Snot like algae

[Pinky]

Hello

I am new to this forum and wondered if you could help. For two years now my husband and I have been building a natural swimming pond. We haven’t mastered the filter yet. We have a crude one but we have air stones in each corner. The water is clear, we have tadpoles and newts and all sorts living in it which is fine but we also have this weird snot like algae that has settled on everything. It sits on the bottom until you disturb it and then it floats to the top. You scoop it out and it goes gooey. Does anyone know what this might be? How can we get rid of it without hurting the other residents in our pool? I’ve tried to take photos to help. The pool isn’t fully planted yet wondering if this doesn’t help? Many thanks in advance.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

I don’t know what it’s called, but I know what you are talking about. More plants might help.

 

[Lisak1]

Ah, yes. The ever popular snot algae! It's a sign something in your pond is creating nutrients. And yes, more plants would definitely help.

 

[Pinky]

Hello and welcome!

I don’t know what it’s called, but I know what you are talking about. More plants might help.

Thank you, do you know if there is anything I can do short term?

 

[Pinky]

Something seems to have killed off some of my plants...could it be the algae?

 

[Lisak1]

Something seems to have killed off some of my plants...could it be the algae?

Doubtful. What did they look like when they died? Did they go yellow first? Did they not come back after winter?

 

[Pinky]

Some of them just seem to have disappeared there is just a pot of soil and no plant the other just looks really sad and brown. What plants would you buy to populate the pond with. Would you stick to more oxygenators or vary it a bit?

 

[j.w]

@Pinky Maybe plant lots of plants in those areas of shallower water around the edge. Like Sedges and Sweet Flag that suck up lots of nutrients. Look up bog plants and those would prolly work well for you in there.

 

[Pinky]

Thank you very much, is there anything I can put in the water to help speed things up?

 

[Mmathis]

Do you have any fish? Fish waste (ammonia, through a cycle process) usually acts as fertilizer for plants, so no fish could mean that the plants aren’t getting nutrients. And if you do have fish, it’s possible that they (or ther critters) are nibbling on the plants.

Just curious, but what plants did you/do you have in there now — and how do you have them planted? Are they in pots?

 

[Pinky]

Do you have any fish? Fish waste (ammonia, through a cycle process) usually acts as fertilizer for plants, so no fish could mean that the plants aren’t getting nutrients. And if you do have fish, it’s possible that they (or ther critters) are nibbling on the plants.

Just curious, but what plants did you/do you have in there now — and how do you have them planted? Are they in pots?

Hi

We don’t have fish in the pool as apparently it makes it too dirty then to use as a swimming pool. I am very very new to all this. We built the pool after watching a few YouTube clips and I am not green fingered when it comes to plants! I bought about six oxygennators, we have a lot of reeds, mint and bull rushes at the back corner and a few lilies. Apart from the rushes they are all still in their pots. I keep trying to work out how best to plant them without the soil floating away.
All of this advice is greatly appreciated thank you

 

[Mmathis]

Hi

We don’t have fish in the pool as apparently it makes it too dirty then to use as a swimming pool. I am very very new to all this. We built the pool after watching a few YouTube clips and I am not green fingered when it comes to plants! I bought about six oxygennators, we have a lot of reeds, mint and bull rushes at the back corner and a few lilies. Apart from the rushes they are all still in their pots. I keep trying to work out how best to plant them without the soil floating away.
All of this advice is greatly appreciated thank you

Not my area of expertise, but we do have a lot of plant gurus here.

 

[j.w]

You don't have to use soil for plants. You can use gravel or 100% clay kitty litter w/no additives like perfume etc. I bought mine at Walmart. The really cheap stuff in big bags. Used to be called Special Kitty and was in a red bag. Here it is, I found it online: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Special-Kitty-Unscented-Natural-Clay-Cat-Litter-25-Lb/10293705
You can put some flat stones on top of your planting media to keep it from floating away. Although w/no fish in there the gravel or kitty litter should not float when it gets wet or get messed w/by fish digging at it. You can buy plant tabs or spikes at garden stores, nurseries or Lowes or H-depot etc.to keep the plants fertilized. You just jab them down deep in the potting media and let them do the job.

 

[sissy]

WOW an airplane landed in your pond

 

[Mmathis]

WOW an airplane landed in your pond

I noticed that, as well! Cute floatie!