Inherited Pond

[CazDeFaz]

Hi, I moved house a couple of months ago and found an overgrown pond in the garden.
I removed all the weeds and was left with a goldfish, frogs, newts, gravel/pebbles and mud/dirt/soil.
The frogs moved out after a couple of days (I figured they were ready to take to land).
I've attempted to clear some gravel and mud to clear the water, which is slowly working, I do a bit every other day so not to disturb the fish/newts too much each time.
Now I have mud from the bottom floating to the surface...why??
I don't want to invest in pumps or filters, I would like it to be natural...what plants make a good balance of oxygen, cleaning and food source please??
I'm new to this but willing to spend time and learn!

 

[sissy]

You may need to add a home made filter to start with just to filter out the dirt and that is easy as a tote a tank adapter and lava rock .How big is the pond and congrats on your new place and pond

 

[CazDeFaz]

Thanks!
It's probably about 2 meters diameter.
To clean it at the moment I have made a 'sieve' using a t shirt, then I pour buckets of water from the pond through it to collect the dirt...

 

[Mmathis]

Welcome, & congrats on your new home! What a pleasant surprise to discover a pond! It almost sounds like it's pretty well "balanced" as it is. I would be careful about making too many changes at one time, though, and get a test kit so you can monitor your water quality [ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH...] as you go along.

Where are you located?

 

[CazDeFaz]

I'm in Hertfordshire.
I'm concerned I've disturbed the balance by removing all the weeds but you couldn't actually see the water!
The water is merky brown but getting clearer as I filter it bit by bit...

 

[sissy]

you can use the quilt batting to get the finer stuff out .Does the pond have a liner in it

 

[CazDeFaz]

I read about quilt batting and wondered...I have two old pillows, could I use the stuffing from them?
Yes there is a liner.

 

[j.w]

CazDeFaz
The pillow stuffing will work if it's the kind that stays together and isn't like cotton that will come apart in the water. Make sure it has no soap or anything from washing them. Maybe rinse them off real good before putting in a plastic basket w/ holes in it. Stick it under the running water tube from your pump and clean the stuffing good when it gets real dirty. Might take quite awhile of doing this to get your water clear but it does work good.

 

[CazDeFaz]

Thanks...I'll put them in a rinse wash and make sure it's clean and doesn't fall apart!
Thanks all for the advice so far
Any advice on keeping newts / fish...food, plants, lining..?

 

[sissy]

I have a 45 epdm liner I just bought a mole or something chewed through my other liner ,I just buy tetra food for koi and goldies ,I have lilies and lotus but put plants like grasses in my filters to help clean the water but I have to trim there roots often .I used fountain grass and striped grass and lemon grass

 

[j.w]

I like Shubunkins and oj/white long tailed goldfish when I can find them at a good price. For food for the fish I use Tetra Spring/Fall wheat germ type food and in Summer I just feed them Wardleys summer pellets. I have Hornwort, Yellow Flag, Variegated Sedges, Water Lilies, Parrots Feather, Water Primrose, Water Hawthorne (not really thriving) and a few other ones. Don't know how to care for Newts.