Older pond needs a tune up - 06/30/16 11:55 PM
Hello from Hampton GA, we have a 20 year old pond on 50 acres that needs a few areas tended to. Reading has helped get me started knowing I need get it back in shape,...
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/01/16 12:36 AM
Welcome to PBF George!
Looking forward to hearing details about your pond. Lots of pros here to answer questions when you have them.
Again welcome!
Bill D.
Looking forward to hearing details about your pond. Lots of pros here to answer questions when you have them.
Again welcome!
Bill D.
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/01/16 01:41 PM
Welcome to PB. Be careful getting in shape in the summer high temps.
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/01/16 02:22 PM
LOL yeah in shape you got that right. Funny how quickly you can get wore out doing fun pond stuff!! 
Staying in some kind of shape is key for sure!!
Welcome to the PBF!! When you get a sec lets see some pics of what your working on...
RC
Staying in some kind of shape is key for sure!!Welcome to the PBF!! When you get a sec lets see some pics of what your working on...
RC
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/01/16 04:09 PM
Water looks good around March and Now the past couple of years turns green. I had thought it was /is Duckweed tried some Reward last year no real luck, comes back solid, sure lots of leaves in and on bottom to feed it.
set up some temporary air, 2.5 CFM pump with a diffuser I made, have about a few hours of run time since Monday, Might see a little bit of clearing in that before the entire surface was solid, same shade of green and now with air a portion is clear ,...
set up some temporary air, 2.5 CFM pump with a diffuser I made, have about a few hours of run time since Monday, Might see a little bit of clearing in that before the entire surface was solid, same shade of green and now with air a portion is clear ,...
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/01/16 04:36 PM
Good looking place I am sure the experts out here can point you in the right direction for your wonderful looking pond scum! Hold tight I'm sure they will chime in soon now that you have pics of whats going on that will help.
RC
Hold tight I'm sure they will chime in soon now that you have pics of whats going on that will help.RC
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/01/16 06:48 PM
It looks to me like you have a classic, whopper bloom of bluegreen algae aka Cyanobacteria. They grow well in mid-summer in very nutrient enriched, phosphorus laden water. When the bluegreen bloom is comprised of species on top, they often contain toxins in the cells which are released when the cells die, are killed and then breakdown -decompose. One of the common toxins is microcystin. When the cells age and die the color often changes from green to bluegreen.
To check if it is one of the harmful blugreen algae, collect some 1/2 full in a water bottle and cap it. Allow it to sit capped for a couple hours, then open it, and lightly smell the air inside the bottle. If the odor is offensive, musty, moldy, etc then you have one of the harmful bluegreens. Do not let your dog get in the water and lick the algae off its body. This stuff when ingested can be really harmful to dogs.
When the bloom is this intense you are close to having a fish kill when there are several cloudy days, and or it all dies at once and all the dead material consumes lots of oxygen. In mid-summer when the water is 'hot' it is not able to 'hold' much oxygen compared to colder water, thus DO can get consumed rapidly.
To check if it is one of the harmful blugreen algae, collect some 1/2 full in a water bottle and cap it. Allow it to sit capped for a couple hours, then open it, and lightly smell the air inside the bottle. If the odor is offensive, musty, moldy, etc then you have one of the harmful bluegreens. Do not let your dog get in the water and lick the algae off its body. This stuff when ingested can be really harmful to dogs.
When the bloom is this intense you are close to having a fish kill when there are several cloudy days, and or it all dies at once and all the dead material consumes lots of oxygen. In mid-summer when the water is 'hot' it is not able to 'hold' much oxygen compared to colder water, thus DO can get consumed rapidly.
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/01/16 07:09 PM
Originally Posted By: Bill Cody
It looks to me like you have a classic, whopper bloom of bluegreen algae aka Cyanobacteria. They grow well in mid-summer in very nutrient enriched, phosphorus laden water. When the bluegreen bloom is comprised of species on top, they often contain toxins in the cells which are released when the cells die, are killed and then breakdown -decompose. One of the common toxins is microcystin. When the cells age and die the color often changes from green to bluegreen.
To check if it is one of the harmful blugreen algae, collect some 1/2 full in a water bottle and cap it. Allow it to sit capped for a couple hours, then open it, and lightly smell the air inside the bottle. If the odor is offensive, musty, moldy, etc then you have one of the harmful bluegreens. Do not let your dog get in the water and lick the algae off its body. This stuff when ingested can be really harmful to dogs.
When the bloom is this intense you are close to having a fish kill when there are several cloudy days, and or it all dies at once and all the dead material consumes lots of oxygen. In mid-summer when the water is 'hot' it is not able to 'hold' much oxygen compared to colder water, thus DO can get consumed rapidly.
To check if it is one of the harmful blugreen algae, collect some 1/2 full in a water bottle and cap it. Allow it to sit capped for a couple hours, then open it, and lightly smell the air inside the bottle. If the odor is offensive, musty, moldy, etc then you have one of the harmful bluegreens. Do not let your dog get in the water and lick the algae off its body. This stuff when ingested can be really harmful to dogs.
When the bloom is this intense you are close to having a fish kill when there are several cloudy days, and or it all dies at once and all the dead material consumes lots of oxygen. In mid-summer when the water is 'hot' it is not able to 'hold' much oxygen compared to colder water, thus DO can get consumed rapidly.
Thank you for taking a look and the information. I'll try the bottle test in a little while when we go feed the ducks and fish. Interesting about the dog issue, although no dogs here at the moment. History is pond was built around 1994, has lots of trees close and sure to be plenty of decaying leaves for nutrients you mentioned.
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/04/16 10:29 AM
How many ducks and how large is the pond? That could be a source of the problem.
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 07/04/16 05:00 PM
About seven Mallards and two Pekins now , was only a couple last few years, Have had some heavy run offs from the fertilized fields across the road last few years also, this stuff showed up along that time too. Trees close to edge I'm sure is putting rotting mass in the bottom that isn't helping either,...
Close to a 3/4 Acre with 5 to 7 feet Depths
Close to a 3/4 Acre with 5 to 7 feet Depths
Re: Older pond needs a tune up - 08/12/16 06:22 PM
Any update on this? I'm having a similar issue with my pond just north of Atlanta. It's not as bad as your but it is getting there.