Green Water
Every pond suffers from it!
But with proper filtration and TIME, it will clear
I have three types of filters in my pond:
- Biological
- Mechanical &
- Veggie.
For my bio filter I have used a 110 gallon stock
tank and outfitted it according to Skippy's design for a Rubbermaid
Stock Tank Filter.
This is being fed by a 3600gph mag drive pump in
a basket prefilter.
I also have a laundry basket filled with lava rock
and furnace filters and netting under the bell fountain to provide mechanical
filtration run by a 1200 gph mag drive pump.
With plants in the top of the bio filter they are
also providing filtration. This spring a small pond will be dug as
a veggie pond to help keep things clean and clear. The rule of thumb
is to have a veggie filter that is one tenth the total volume of the pond.
My pond is approximately 4000 gallons, so the veggie pond will be 400
gallons. It will be connected to the pond via a small stream that will
give me the perfect excuse to put in the little bridge I want. With
my yard being on a slope, the stream should flow to the pond nicely.
Plants in the pond also aid in filtration by using up
the nutrients that cause algae growth. They also cover the surface and block
the sun from creating an algae bloom, help keep the water cool, and provide cover for the fish to hide from predators. My
pond has gone through the green water stage and has been clear to the bottom of the 4 foot depth. But after we begin putting in a skimmer and creating a stream and veggie filter, I don't think it'll be seeing the bottom for awhile.
It can't be stressed enough, the best cure for green
water is plants, plants and more plants.
Floaters, oxygenators, rushes, lillies and any other plants that
thrive in water. The more plants you have the less nutrients available
for algae. So I'll say it again,
For Green
Water - Plants, Plants and MORE
PLANTS
