Help with Green water!

[gigigreen]

My water has been clear all summer. Started to turn about a week or so ago and now its pretty cloudy (green). I have been keeping up with monthly beneficial bac. and barley. Just treated it today with GreenClean algaecide. Any suggestions? I do have a clarifier, should I use it, if so how long should I wait after the GreenClean application?

 

[poconojoe]

We need to know more about your pond.

Do you have fish? If so, what variety and how big are they?

How much water does your pond hold?

What filtration do you have, if any.

Do you test your water. What are the readings?
Use the kit with liquid reagents. The strip tests tend to be inaccurate.

Most of us here strive to keep things natural. It's the most balanced and consistent way of doing things. Adding chemicals can cause sudden parameter swings.

We've had countless posts from people adding so-called "fish friendly" algecides which have killed all their fish.

If I need to add my house water, I use a dechlorinator. That's the only thing I ever use.
No algecides, clarifies, barley, bacteria......ever.

If you are suffering with green water, either you are too stocked with fish, you don't have enough plants or your filter is not up to the task. Too much sunlight may contribute to a degree. Floating plants or lillies can help shade the pond.

 

[brokensword]

My water has been clear all summer. Started to turn about a week or so ago and now its pretty cloudy (green). I have been keeping up with monthly beneficial bac. and barley. Just treated it today with GreenClean algaecide. Any suggestions? I do have a clarifier, should I use it, if so how long should I wait after the GreenClean application?

Like PJ said; stop adding chemicals. The barley extract has only anectedodal evidence that it stops algae (and that's the string type, NOT what you have in the form of free floating single cell algae). Beneficial bacteria is just a waste of your money; you already have benny bacteria in your pond. What you need is more surface area for it to colonize, aka a bog filter or a thin layer of pea gravel on the bottom.

The bacteria you're adding also won't stop the algae as it's eating the nitrates which comes from bacterial conversion. Other and more plants will out-compete the algae and keep algal blooms from happening.

 

[gigigreen]

Like PJ said; stop adding chemicals. The barley extract has only anectedodal evidence that it stops algae (and that's the string type, NOT what you have in the form of free floating single cell algae). Beneficial bacteria is just a waste of your money; you already have benny bacteria in your pond. What you need is more surface area for it to colonize, aka a bog filter or a thin layer of pea gravel on the bottom.

The bacteria you're adding also won't stop the algae as it's eating the nitrates which comes from bacterial conversion. Other and more plants will out-compete the algae and keep algal blooms from happen

We need to know more about your pond.

Do you have fish? If so, what variety and how big are they?

How much water does your pond hold?

What filtration do you have, if any.

Do you test your water. What are the readings?
Use the kit with liquid reagents. The strip tests tend to be inaccurate.

Most of us here strive to keep things natural. It's the most balanced and consistent way of doing things. Adding chemicals can cause sudden parameter swings.

We've had countless posts from people adding so-called "fish friendly" algecides which have killed all their fish.

If I need to add my house water, I use a dechlorinator. That's the only thing I ever use.
No algecides, clarifies, barley, bacteria......ever.

If you are suffering with green water, either you are too stocked with fish, you don't have enough plants or your filter is not up to the task. Too much sunlight may contribute to a degree. Floating plants or lillies can help shade the pond.

 

[poconojoe]

Nice pond!
The water doesnt look bad, but maybe those are not current pictures.

Tell us more about it. We love pictures, but they dont give us details for us to help. We can only give general ideas without more details.

 

[gigigreen]

Here are a couple of pics of the pond...it has a fall that might be hard to see where it starts, but it winds down the hill. There are 8 goldfish in it which have been in there awhile. There is a filter that sits on the bottom that circulates water back into the pond, flowing back onto the shelf where the creeping jenny is. There is also a submersible pump that runs the waterfall. I just figured out that if I turn off the waterfall during the day, I won't get all the string algae growing down the fall, which has meant a lot less maintenance during the summer months. I do run it at night. The pond is just shy of 600 gallons and the fish are approximately 6" long.
There are rock all along the bottom of the pond and up the back wall. I always use a dechlorinate attachment to the hose when I add tap water. The pond has looked great all summer, it just turned this month. I have had the same amount of fish for the last several years.

With this info. where should I go from here. We are approaching fall and I can see where the lily's are starting to die, so don't know if I added more plants they would have time to help. I will test the water and let you know.

thanks for the help!
Angelle

ps this pond is approx. 9 yrs old. Not sure how much longer we will have it. So, probably won't be able to add a bog filter.
Do you recommend I quit adding all chemicals? I have always had a problem with having a lot of string algae, but turning off the pump during the day has really helped keep it off the fall.

