I can see clearly now.... the algae's gone...

[tbendl]

Addy1 I am so disheartened. I probably just need to step away for a few days but I feel like that pond OWES me some clear dang water instead of being busy killing frogs. I probably shouldn't have dumped the algaecide in but I couldn't help myself. I know it partly has to do with the heat and not having enough plants in yet but darn it. I'm having a pity me day can't you tell.

 

[addy1]

My pond went through a cloudy stage, when first built, a ton of fine pea gravel dirt, it has never had green water. I figure it is just because of the size of my bog and the tons of plants.

That is fine, you can have a pity party, we all have had them. I have had them with my arizona pond, when the string algae grew like a forest, I would toss in liters of peroxide to kill it off. This pond does not do that, thankfully!
Give it time. I have also heard a good aerator going will help against green water, algae.

 

[tbendl]

Did you finally get it under control in AZ? I'm convinced it has to do with how hot it gets here.

 

[addy1]

Did you finally get it under control in AZ? I'm convinced it has to do with how hot it gets here.

Every year June, the string would explode, every year I tossed in 14 liters of peroxide, cured it until the next June. I didn't have green water there either, just string algae.

I did not have a big bog there. More of a upflow rock filter with plants. lava rock.

 

[tbendl]

*sigh... And yes, I've been looking at aerators today. j.w has mentioned that to me as well. I was lulled into a false sense of clarity when it cleared awhile back. Like I said, I think I just need to back away for a few days, get some perspective.

 

[addy1]

*sigh... And yes, I've been looking at aerators today. j.w has mentioned that to me as well. I was lulled into a false sense of clarity when it cleared awhile back. Like I said, I think I just need to back away for a few days, get some perspective.

Give it time, sometimes that is the best thing to do.,
Between my stream , bog, stock tank waterfalls I have a lot of aeration going on. I have 4 good flow waterfalls, and two low flow waterfalls. That may be another reason the water stays green free.

 

[tbendl]

Thanks Addy1. On a good note, I know not to hide the bodies in the pond now. Silver linings, it's all about silver linings.

 

[addy1]

I know not to hide the bodies in the pond now

Darn listen lady, I told you not to hide them in the pond............UNDER THE POND!

 

[tbendl]

.....I'm gonna have to dig a another pond....
LOL I now have this image of me in my 80's and having people come to visit and seeing 35 tiny ponds placed haphazardly around my backyard...

 

[addy1]

seeing 35 tiny ponds placed haphazardly around my backyard

Tiny? Mine would have to be at least 5 foot 10 to hide the man.............lol
I told him behave or the backhoe he bought me would be put into good use! he behaves.................

 

[tbendl]

I was thinking I'd cut 'em in half to save myself the extra digging.
He's good or he gets the backhoe! lol

 

[Lisaebetten]

Sorry about your first victim I have to check my skimmer everyday for frogs as they hitch hike a ride from my floaters into the box. I have a very strong pump for my pond size. I keep a small mesh bag of filber fill in the skimmer net to filter my fines also so they have a place to sit up. Its scares me every time I have to take the lid off cause I don't want to see a corps. Plus they jump up at me when I get the lid off!

Ya know you have A LOT of water there so I would figure it will take longer and lots of plants to chow down on all extras so it will just take time for a balance I think. Don't beat yourself up over algaecide, it's not the worst thing in the world to have done. In my reading I've learned that the beneficial bacteria needs a good oxygen source so I have the Tetra Pond Dual stone from Menards. 1 stone in my falls box where the bioballs are and one I set in the pond at night to give the fish more air as the plants take good and give off bad at night. Another thought my pigs... oh i mean fish groom ALL the time. With them noising into the nooks and crannies my pond is CLEAN. I only feed twice a week. I am nervous there won't be enough food for them to nibble on over the winter so I may feed more in hope of letting some algae build for winter stores!!!

Is your pump big enough for all your water? You may need good water flow. I also have a small 60ish gph small fountain pump I put in the deep to keep the bottom moving so I don't have dead spots (see pic w/DIY prefilter)

. I may be overdoing it but I got 90% of my pond as a kit off craigslist and it came with tons of stuff, so much that I don't use some of it.

I just ordered at 700 gph off ebay for only $20, it is for a winter mini water spill project to be installed in spring. I just wish I had your size pond!!!

 

[Lisaebetten]

Oh here is my pond that was 75% rain water for weeks and I just topped off in this pic with the hose. So I had the frog spitter, small fountain pump and the umbrella type spitter going with plants. No skimmer, big pump or water falls hooked up yet. I keep thinking you need more aeration or movement, that is just my gut telling me that. I am not a professional ponder, I just pretend I am. I don't want to photo dump on you but our friends pond is in full sun and it is clear, but with a slight hue of greenish. Mine is clear with a slight hue of brown. If ya want to see her pond I can post it also, she deals with birds so its all wired up.

 

[tbendl]

Well I wish I had your aeration/pumps!!
I definitely do not have enough flow for my size pond but I didn't think that would be an issue since I don't have fish. I have a 700gph pump that runs to the bog and even that only runs for a few hours every day. I am going to look at craiglist. I hadn't even considered that. I am sure I need more movement/aeration in my pond. And plants... lol it's neverending

 

[tbendl]

Oh no, don't worry about photo dumping on me. It's a learning process and since I wasn't going to put fish I figured the moving of pond water every 2 hours didn't apply to me. I WAS SPECIAL DANG IT... But with the sun and lack of shade, I think getting an aerator or at least a pump that moves the lower layer of water is in order. I may consider a spitter on the other end of the pond but really don't want that much surface movement. I like the quiet reflective water sometimes, so I just need to keep trying to find a balance.