Can't get our fish pond to clear despite buying several products to do the job?

Question

We have quite a large fish pond, holds approximately 7,500 litres. Size is about 14 feet by about 6, kidney shaped, deeper at one end than the other. There's about 30 fish in it - mainly goldfish and koi

We can't get the water to clear. Filter, pump and UV are relatively new. We've bought several "pond clearing" products from the local garden centre but still can't get it to clear. We've had the water tested so we know that's OK

Any help would be much appreciated

Answer 1

I presume that you just have green water.
The UV should take care of this, Have you checked its actually on, some models are difficult to see if they are.
You say that the Uv is relativly new, if the tube is over 12 moths old I would recoment getting a new one, I replace mine every 12 months.
Also barly straw is also quite good at reducing green water.. I would recomend the pellits rather than just the bag of straw, the only draw back is that it take a while to mature.

If its blanket weed you have then I would recomend Answer Blanket weed Inhibitor.
Its great stuff.

My first port of call would be your UV.

Which model do you have and how many watts??

Answer 2

Go to your local Wal-Mart and purchase "cotton Batting" in a sheet (not pull type for stuff animals) but for quilting. This is the VERY same material they make you pay an arm and a leg for in the filter system. Take out the charcoal filter (or you can leave it in, but should change often with the proplem going on), and the dirty filter material and replace with a "cut to fit size" from the quilting material. Each day with running the pump, replace the material. You can even sew your own charcoal packs using the quilting material, and sink them down into the water until needed. This way you will always have a "seasoned" filter pack ready.....while it is waiting to be used, sitting in the water it is already helping. You just need to rinse under running cold water before placing into the filter box.

You didn't happen to say how long you have had this pond, so I don't know if it fully cycled yet, or if it was newer and you loaded it with that many fish. Either way, the suggestion above will get you started.

I don't know what you have been doing .... adding to the water to try to clear it, or what medications or treatments you've added. What does the water look like that isn't correct. Green, slimey, fish death, milky, smells fishy?

At this point I wouldn't try adding anything else but a few fish called plecos (spelling might be wrong because their real name is longer and this is a known nick name) but they eat left over fish food and other matter that causes pond problems. They are sold in all fish stores, are bottom feeders and look like small cat fish. They are not Corries tho. They grow to quit a large size, are not harmful to other fish and benefit all fish tanks and ponds. If you add a few of these, they alone can clear up most all problems and help get things in perfect balance.

GOOD LUCK

Answer 3

There are many good websites that have tons of information on ponds, filters, water quality and so forth. You have to match your pump/filters with the size of the pond and number of fish. They have to reduce the amount of waste material produced by the fish or the water quality will suffer. Clear water in a fish pond is a tough job and requires the correct combination of biofilter, mechanical filters, maybe uv and pumps. There is no magic cure that you can buy at wal mart to achive water quality. Try americanaquariumproducts.com. They have some good discussions on water quality.

Answer 4

Your local aquariium or garden centre should sell barley straw. Suspend some in the outflow from the pump making sure you use enough for the size of the pond. It should clear (and stay clear) within about 7-10 days although you will need to renew the barley straw every 6 months or so.

Answer 5

we had the same problem, it is now four years old and this is the first year it is clear so i guess doing nothing seems to work

Answer 6

It is time to call in a swimming pool service to check out everything and give advice.