New Pond Owner (water issue)

[SarahT]

Welcome to the forum (I'm fairly new, too). I love your pond and it's going to be beautiful. You've gotten good advice above. I'll add a few comments, as I have had a canister-type filter similar to yours for many years. My canister/ UV light combination biofilter works well once the muck and organic material on the bottom is removed and the plants and aeration are growing and going. It is better at keeping the pond clear than getting the pond clear. In 20 years of ponding, I haven't had much success with pond bombs or "clear the water" type products. For me, clear pond has been about shade, using up nutrients in the water, and removing particulant matter (cleaning the filters). (I'm designing a water filtration bog, since this forum has convinced me it will be a better filter solution. But I digress).
Does your canister have a UV light built in? If so, change the bulb (an annual event, even if the light is on, the bulb loses effectiveness over time.) Add water hyacinths and water lettuce (if they are legal where you are) and add a few water-loving plants, like canna lily or papyrus, planted in pea gravel in a perforated pot (makes it easier for the plant roots to get to and use up nutrients in the pond.) Make sure you have aeration from a waterfall or fountain (is that a fountain in the middle?).
As gently as possible, scoop and net the muck from the bottom and keep cleaning the filter (that pump the top and water the garden process). You might consider a 10% water change once a week for a few weeks, using a de-chlorinator product (you may not need it with only a 10% change, but ...) Lastly, I'd get a pond pump the right size for the pond and filter.
I hope this helps and I'm looking forward to seeing your cleared up pond in a few weeks (and your new bog "pretty soon".)

 

[Snooz3]

Very pretty pond! Any idea how many gallons it holds?

What it looks like to me is a pond that's murky from a lot of organic material decaying in the bottom. That will make the water brown (tea-stained is the usual description). Your filter may not be big enough, or it may just be struggling to catch up. The floating bubbles are another clue that you have a lot of organic decay going on.

You were correct when you said you don't want to break the pond down completely and clean it, but you can scoop the bottom to see if there are leaves or other plant material that need to be removed. While nature will eventually break it all down, anything that you can remove manually will help with the process. Stirring up the bottom will also help get the stuff you want to filter out into the water column so your filter can remove it.

Thank you for the kind words. I don’t actually know what capacity the pond is if I’m honest.

I have had a go at clearing the bottom of the pond after reading these suggestions and my god is there a lot of organic material at the bottom, sticks and leaves mainly very dark and sloppy..

A little update;

The pond is currently no clearer, before I actually attempted to clean the bottom out I turned the filter onto external again to pump out into the garden, I can’t tell you how black the water is coming out of these filters, it really is dirty, surely that’s an indication they are doing what they are designed to do? I am just wondering whether they are becoming overwhelmed as the water quality is that bad or if they shouldn’t be getting that fowled in a matter of days?

My plan is to again let things settle over the next few days and see if there is any change, for the minute things are certainly worse.

Next month I am going to look into a new pump that is more suitable for the pond, I wouldn’t mind buying a second hand overhauled one as they certainly aren’t the cheapest, again this will take some research as I don’t yet know my pond capacity, I will have to try and find a way to figure this out and go from there, again thank you for the replies.

** oh and just to add I’m from the U.K. **

 

[SarahT]

I think the black water and dirt from the filters shows they are doing the job, keep cleaning the filters often so the pump does not strain too hard and break down. I'd say keep scooping the big stuff out of the pond bottom until you are't getting much out. The water probably will look worse from stuff stirred up from the bottom for a couple of days, the filters are working to get it out of the water, and you'll work to get it out of the filters. Be of good cheer, it is a problem that can be solved.

 

[GBBUDD]

The importance of a pond vac to suck up those deposits as they start instead of after it has accumulated and a vac is useless.

 

[Snooz3]

The importance of a pond vac to suck up those deposits as they start instead of after it has accumulated and a vac is useless.

So do you mean it’s pointless removing the debris?

 

[addy1]

So do you mean it’s pointless removing the debris?

no keep removing it, in time you will win

 

[poconojoe]

I'm not sure if I missed something...
Does your filter contain filter pads or is it just biological filtration?
What I mean is... are you opening up the filter and rinsing the pads or just back washing the filter without opening it up?

 

[Snooz3]

I'm not sure if I missed something...
Does your filter contain filter pads or is it just biological filtration?
What I mean is... are you opening up the filter and rinsing the pads or just back washing the filter without opening it up?

It contains filter pads, I am back washing it currently every day but originally I removed them and rinsed them with the existing pond water.

 

[GBBUDD]

Not at all. the more you remove as it builds up the less potential issues you'll have

 

[Snooz3]

*update*

So guys after much persistence about a week ago my pond had completely cleared!! I have now changed the sump pump out for a more suitable pump that pumps the full capacity of the pond in 30 mins.

I woke up today and it had returned murky grrr! It looks to me like suspended solids and there is still a lot of settled debris on the bottom of the pond. (You can see this when it clears) I’m not making any rash decisions or changes as I’m hoping it comes good again.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[poconojoe]

I suggest you very slowly run a net along the bottom to get rid of that "settled debris".

All that natural stuff down there will decay, which can cause water quality issues.

 

[brokensword]

*update*

So guys after much persistence about a week ago my pond had completely cleared!! I have now changed the sump pump out for a more suitable pump that pumps the full capacity of the pond in 30 mins.

I woke up today and it had returned murky grrr! It looks to me like suspended solids and there is still a lot of settled debris on the bottom of the pond. (You can see this when it clears) I’m not making any rash decisions or changes as I’m hoping it comes good again.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Is it possible some critter visited and stirred everything all up? Koi are known to disturb the pond bottom as that.'so their nature when foraging. Are all your fish accounted for?

 

[Snooz3]

Is it possible some critter visited and stirred everything all up? Koi are known to disturb the pond bottom as that.'so their nature when foraging. Are all your fish accounted for?

Could well of been this.. I have woken up today and the pond is crystal clear again. I do have koi as well.

 

[Snooz3]

This is how much clearer it is. Also you can see some of the debris on the bottom.
Oh and ignore the pump discharge pipe.. I have some relocating to do.