Weird problem in my pond! Need advice asap! PLEASE!

[j.w]

So would it be possible for you to put something over the pond to protect it from debris and running dogs etc.? Something easy like a sheet of plastic or netting, anything easy for you to put on in winter and remove in the Spring? If you see no possibility then yes you will have to just reseal and go about what you have been doing. It is too bad tho that you have to start all over every year wiping out all the good stuff.

 

[TrishB]

So would it be possible for you to put something over the pond to protect it from debris and running dogs etc.? Something easy like a sheet of plastic or netting, anything easy for you to put on in winter and remove in the Spring? If you see no possibility then yes you will have to just reseal and go about what you have been doing. It is too bad tho that you have to start all over every year wiping out all the good stuff.

Nope....cannot do ...the whole yard is 2 ft deep in snow sometimes ,,kinda hard to determine where the pond even is when its like that ...plus all of the mucky stuff just smells in spring ...cant do it....gotta have it pretty.! One of the drawbacks of Montana I guess...no all year ponds ...and I refuse to put an aerator in there and leave them all winter...not cool! ....They are spoiled fish.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Cleaning a pond in the Spring is an annual ritual for northern latitudes pondkeepers. There are several on this Forum that fit into that category. You will find that although they clean their pond each year they do not scrub or power wash. Typical domestic water pressure is sufficient to remove any trapped sediment and silt that may have accumulated without greatly impacting the existing algae growth.

As advised any Marine coating will work. They are all fish-safe.

 

[sissy]

Colleen leaves hers out and she lives in Canada .But she uses pond heaters and her electric rate is low so that helps .

 

[MitchM]

Colleens electricity is zero because her husband pays.

 

[TrishB]

Colleen leaves hers out and she lives in Canada .But she uses pond heaters and her electric rate is low so that helps .

I keep mine indoors in garage in winter...and I let the pond pretty much freeze up ...I think maybe I'm in the wrong league with some of you ..as I'm not as "super pond person" as most of you are,..I built a really cool pond, have had amazing" luck ", apparently for the past 4 years and now shit happened<< I was mainly asking what this new thing may be that has popped up..I'm gonna go with the fact that it may be the sealer deteriorating and needs to be re-done.,,the upper part of pond with streams and such were redone 2 years ago and Im not too worried about those. Was mainly wondering if this murky look was something to worry about ...so to be safe I took em out and drained it ...cleaned it again ( yes with pressure washer) hoping to get rid of whatever the stuff was that caused it ..and reseal it.
Im assuming that if the growth was a beneficial one that the pond would've cleared up naturally over the past month or so ...but it got worse...so nada! I have no clue! So i ordered the" pond clear" granules a week ago ( basically oxy clean ..yes chemicals!) and they didn't help either bubbled a bit of stuff but water still didn't clear up ...SO ...this is why I'm here ,,,maybe no one has the solution to help ...and I don't plan on leaving a bunch of algae all over the pond sides ...(it doesn't look nice at all) ..It was clean always before so we will try this. I like my fish too much to let them live in a cloudy pond...ew!

 

[MitchM]

If Meyer Jordan has seen this problem with concrete ponds before, then I would follow his advice.
I was going to suggest looking at your manganese levels from your well water tests.
Reseal your concrete first.
Do not add more chemicals trying to resolve the problem.
Pressure washing the pond is not helpful.
You're washing away the protections that Mother Nature provides.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Since you are going to re-seal this pond after 4 years, it is strongly advised that the concrete surface be properly prepared or the sealant will not bond adequately with the concrete. You may need to do an acid wash to completely clean the surface.

 

[TrishB]

If Meyer Jordan has seen this problem with concrete ponds before, then I would follow his advice.
I was going to suggest looking at your manganese levels from your well water tests.
Reseal your concrete first.
Do not add more chemicals trying to resolve the problem.
Pressure washing the pond is not helpful.
You're washing away the protections that Mother Nature provides.

 

[TrishB]

We are gonna order some sealer ...I used just a normal concrete sealer the first time and the hubby pressure washes the bejesus out of it every year...I can not tell him anything...but I don't like the muck either ,,,any suggestions on a pond vac that will work besides the muck stick that I have ..that thing's a PITA. I want something that do well...My fish don't seem to be sick, nor have they ever...they are in the temp home today ..colder than heck here so no sealing this weekend ,..have to order the" seal-once stuff"..hoping it works though on previously sealed concrete...

 

[TrishB]

Since you are going to re-seal this pond after 4 years, it is strongly advised that the concrete surface be properly prepared or the sealant will not bond adequately with the concrete. You may need to do an acid wash to completely clean the surface.

Just muriatic acid?? or something else??

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Just muriatic acid?? or something else??

Muriatic acid should be sufficient.

 

[TrishB]

Muriatic acid should be sufficient.

will do that ..thanks....
dont ya just want to slap me yet?
Just worried about my fish...will take pics when i refill it this week after sealing...woudl you recommend that seal once stuff or something else ..? Pond armor is crap! used that once and had to rip the whole pond apart,

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Although the cost may be higher, I still recommend a marine coating (epoxy, urethane or enamel). All of the major paint manufacturers offer a selection. Seal once is not a product line that I am familiar with for use in a constantly submerged environment.

 

[TrishB]

Although the cost may be higher, I still recommend a marine coating (epoxy, urethane or enamel). All of the major paint manufacturers offer a selection. Seal once is not a product line that I am familiar with for use in a constantly submerged environment.

Here is my issue with buying a non-tested or just "any manufacturer" made finish...WILL it work as good with a previously sealed concrete surface..they say they are marine coat...but for boats and stuff ..not a concrete pond...so i ponder this before i spend another $1000 on an epoxy that totally (pardon my french) f**ks up a $10,000 project that i may have to rip up again...we tried urethane once ...that took a backhoe to rip out....not fun and not cheap! It was ugly ...I think there is a simple fix to this ...but if there is a better sealer out there vs the diamond clear that I used before than Im open to it ..but I want to hear it from someone who used it>>>
So if you can shove me in their direction ...please do ...Im not being an ass ..I just need to get my fish back in their pond .