Clearing our green fish pond

Zigs

Zigs

Well-known member
Moderator
Location
Kent, England
Hardiness zone
9a
Every spring when the sun gets stronger our fish pond (that has about 30 fish in it) goes totally green with algal bloom.

We only top it up with rain water as tap water has a lot of nutrients, but the rain water also has nitrogen from pigeon poo so that doesn't help.

We've tried various enzymes which work a bit but cost a lot of money. I've tried a sack of Barley Straw, which didn't seem to do much other than go slimey.

This spring we set about building a filter...

 
I watched Monty Don deal with that. He scooped off the algae with a net then put barley straw in an old pair of nylon tights, put a stone in one end to keep it halfway sunk in the water, and Monty says that the chemical in the barley straw inhibits the algae bloom. Takes a few weeks to see results but it will work.

oh I got so excited I didn't finish reading. Maybe you just need more barley straw ??
 
Anniekay said:
I watched Monty Don deal with that. He scooped off the algae with a net then put barley straw in an old pair of nylon tights, put a stone in one end to keep it halfway sunk in the water, and Monty says that the chemical in the barley straw inhibits the algae bloom. Takes a few weeks to see results but it will work.

oh I got so excited I didn't finish reading. Maybe you just need more barley straw ??
Click to expand...

Been trying the bag of barley straw every year, not noticed any difference. If we used any more of it we wouldn't have room for the fish 😁

This was this morning...

DSC05090.JPG
 
If I remember correctly the barley gives off a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. You can buy the barley extract stuff at Lowes but I found it doesn't really work this time of year. I actually used a light dose of hydrogen peroxide (cant remember the strength) and it does kill algae but also killed my minnows that I used to go fishing with. Turned them white. The sun doesn't break down hydrogen peroxide as fast as it does free chlorine so it lasts longer in water.
 
Over the space of many years, I have tried all sorts of methods to clear the pond water. The filter that we have now seems to work best, and that is coupled with an extra filter wrapped around the pump. The pump used to catch all the baby fish and newts etc, and was rather gruesome to clean out all the poor little bodies. I bought some fairly thick batting (used for upholstery) not the cotton sort though!!
 
I always try to caution people contemplating adding a micro pond that they require a good deal of maintenance. Constant cleaning, changing out filters, replacing pumps, etc.

I pre-filter water to the pump and that filter needs cleaning every 10 days or so more often when the violent storms hit and blow debris into the pond.

Barley is somewhat effective on the constantly growing algae as are chemicals but they harm the fish...so I just go with filters and bite the bullet.

To help with algae in the summers I add Tilapia to the pond.

Several times I have contemplated just filling it in as a planter but always keep it going...it does add tranquility to an already tranquil setting.

micro pond.JPG
 
I started making this pre-filter a long time ago, before I even met Zigs, and have had to change and clean it at least once a week for a long time, as there are now a few too many fish in there. The original main filter is no longer working properly, and that's why Zigs thought up this home made job, which seems brilliant. We have tried to offer free fish to anyone who would like them for a new pond maybe, and advise them how to go about introducing the fish to a different environment, but nobody wants them, and they do seem to live a long time, and as they get bored, they just keep on making babies :rolleyes: Extending this pond is not on the cards, because the space is limited in that area. The biggest concern is always the welfare of the fish of course, so filling the pond in is not an option!!
 
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