Will UV filter help?

[mheiderscheit]

My pond's water seems fairly clear--that is I have no problem with cloudiness or seeing my fish, however it has a green cast when you look into it. It does have rocks in it, which appear to have algae clinging to them. So i don't know if that is why it looks green. I am using a barley product and my lilies are finally growing. We have had virtually no spring and jumped right into summer here in Wisconsin. Would a UV light help this problem?

Can you overdose with barley? One more question. I was told to clean my filters with pond water. Would I just take a bucket and dump the water over them? I have been using the hose to wash them.

Thanks in advance for your great advice. You have helped me a lot in the past.

 

[DrCase]

The uv would help with the green water.
If you do have to rinse you filter just dip water out of the pond and pour it through it.
If your pump to filter hose moves use it

 

[vertigo72]

One more question. I was told to clean my filters with pond water. Would I just take a bucket and dump the water over them? I have been using the hose to wash them.

You were given sound advice; use pond water. Tap water contains chlorine or chloramine and will kill all the beneficial bacteria in your filter, effectively, rendering it useless for biofiltration for several weeks, if not months. Dont do it. A bucket, or running the pump with the drain open will work just fine.

As for the need for UV.. if you are unsure if the water really is green, I suspect you can do without . But if you want, fill a white bucket or container with pond water, you will quickly see if its green or tea colored or crystal clear. If its clearly green, an UV might help, or more plants, particularly floating plants.

No idea about overdosing with barley..

 

[mheiderscheit]

I just took a glass of water out of the pond and it is crystal clear! So it's the algae that's growing on the rocks that is causing the greenish tinge. Right? Will the barley break that down? Just added hyacinth, so hopefully they will multiply quickly to provide more shade.

I have one more question about washing the filters. I clean the debris and that sludgy stuff out of the net a couple of times a week. The filters also get that sludgy stuff on them, so I usually hose them until they run clear. We are on a well, so chemicals are not a problem. Should I be cleaning the filters like this weekly?

 

[fishin4cars]

Plants will help the most the more they grow the clearer the pond will appear, Cleaning the filters that often usually means one of a few things, One overstocked, two - to small of a filter for the pond, three over feeding.
Looking at a glass of water and looking into a pond is not going to give the same effects, But if the water appears clear in the glass then it does mean that your not having a problem so much with algae, Cleaning a fliter that often isn't the best way to care for them but as long as you clean them with pond water and not a hose with city water getting the gunk out of the pond is probably doing more good than harm.
using natural barley for algae control is very unlikely that you would overdose, but if the pond was half full with it and it broke down quickly it could, but again very unlikely, BUT adding Barley extract can, extract is natural forming Hydrogen peroxide, if over dosed it can cause significant swings in PH, can cause Oxygen levels to drop and can cause problems with the slime coating on the fish and there could be more, I'm not sure. I would say slight over dosing should have drastic problems, but heavy overdosing could.

 

[vertigo72]

I just took a glass of water out of the pond and it is crystal clear!

In a glass, it will almost always look clear. Contrast it with something bright white, either by filling a white bucket with pond water or put something white on the bottom of the pond. See if it turns green, brown or stays white.

So it's the algae that's growing on the rocks that is causing the greenish tinge. Right?

Certainly possible, and its not a bad thing to have some algae on the bottom. Within reason, I personally think it even looks good, it gives a natural feel to the pond and hides whatever you have as liner or concrete; but thats personal. For sure your fish wont mind.

Will the barley break that down?

You will have to find out. In some ponds it does miracles, in others it does nothing. I think it depends on the exact type of algae, and there are gazillion different types that you cant distinguish without microscope and a PhD in algaeology lol.

I have one more question about washing the filters. I clean the debris and that sludgy stuff out of the net a couple of times a week. The filters also get that sludgy stuff on them, so I usually hose them until they run clear. We are on a well, so chemicals are not a problem. Should I be cleaning the filters like this weekly?

Fishin already gave same advice on that. Let me add that "some sludgy stuff" isnt necessarily a problem, a filter doesnt have to be brand clean. I dont know what kind of filter you have, and where the sludge is though, if it has a bottom drain, draining it every week or so should be enough, assuming its properly sized for your pond.

As for cleaning it, if you use well water, I dont think there is a problem, assuming the well water is fish safe and not heavily polluted with heavy metals or whatever.

 

[fishin4cars]

In a glass, it will almost always look clear. Contrast it with something bright white, either by filling a white bucket with pond water or put something white on the bottom of the pond. See if it turns green, brown or stays white.



Certainly possible, and its not a bad thing to have some algae on the bottom. Within reason, I personally think it even looks good, it gives a natural feel to the pond and hides whatever you have as liner or concrete; but thats personal. For sure your fish wont mind.



You will have to find out. In some ponds it does miracles, in others it does nothing. I think it depends on the exact type of algae, and there are gazillion different types that you cant distinguish without microscope and a PhD in algaeology lol.



Fishin already gave same advice on that. Let me add that "some sludgy stuff" isnt necessarily a problem, a filter doesnt have to be brand clean. I dont know what kind of filter you have, and where the sludge is though, if it has a bottom drain, draining it every week or so should be enough, assuming its properly sized for your pond.

As for cleaning it, if you use well water, I dont think there is a problem, assuming the well water is fish safe and not heavily polluted with heavy metals or whatever.

All very good additional information. thanks for adding this Vertigo!