Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Basics of managing a small pond

Hello everyone! My pond is a puddle compared to those I read about in this website. However, it is a backyard pond 20' by 10' and 3' deep. It has two waterfalls and is in a wooded setting. I have one koi and about 12 carp in it. My problem is that my waterfall rocks are covered with green algae and my water is now coffee colored. I have purchased and used liquid and dry algaecide with no success. My pH, ammonia, and nitrites are good, my plants are blooming, the fish are eating and swimming but the sparkling crispness I had is gone. I am new at this and need someone to tell me what to add and when. By the way, we just changed filters to one with a light in it but it burst when we turned it on for the first time on Saturday so we are waiting for the new one to come. Some of my questions are: How often do I add salt? How do I get rid of foam? Why does the foam get worse after adding algeacide? When should I add flocking and how do you vacuum it up without getting the fish? What the H--- am I doing? HELP! HELP!

Elsie,
What percentage of the water surface is covered by plants? and how much of the surface receives sunlight each day? Are the plants potted or floating? How about snails and how big are the fish? Is this a lined or earthen pond?
I have a smaller pond than yours with no water falls and no filter, I have 30 fish all less that 4" I feed them only occasionally, I try to keep as much water surface as possible covered with plants as the sunshine allows my algae to flourish, I have several pounds of snails that seem to do a good job in cleaning the sides and bottom, the fish manicure the plants, but with all of that said it is still a difficult balance, we have drained, from the bottom, about a third of the water when we have encountered murky water in the past. One of my major problems is dead vegetation, with so much of the surface covered it is not always easy to see the dead leaves, etc. The other problem is that my plants are potted in clay and the fish sometimes get aggressive and root up the soil which clouds the water.
I know this is not much help, but someone will add a great deal more. Can you add a picture

Hi Rad:

I am soooo glad for your reply. To answer your questions: I don't have many plants in water now but I am potting 4 lillies and 12 other green water plants (forgot name) today. I have purchased mesh pots and pond plant media and stone to plant them, My pond is a lined pond with small river rock bottom. I don't have a center drain. I didn't have a filter at first but then decided to put one in. Obviously with bad luck since this is the second one I baught and busted. I have 1 koi and 12 carp. the largest carp is about 8 inches the others vary down from that. I also have 2 sucker fish which I cannot find anywhere in the coffee colored water. There actually is not too much sun hitting the pond. There is sun hitting the small pond at the beginning of the waterfall. But I have lots of plants in that (bird feather)
The pond is facing south but woods are south of it. Therefore the sun will hit it a little in the morning. I will be very glad to send you a picture if you will tell me how to do it on this website or send me your email address. My email is eellera@bellsouth.net

Hi Elsie. If you would like to post pics of your pond you would need to set up an image hosting account with something like http://photobucket.com. It's free and pretty simple once you get the hang of it. There is a thread about posting pics in the PB archive section and if you still can't get it you can send me a PM (private message) and I'll be glad to help you.

I'd love to see your little pond.

Hi GW:

I got some pix loaded on photobucket but how do I send them to you now.

The pix are when the pond was just built 4 mos ago. Not many plants yet and didnt have brown water and algae all over it. I'll have to update the pix.

Elsie

Elsie, I'm heading out at the moment. Why don't you see what you can do using this thread, and if you still can't get it I'll help you later.

http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=000006

Elsie,
Here are your pictures, when you get comfortable with the process let me know and I will remove these. I reduced the size to 800x600 so they would fit on the Pond Boss page. Also use the full response button at the bottom of the quick reply window and use the preview post button to check your work. One problem with the pic posting is that you get two [IMG]before and after each location, just erase one set on the end of each pic.
Just a rough guess but I would say that the mud comes from run off, the area around your pond is mostly dirt and it looks like it could easily enter the water between the rocks. Patience until the grass fills in around the pond.
Going to be a beautiful area when you finish. Snails might help, but maybe just food for the night animals that visit.

There is not much to stop heavy rain from causing soil to splash into the pond, adding cloudy sediments.

The use of algaecides has probably upped the amount of floating sediments, all those dead algae remnants...

Nor is there much to stop the carp from rummaging around in the bottom of the pond, stirring up the sediments

If you let surface coating algae and submerged aquatic plants establish, that would go some way to trapping sediments and reducing fertility levels that promote blanketweed and free floating algae, aka pea green soup, 'green water'

Ummm, why add salt? Other than using particular concentrations in isolation and quarantine for treating specific conditions, what use is salt in a planted fish pond

Regards, andy
http://www.members.aol.com/abdavisnc/swglist.html

Hi Folks: You all have been so wonderfully helpful. I am feeling more confident each time I read a message. At this very moment there full landscaping of plants, large rocks and stuff around the pond with no chance of dirt going in. As you can see in the algae formed pix there are lots of plants in the water too. Today my husband pulled out a bucket of water which surprised us with about 6 - 8 baby fish. I think they may be mosquito fish. I will update my pictures so that you all can get a better idea of what I'm dealing with. Thanks sooo much.

Elsie

13 carp might be a bit much for your pond when they get full grown so have good filtration

Well guys, Here's an updated pix of the pond. Foamy coffee colored water and algae covered rocks. [URL=http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa95/eellera/backyardpond007.jpg What it looks like today]web page[/URL]

Very nice.

Did my pix actually come thru? I don't know if I did it right!