Red water

[tbendl]

The only thing that seems to happen quickly in ponds are fish babies and algae blooms. The rest is agonizingly slow going... Lol
I'm glad you're clearing up Nepen.

 

[Mmathis]

Have you taken any pics of your new pond? Would like to see the "lay of the land" in your yard to see if we can offer help & suggestions based on that. But glad you got pond water this time and not run-off!

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Last night we probably got some pretty decent rain but no run off!! well, the water's not cloudy anyway but I think I got about 2 inches in the pond. That's a change!

the water is a big clearer and not as red today too. so I think the activated carbon is working.. but slowly?

Glad to hear your water is clearing up but it's probably not from the carbon.

Carbon can only absorb so much before it becomes ineffective and has a life of about 2-4 weeks

 

[Nepen]

TM, I dont have a new pic yet... Dont really know why I didnt take one yet.. Oh I know, I need to cut the grass first!

So here's the old one, I wrote in what we added (the gutter) and the way the water runs (in blue). It's quite stupid to have the gutter output over the patio and that's the main problem and need addressing asap. the ground between the patio and the pond slop down on both sides.

 

[Nepen]

Glad to hear your water is clearing up but it's probably not from the carbon.

Carbon can only absorb so much before it becomes ineffective and has a life of about 2-4 weeks

really! that short? I thought it last at least a few months!!! grr..... really didnt know that it has very short life.
Thanks!

 

[bettasngoldfish]

really! that short? I thought it last at least a few months!!! grr..... really didnt know that it has very short life.
Thanks!

Yep, It's got a pretty short life and I'm guessing that's why most people only use it as needed and not on a regular basis.

 

[Mmathis]

One thing we've toyed with to help with drainage is to add a "dry creek bed," or it could be called by other names. That might be very nice to add in that sloped area. For those who don't know, all a dry creek bed is.....think French drain. You dig a trench that you line with landscape material [or at least ours will be]. Then you fill in the trench with various sized & shaped rocks. There is somewhat of a "science" involved with what size rocks go where, but I'm sure most people just throw them in. In the end, it looks like a natural feature, but is a drain.

@Nepen Where your stream edge is there at the base of the slope, you could pile rocks up there and even make it look like part of the pond!

 

[Mmathis]

......like this.....

 

[Nepen]

Thanks TM. Right now I actually plants grass on the ground there. I do have an idea similar to yours but at different place (because it's lower over there)

See pic

I think since the area where I indicated is where water pool the most, I'll have to move all the rocks out, pull the liner up, and dig down, make a trench to the other side of the pond and put a french drain in there. But since that's a lot of work, I'm thinking I should try diverting the water from the gutter first and if that works i wont have to do french drain!! (And the clay dirt is NOT easy to dig.. )

I just want to enjoy my pond right now and not have to work and mess it up... so cross fingers!

 

[Nepen]

Yep, It's got a pretty short life and I'm guessing that's why most people only use it as needed and not on a regular basis.

The one I put in is just 2 weeks old... may be i'll get a bit more life out of it before i need to change them!

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Fingers crossed for you Nepen

 

[Mmathis]

@Nepen You don't have to tell me about clay dirt.....!

 

[Nepen]

@Nepen You don't have to tell me about clay dirt.....!

Lol. I can't even put the shovel through an inch... How Bads yours,?

 

[Mmathis]

Lol. I can't even put the shovel through an inch... How Bads yours,?

Same. I love it, though, when it's the perfect degree of "diggable." Not too wet / not too dry / not too often.

 

[Nepen]

Same. I love it, though, when it's the perfect degree of "diggable." Not too wet / not too dry / not too often.

I like it and hate it lol. When it wet it stuck bad to everything and my boots will be cakeed with it that I can't even walk. Lol. But when it's a little wet it's easy to shape it the way I like and stay that way.