 

[poconojoe]

That's a beautiful pond. You say not sure how long you will have it. Why? It's so beautiful. I love the falls and the big flat area the water flows over. Very creative!

Is your water solid green from microscopic algae or are you only experiencing string algae?

The usual cure is adding lots of plants, but if your climate has cold winters, it might be too late for that.

I'm guessing your filter is not up to the task.

 

[mrsclem]

Very pretty pond! I agree with all the posts regarding stopping of addition of chemicals other than dechlor. Is your only problem with algae on the waterfall? Your filter that sits on the bottom- is that one of the boxes that has foam blocks in it only?
Don't think you are overstocked regarding fish but I will bet they were not 6" long when you got them so that has changed.
Turning off the waterfall at night will allow it to dry out some and slow the algae growth but that algae is also helping to filter your pond!

 

[poconojoe]

but that algae is also helping to filter your pond!

Good point!

The algae is a safety net of sorts. It's nature's way of extracting excess nutrients out of the water.

Excess nutrients build up and if you dont add enough plants to feed on those nutrients, nature will provide the plants for you in the form of algae.

Most people look at algae like a parasite, when algae is actually good.

 

[gigigreen]

That's a beautiful pond. You say not sure how long you will have it. Why? It's so beautiful. I love the falls and the big flat area the water flows over. Very creative!

Is your water solid green from microscopic algae or are you only experiencing string algae?

The usual cure is adding lots of plants, but if your climate has cold winters, it might be too late for that.

I'm guessing your filter is not up to the task.

Thank you!!
The plants do die in the winter here, so might not help to put more this year. So, from here, do you guys suggest that I don't even use the Microbe-Lift for fall and winter months?

My filter sits right outside of pond, and has a turtle shell looking thing on the bottom of the pond.
Right now I'm really experiencing the microscopic algae, I guess, not the string for sure, which hasn't been a problem since I turned off the waterfall.
The reason we might not keep the pond, is we own property in the mountains and might build, otherwise if we stay here we would like to put a pool in, so it will be bye bye pond, Just too much maintenance for both, plus we have a big landscaped yard. We're not getting any younger, lol
I checked the ph it's high at 7.6. It's strange, because my the leaves on my lily's have started dying, brown spots and curling up and drying. I think it's too soon, since we are still having warm weather.

 

[poconojoe]

Yep, I see the effects of Fall already here in Pennsylvania. My veggie garden has thinned out big time and we're already getting leaves on the lawn. Not a lot of leaves yet, but it's a little depressing!

If you want a maintenance free pond, add a bog filter. You won't regret it.

I'm 64 and I'm not getting any younger either.
My pond runs itself. The bog is my only filter and it keeps my water crystal clear. And that's with a stupid amount of fish. They just keep multiplying.
1800 gallons, 6 koi (a couple that are huge 30+ inches and tremendous girth), a couple shubunkin, and 35+ goldfish. Way too many fish. My water was solid green before I built the bog. Too much fish waste.
I gotta find homes for some of these goldfish.

 

[gigigreen]

Forgot to add this picture of the filter

 

[gigigreen]

Yep, I see the effects of Fall already here in Pennsylvania. My veggie garden has thinned out big time and we're already getting leaves on the lawn. Not a lot of leaves yet, but it's a little depressing!

If you want a maintenance free pond, add a bog filter. You won't regret it.

I'm 64 and I'm not getting any younger either.
My pond runs itself. The bog is my only filter and it keeps my water crystal clear. And that's with a stupid amount of fish. They just keep multiplying.
1800 gallons, 6 koi (a couple that are huge 30+ inches and tremendous girth), a couple shubunkin, and 35+ goldfish. Way too many fish. My water was solid green before I built the bog. Too much fish waste.
I gotta find homes for some of these goldfish.

 

[gigigreen]

I guess if we keep the pond, I will convert it to a bog filter. It won't happen before next spring, though. In the meantime, should I just leave it alone and maybe it will clear up on it's on after the weather turns cooler?

 

[poconojoe]

I guess if we keep the pond, I will convert it to a bog filter. It won't happen before next spring, though. In the meantime, should I just leave it alone and maybe it will clear up on it's on after the weather turns cooler?

I think it will clear up. Sometimes I think the pond goes through stages. Probably due to the temperature.