Water is NASTY! Moving this week!

[perplexed ponder]

The water in the pond is almost olive green. Nasty, ugly and opaque. Hope it is cycling and will clear up soon! My plants are still pretty small, so not much shade yet. I've been using the quilt batting and cleaning every few hours, doesn't seem to be doing much.

Anyone use black pond dye? Would it help? Does it stain the rocks too?

We are making the big move this week. Rented a trailer for the weekend and movers will come to get the big stuff next week. I will be glad when it's all done! Internet and phone is supposed to be shut off, but is still on (?). I may be away from the computer for the next few weeks while we try to get it all together.

[Indiana Karen]

I'm glad you have movers to help with the big stuff.  Take your time, don't overdue it.

I'll be thinking about you. 

Karen

[perplexed ponder]

Thanks Karen. It's been very overwhelming, and it ain't over yet.

[reddad35]

I helped a friend build a 4500 gallon pond last year. For some reason he decided July was the time. It almost killed us from heat stroke. He has flushed his sand and gravel filter 2 times a day for 2 weeks now. You can see the bottom. He added 4 doses of microblift. 1 per week.  Its almost crystal.

[Kittyzee]

Don't fret, mine is funky too, but I didn't get pond plants until much later than usual due to the wet weather.  I have plants in the biofilter and more in the pond.  I'll bet in a couple of weeks my fishies won't be looking at me through green tinted glasses!   

Oh yeah--and be kind to yourself.  When you are tired, rest.  It will all be waiting for you when you get refreshed.  You don't need to be sick on top of everything else.  I sound bossy don't I?        

[frogman3]

You can only do what you can do when you have an Algae bloom. Although it may seem like a losing battle it will start dieing off turning brown then you will see some progress. I normally never clean my filters after spring start up till fall shut down. I made an exception this year since it was not a normal year. Last winter I had a 60 foot tree fall and totally cover my main pond during and ice storm and could not clear the trunk and main branches for months and all the fine crap took even longer. Earlier this spring I had the clearest water I think I can ever remember then had my neighbors feed my fish while I was out of town for 5 days. A week after I came home I had the worst and longest Algae bloom ever. I figure the gallon container of food they fed the fish had something to do with that.   Cut way back on your feeding for the time being. Hang in there it will clear.

[Lynne22]

I recently had the same issue with my new pond. What I ended up resorting to was weedblocker. I cut up small shapes and lay them on the surface of the water, around the pads, leaving windows for the tubers to get sunlight, but about 80% of the surface is covered with either pads or weedblocker. It's the only thing I could think of to block the sun without adding any chemicals. It floats regardless of whether it's partially submerged or not, and it's light weight enough that if a pad/bloom needs to move it, it can. It's working, along with more aeration, ClearZyme, and Accuclear. NO ALGEAFIX. It's useless. I am able to remove it daily as the sun goes down, but that may not be practical for everyone. In the morning before the sun hits the pond, I start putting it back. It's different everyday, since the pads move, and more are on the surface. I am using smaller and smaller pieces daily. I have batting in my filter, and wash it out every other day. May as well try it, if it's doable.

Just to be clear, I do NOT cover the pads. If some blocker gets under them, there is still a layer of water between the pad and the blocker.

[perplexed ponder]

Lynne, what a clever solution! I am afraid mine would just be pushed into the skimmer though.
Frogman, I am TRYING to stay patient! LOL!
Kittyzee, thanks, I am really pushing hard right now. Everywhere I look is a mess and there is literally NO escape from it. Boxes, furniture, ugly black liner.
Reddad, I have been doing microbe lift, this is my third dose. Hoping it starts to do the work soon. We have a bio filter, and have been backwashing it once a week.
I am waiting it out, hoping it will look good soon.

Do you think when the actual waterfall is running, it will help water quality?

[Esther]

I just added algaecide to mine Saturday. Usually I do it a couple times a summer along with the additional filter media in the waterfall steps. Just be careful.