Thick layer of "gunge" settling on pond plants and weed. Killing them off !!! help please.

[Melrose]

Over the past couple of years the pond has started to deposit a layer of "sludge ?" on the pond plant leaves, rocks etc ( If it was inside a house you would say years of dust, a thick layer over every surface). The lily leaves get covered and die off. The picture shows some of the pond weed after a shake to "wash" it off but it soon returns. Goldfish are fine, no problems with them.
So what might it be and what is to be done.
Thanks
Brian.

Hi Brian,I had the same problem last year ,and I was advised to use a mixture of clear peroxide and water,I have a pond of 5oo gallons and used two and half cups of three percent peroxide in water this clears the dust from the plants and sides of the pond.No effect at all on the fish .You would need to calculate the correct amount required for your pond.regds Melrose.

Over the past couple of years the pond has started to deposit a layer of "sludge ?" on the pond plant leaves, rocks etc ( If it was inside a house you would say years of dust, a thick layer over every surface). The lily leaves get covered and die off. The picture shows some of the pond weed after a shake to "wash" it off but it soon returns. Goldfish are fine, no problems with them.
So what might it be and what is to be done.
Thanks
Brian.

Ĺy

 

[Sisha]

Hi Brian, I used to have to vacuum my pond once a year but now I have so many underwater plants I don't get that problem anymore. If it was like mine it is sediment mucked up by the fish and then settles on everything. I can see bugs crawling on the bottom, 800mm deep goldfish pond.

 

[Lisak1]

I was advised to use a mixture of clear peroxide and water,I have a pond of 5oo gallons and used two and half cups of three percent peroxide in water

3% peroxide is perfectly safe to add to the pond without diluting it.

 

[Ra'mona]

Over the past couple of years the pond has started to deposit a layer of "sludge ?" on the pond plant leaves, rocks etc ( If it was inside a house you would say years of dust, a thick layer over every surface). The lily leaves get covered and die off. The picture shows some of the pond weed after a shake to "wash" it off but it soon returns. Goldfish are fine, no problems with them.
So what might it be and what is to be done.
Thanks
Brian.

Hello, i was having this same problem last year. What i discovered was that the fish food I was feeding my koi was contributing to the fine silt and sludge. Plus maybe I was overfeeding as well I had 4 ponds all varying from 800-1000 gallons. I have a heavy koi load on each pond which also contributes to this sludge problem. I used to feed Mazsuri, I did not have the silt-sludge problem. With Covid money was-is tight i tried a cheaper form of food from Tractor supple. It was a multi speci catfish food. It was making the water dirty looking every time I feed my koi. And my ponds started accumulating all the junk and sludge on everything. My pumps and bio-filters could not keep up with the sludge, pumps were bogging down or shut off completely. I use 2000 gph pumps I also clean tear down my ponds at least once a year or vacuum them. I recently went back to feeding Mazuri , my water is finally clear. And the gunk has stopped accumulating on everything. Now I can see the mossy stuff growing on my liner Hope this post help someone!

 

[Sisha]

3% peroxide is perfectly safe to add to the pond without diluting it.

Adding H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) to H2O is just adding more oxygen to your water

 

[Lisak1]

Adding H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) to H2O is just adding more oxygen to your water

OK? What's the point?

 

[Stickleback]

Over the past couple of years the pond has started to deposit a layer of "sludge ?" on the pond plant leaves, rocks etc ( If it was inside a house you would say years of dust, a thick layer over every surface). The lily leaves get covered and die off. The picture shows some of the pond weed after a shake to "wash" it off but it soon returns. Goldfish are fine, no problems with them.
So what might it be and what is to be done.
Thank

Over the past couple of years the pond has started to deposit a layer of "sludge ?" on the pond plant leaves, rocks etc ( If it was inside a house you would say years of dust, a thick layer over every surface). The lily leaves get covered and die off. The picture shows some of the pond weed after a shake to "wash" it off but it soon returns. Goldfish are fine, no problems with them.
So what might it be and what is to be done.
Thanks
Brian.

Your pond looks lovely. If the gunk is brown rather than green then could it be that the pump is too strong and it's stirring up sediment? Just a thought.