How-To Clear green Pond Water

Reasons Why Your Pond Water May Be Green

1. You have more organic matter (such as dead leaves, fish wastes, muck, sludge, etc.) in your pond than what your biological filter (where beneficial bacteria live and thrive) can handle.

If this is the case, you may either need to increase the size of your biological filter which is basically one of two things; the surface area within the pond that beneficial bacteria grows on, or the amount of beneficial bacteria added to the pond.

You should be adding beneficial bacteria on a regular basis in your pond. For ponds less than 50′ x 50′ in size, you can use Microbe Lift. For ponds and lakes larger than 50′ x 50′ in size, or approx. 250 square feet, you can use PlanktoniX. Both are great beneficial bacteria products and are all-natural.

2. You are adding water to it constantly and not letting the pond find it’s ecological balance in between.

Always be patient with your pond while it needs to establish it’s new ecological balance. This usually takes about 4-6 weeks after the last time you’ve added water. Every time you add water, you create an imbalance in the pond and this causes a new algae bloom (green water) to occur. Be patient, add some beneficial bacteria to your pond such as the Microbe Lift or PlanktoniX and let your pond find it’s own balance. When you do run fresh water into your pond, be sure to run it through some Super Activated Filter Carbon as this will take out the chlorine or chloramine that’s in your tap water which is killing the beneficial bacteria. (And what can kill your fish, too!)

3. You’re doing something to kill the beneficial bacteria that’s in your pond.

If you’re adding fresh water on a constant basis; stop. Let the pond find it’s new ecological balance. If you’re adding beneficial bacteria to it but not turning off your UV sterilizer or UV Clarifier, be sure to turn that off for at least 3-4 days so the bacteria has a chance to attach itself to surface area within your pond or filter so it can do it’s job. Or, you may be adding chemicals to the pond that’s killing your beneficial bacteria. If that’s the case, find out what chemical is causing the damage or when it’s best to add those chemicals and your bacteria.

4. You have too many fish for your size of biological filter.

If this is the case, reduce the amount of your fish or the biological filter. Remember, fish grow in size and in number, so the size of your biological filter that you ‘thought’ may be the right size initially, may no longer be the correct size for your pond.

5. It’s the beginning of the spring or late in fall when the pond experiences it’s greatest change in water temperature and biological bacteria growth.

If this is the case, just be patient and give your pond several more weeks. EVERY pond takes about 4 – 6 weeks at the start of the season to find it’s new ecological balance. When this happens, the pond water will be green. Count on it. Every time you add more water to your pond throughout the year, your pond will most likely turn green, too. Count on it to happen. Just add the correct beneficial bacteria product such as Microbe Lift or PlanktoniX, give your pond good aeration and be patient. Remember, it will take weeks, not just a few days. Whatever you do, don’t keep emptying and draining your pond because you’re constantly changing it’s ecological balance that it’s trying hard to create and maintain. If you absolutely have to add fresh, tap water to your pond, be sure to run it through some Super Actived FIlter Carbon first as this will neutralize the chlorine and chlroamines that are in your tap water which will kill your beneficial bacteria and yes, can kill your fish, too.

Do know though, that this is NOT a cure-all for eliminating green water from occurring – running your tap water through some Super Activated Filter Carbon only neutralizes the chlorine and chloramines. It does nothing as far as the change in water temperatures and other water quality issues that are some addiitional factors that affects the pond’s ecological balance.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com