Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water Where do i start????

I just bought a house and the pond thats on the property is very cloudy all the time. there isn't much if any vegetation. any suggestions on how to clean it up, maintain it, and get it ready to be stocked.

Welcome aboard Brian!
Let me begin this post by stating I am NO expert on water quality, but there are numerous members here who should be able to guide you in the right direction.
That being said my first step would be to collect two "water samples" in different mason jars (from different areas of pond depending on its size). Set them on the counter and then check their appearance after a few hours. This is an easy way to see if you are dealing with organics or inorganics. Mud should (may not, but should) settle to the bottom of the jar, but organic matter usually stays suspended. You did not state if the pond already had residents in it, but if large cats (and some other fish) are present then they tend to keep mud stirred up once they get good size on them. After this cheap test you need to see if a local lab or pond manager can test other factors like pH, total hardness, and total alkalinity.
Good news is it can be fixed (if needed), and you are already on the right track just by wanting to get something done.

Again I welcome you and hope to see some good posts from you through out your journey.

Deb

Brian,
Search the data bases on the forum and you will find a great deal of information, for this specific question use the search function in this forum and type in muddy water and you will find 27 topics. Some will be helpful, some just interesting. By reading the questions of others you will see the type of information needed to help answer your questions. The more information you supply the easier and more complete the answers. Pictures help as well. One of the early responses to a first question like yours is what are your pond goals. What is it that you would like your pond to be. One other thing, you will quickly find that no matter what problem you have you are not alone and help is just a few key strokes away.