Diverting rainwater into pond

[GBBUDD]

Sorry not my wheel house

 

[teckpham]

I stopped using rainwater from my roof. It was feeding it into my cistern.

After a few months of refill the pond with water from it, I noticed that the fishes weren't doing well. They started to get white spots on their bodies(infection - a sign of stress). A couple of them die. I decided to have a look at my cistern bottom. There were a layer of what seem to be breakup paint and fine sand. My roof is painted tile. It is getting old and the paint started to breaking up. I cleaned out the cistern and change about a third of the water.

Since then, the fishes seem to have recovered. Should be safe with a good roof though.

 

[addy1]

My one roof is asphalt, one roof is metal. Both feed the ponds for the past 10ish years without issues. I think it all depends on where you are paint no paint etc.

We have been fine using roof water.

 

[OxbowFarm]

I just diverted my gutters away from my Koi pond. After 7 years of living with a green pond I decided to try using Nualgi pond cleaner. It worked really well. That was until we had a couple of days of rain. The pond turned green again. Retreated and it cleared up after a week. We just finished with two more days of rain here and the pond is staying crystal clear. I will refill with a garden hose from our well from now on.

 

[poconojoe]

After 7 years of living with a green pond I decided to try using Nualgi pond cleaner.

What is Nualgi pond cleaner?

It sounds like algecide.
If so, you are living dangerously concerning the health of your fish.

One of the most common posts are people adding algecide resulting in a big fish die-off even though the label states that it is "fish safe".

There are safe and natural ways to combat algae.

As much as you may dislike algae, it is nature's fail safe in protecting your pond.
The presence of algae indicates that you have an imbalance. There are excess nutrients in the water. Nature adds algae which feeds on the excess nutrients.
By killing off the algae, you're only adding more nutrients (the dead algae). You're not addressing the root of the problem.

 

[combatwombat]

What is Nualgi pond cleaner?

This stuff. It's not algaecide. It's diatoms that outcompete green algae.

 

[poconojoe]

This stuff. It's not algaecide. It's diatoms that outcompete green algae.

Ah! Ok!
It just seemed like a good advertising name for algaecide! Nu-Algi (New Algae or No Algae)

 

[GBBUDD]

You know I'd never add or recomend an algicide. That just kills one algae and gives food other algae .

While. NUALGI competes for the same food starving out the nuisance algae.

 

[Lauriebelle]

My pond is 10m by 8m and frequently needs topping up. I don't think there is a leak through the liner.

I'm toying with the idea of diverting rainwater from the roof of the house into the pond, using a 20m buried pipe. I think the angles are such that the water will flow into the pond ok.

To avoid overfilling the pond, I would fit some kind of a gate so as to be able to 'switch off' the flow into the pond

Has anyone tried this I wonder? What could possibly go wrong!

Just be aware that as your roof ages it will have shingle grit shedding off into your pond. Unless your roof is tile.

 

[Mmathis]

@Lauriebelle Hello and welcome to our group.

I’ve always had the same thought about shingle grit, but since so many people use this method with success…..I figured, in the end, it must not be a problem after all.

 

[GBBUDD]

shingle grit

shingle grit is STONE . by the time the asphalt starts flaking you needed a new roof 3 to 5 years earlier

 

[CometKeith]

My pond is 10m by 8m and frequently needs topping up. I don't think there is a leak through the liner.

I'm toying with the idea of diverting rainwater from the roof of the house into the pond, using a 20m buried pipe. I think the angles are such that the water will flow into the pond ok.

To avoid overfilling the pond, I would fit some kind of a gate so as to be able to 'switch off' the flow into the pond

Has anyone tried this I wonder? What could possibly go wrong!

Hi. I don’t know if you went ahead and connected your pond already to the roof drains, but I have a few comments. Diverting too much rainwater can change the chemical balance of the water in your pond. Things like ph can be affected. Also some places have “acid” rain which I would not recommend. Also if there has been sealing and flashing on your roof it’s just not shingles that may be disintegrating but other materials that could flow into your pond not to mention things caught in your gutters. Also maybe the rain water is not as well oxygenated as your pond water and this could cause problems if there is a large water change. If someone has a expensIve Koi I would never risk them by adding rainwater from a roof. Now in Addy’s case where she has a 100 or more pretty goldfish maybe it’s not such a big risk if one fish gets sick. Personally I would use rain barrels to catch the water from your downspouts and use your “gray” water for your landscaping,, but that’s just my opinion. Also I know you are new here. If you want to thank someone for their comment there is a choice. You can thank them like you have been doing or you can simply hit the little “like” bottom under their comment!

 

[Sisha]

My pond is 10m by 8m and frequently needs topping up. I don't think there is a leak through the liner.

I'm toying with the idea of diverting rainwater from the roof of the house into the pond, using a 20m buried pipe. I think the angles are such that the water will flow into the pond ok.

To avoid overfilling the pond, I would fit some kind of a gate so as to be able to 'switch off' the flow into the pond
Has anyone tried this I wonder? What could possibly go wrong!

All we have is rain water here and works well. I've had rain coming from one part of the roof directly into the pond for 15 years and with 25" annually it's not a problem but this year we've had a lot more than usual. PH of our rain water is 6.2 so I do need to keep and eye on the pond PH as it has dropped more than normal. I'd prefer rain water than chemically adjusted tap water any day. Here in Oz our roofs are mostly colourbond so very safe to drink.

 

[GBBUDD]

I will add to the conversation that rain water is generally low in ph thus ACID RAIN........ you will need to monitor your pond after a good rain for ph and kh