Gray water question

[icewaterdon]

Hello, I will try and give as much detail as possible and keep it as short as possible.

Built Pond- May 31, 2016

Size-14 X 9.5 X 3’ avg depth

Waterfall filter 27” diameter, 20” tall filled with ½ “ round/oval gravel. Slightly larger than pea gravel.

Skimmer- 19” X 19”

Pump size- 5000GPH running though a 2” line approx. 17’. Skimmer to waterfall filter.

(4) Hardy water lilies

(10) Water Hyacinth

(1) water Iris

Few cattails.

55 watt UV light running a separate pump at 2000gph Note: Installed after green (pea soup) water appeared.

(5) Fish approx. 5-8 inches (Fish act normal, that is when we can see them)

Rubber 60ml liner

No rocks in the pond at all.

Aquascape 4 aerator

Biosphere Beneficial bacterial ball bought from TSC.

Added more liquid beneficial bacteria about 2 weeks ago.


Here is my issue. The water was initially clear. It then turned to a green tint color. Reluctantly, I tried some Algeafix, no impact, Accuclear, no impact. I then installed a 55w UV light running a 2000gph pump through it. The water has gone from green tint to a gray color. It has been gray for about 5 days now and does not seem to be getting any better. I am assuming that the gray is the plankton algea bloom that has been killed by the UV light.


Is this normal to go from the green tint to grey after running a UV light?

Will the grey eventually be filtered out through filtration?

Is there anything else that I should do other than practice patients?


Any sound advice would be appreciated.


Thanks

Don

Urbana, Ohio

 

[ashirley]

Nice pond!

 

[4Hummer]

Beautiful Pond.

I've found it to be Normal to go from Green, to Grey, to sometimes brown, than to clear up.

It can take quite some time for the Biological filter to become mature, and be able to keep up with the decaying matter, (The Grey tint is more than likely dead decaying algae) I've never had luck with bacteria in a bottle stuff... Just let mother nature do her thing

If your in a rush for clear water you can perform a couple water changes, Make sure you add dechlorinator to the pond water before topping back up (if your source water has chlorine in it) Failing to do so can kill the bacteria in the filters and you'd be starting all over again.

 

[icewaterdon]

Thanks. Would you recommend a 25% water change a coupe days apart? Also I will mix up some patients and add it as well!

 

[4Hummer]

25% every couple days sounds good,

Good luck with the patients =P

 

[icewaterdon]

25% every couple days sounds good,

Good luck with the patients =P

Ok. I changed my filter back to lava rock. Left for California for a week, came home to a pond that was 50% clearer. Added in some more patients by doing absolutely nothing to the pond. Not even cleaning the skimmer pads. Guess what, today my pond is 100% clear. Water is super. Fish seem happy. Only thing is now I may not have enough nutrient to maintain the plant life. The hyacinth is looking pretty sad. But hey, at least I can see the fish now. All 4 of them.
Thanks

 

[icewaterdon]

The hyacinth looks even worse today than when this picture was take a few days ago.

 

[sissy]

nothing you do happens over night and it takes time for a pond to get to working right and adding chemicals does not help it get to a normal balance ,only time does .When my hyacinth need an extra boost I take them out and put them in a miracle grow water bath .Even the fish cannot destroy them this year .By the way I love your shed and the color you picked .Your pond is really nice

 

[addy1]

Very nice. Hyacinths never do well in my pond. My bog/plant/gravel filter sucks too much of the nutrients out.

 

[sissy]

I gave so many away and yet I still have so many .I am going to over winter some in my basement again .Some of them are over 2 feet tall .They even over hung the filter

 

[icewaterdon]

Can you tell me more about the Miracle grow bath? Like how much MG to use per gallon etc?

 

[sissy]

I put them in my stock tank with the miracle grow for a couple of days and when they looked good just tossed them back in the pond .I must have given hundreds of them away to other ponders and also gave some to the city for there fountain pond here .They are now over a foot high and getting bigger every day .They have grown over the side of the filters and then just broke off from the weight and fell into the pond .I use it on my banana plants and my elephant ears .Miracle grow makes every thing grow .I use a scoop full in the stock tank no aerator and no pump .

 

[icewaterdon]

Thanks, I will give it a try.

 

[sissy]

I use it on all of my plants .The banana plants by the deck I planted last year and they were only a foot high and now have several babies

 

[HARO]

This year has been the worst I can remember for Water Hyacinths. Even with fertilizing, mine just kept going downhill. I finally took them out and composted them. What started out as 20 beautiful, healthy large plants wound up as half a pail of brown sludge!
John