, not in the bog. If you worry about a plant put it in the area in the pot.

 

[CAJ]

I have planted directly into the pond border water does get in here so was worried that the soul was being washed back into the pond that was why I asked about putting the plants back in baskets, but I’ll carry on directly planting thanks everyone

 

[addy1]

yes it does get full sun

My ponds are total full sun from sun up to sun set. The plants I have in the bog and in the pond take care of any algae growth.

 

[addy1]

I have planted directly into the pond border water does get in here so was worried that the soul was being washed back into the pond that was why I asked about putting the plants back in baskets, but I’ll carry on directly planting thanks everyone

I use only kitty litter it gets wet and does not really drift out into the pond. You can do either, right on the shelf or leave in pots. Make sure the pots have holes in the bottom to suck up water. And have enough soil, gravel for the roots to grab hold and or just anchor with rocks.

Neat to have that planting shelf! raise the water level a bit also.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

Yes, more plants! It almost looks like you have a “perimeter bog” included in the set-up! That is a good thing!

 

[GBBUDD]

Quite the large preformed pond. Problem will be is the standard filters have a hard time circulating enough water in so many times an hour.
One first and last answer for you would be a bog filter they really are not hard to build but the do require some effort but once it's done so is the days of milky water. 7