Okay, I did the veggie filter. Then I replaced my 71gph pump with a 4300gph pump. The filter that goes to the bigger pump is $260. I can't do that right now. After a few hours of running the bigger pump through the veggie filter, all the water went milky/cloudy. The lady at the fish/pond place said I stirred up all the bottom stuff and to give it some time. I did just do a partial water replacement and am refilling. I know some people say do and some people say don't but it's done. I added enough clarifier to do about 1/3 of the pond, didn't want to blast it at the first sign of trouble. On a good note, the veggie filter DID work and hubby is back flushing it. Now should I just wait it out or try something else?
Need help, yucky water, need better filter?
I'd wait it out and see how things go before you try anything else. It's still chilly here, the plants in the veggie filter are doing very little. It's usually the end of June before my water is crystal clear. That can be a long time to wait.
I am satisfied with waiting out the algae water but my husband wants to add a mechanical filter at some point in hopes of having clearer water earlier.
I don't think that partial water changes for algae are as bad as people claim them to be. My pea soup is gone and I know have that dark tea stained water. The water change will help dilute that.
My theory is that you have to do what works for you and you don't know what works until you try it yourself!
Thanks a bunch Branka! Why am I not surprised it is YOU to the rescue? giggle Thank you. We are making some modifications to the veggie filter for ease of backflush. I have to say it really did work! It was full of green muck which is now feedign the surrounding garden. :)
Are you running anything other than the veggie filter? If so, clean it. In the spring I clean my filters once a week. You may need to do the same until it settles.
Ain't nothing but the veggie filter mama! Ack. actually if you saw what came out of the back flush, you would be singing the praises. LOL
I wish I could back flush mine, what a great idea that is. The rocks get so full of mulm ane we have to rinse and rinse to clean it out. It's about due for cleaning, at least the hostas will be happy.
Seed, be careful not to clean out all the "good stuff". You just might need to clean it more often. Since you have another pump, why not make yourself another filter. All you need is filter media which I'm sure you'd have around the house. etc...hair curlers, fiber fill, and a sponge.
Think about it....
By the way, say hello to the girls!!
MaMa "T" :)
If you use sponges you must be very careful that they aren't ones that have a mold resistant chemical in them. A friend lost all his fish using a couple of kitchen sponges. Any quilt batting (rinsed before installing) or like Sledder said foam hair curlers work. Be inventive and just run the water through this filter before the veggi filter or with the other pump. It does take about 6 weeks of warmer weather in the Northern states for the good bacteria to become established again. In the meantime you may have to put up with the water the way it is.
Thanks a bunch guys. The water looks slightly milky, more than cloudy. The veggie filter is working and hubby uses the little pump to suck it out. He ended up making me a pvc tunnel beneath the gravel so he can just drop it in and suck out the scuzzy water. The lady at the fish place told me to get a glass of water from the pond, let it set and see if it settled. Well, it has. So I do know the problem is the bigger pump blowing the stuff all over. I have heard of running the water through a pocket of quilt batting, filled with lava rock. Should I try this? Where do I put it? Does the water go through it or over it it or what???
Going through it. You'd want the water to run through the batting first and then the rocks. The rocks hold the "good bacteria"...at least they do for me. You could use old cleaned hair curlers too instead of the rocks. Be certain to run water through everything you decide to use "before" you put it all into the pond.
Sledder, I am back and still whining! LOL Maybe I am just being impatient, maybe it just isn't working. Hmph. Okay, I got like a 4x4 piece of batting and cut it in half. I am keeping one piece for change outs and cleaning. The other is in. It is folded in half and wrapped around the outlet house. The water is pulled out of the pond via the pump, up to the veggie filter. The water goes through two layers of batting, then up through about six inches of gravel. It is still running gray and is sooty looking. What is wrong??
Did you do take a glass of water and let it sit for a minute and see if anything "settles" to the bottom?
Yep. When I put the water in the glass jar, it looked like lemonade. Within a couple of hours it started to settle. By that evening, the water was clear with the sediment was in the bottom. I know the problem is the bigger filter stirring the water up so much. Should I go get like a gallon of Accuclear or something? I just can't think of what else to do. Maybe I AM being too impatient.
You could. I am a fan of Accuclear. tiG suggested that to me a couple years ago and it worked great. At that time I only had a couple fish so I wasn't too concerned. If you're worried about that try it in a bucket first. I did and it was amazing how quickly the algae went straight to the bottom.
I'm betting it's your "turbo pump" stirring up your water. Between your pump and the lousy weather you most likely can't get a cover on the water either. Take a look at the batting you put in and see how dirty it is.
Thanks Mama. I did run out and try putting a cap on the pvc drain hubby put in. I am wondering if that is making the yucky water come up too quick. As soon as I get Jazzy to sleep, I will check the batting. If need be, I can put the other one in and clean the first out.
Chele,
Remember w/ that new pump you're changing that pond out about 1 1/2 times an hour.
All the settling that used to occur now isn't.
Plus as they said above it's been REAL cool, our media balls are just now taking off.
I didn't really notice much bloom there more just a milky look.
I'd bet there not a whole lot of muck on the bottom?
Has the slime started on the liner yet?
I think a few sunny days and u'l see a big difference.
What's the water temp?
Ric
Hey Ric! How are you? We have not checked the water temp lately but we did when we noticed the fish eggs. I was told the fish would start to spawn around 65 degrees. I don't remember now if it was 60 or 70. I just picked up some Ultra Clear (sludge digester) to help clarify the water. I also got three hyacinths with babies and three lettuce with babies. I think the plants will help too. I would not be so miffed but the big fish are all hiding. You would think the little fish would croak first if water quality was a problem and they are all fine and eating
Hey Mama T! I took your advice and put my little pump to use. I drilled holes on the lower side of a five gallon bucket and filled it with thoroughly rinsed lava rock. I then ran then output hose through a many times folded clean and rinsed dishtowel, then through the lava rock. The water coming out looks crystal clear. I also used the extra piece of quilt batting to line the outflow side of the water fall. I am amazed at how much it is picking up! OH, the quilt batting on the other pump was not doing a very good job because the water pressure blew a hole right through both layers! LOL I fixed that too. :) I want to thank all of you for trying to help me. I'm not doing anything else until I give it some time, well other than maybe cleaning the batting often.
It can take six to eight weeks for all the good bacteria to get established in the spring too. The light particles that are being moved around your pond should settle down after a while since they will finally find a place to call their own. So hang in there and it will clear up.
But Lani!!! I am not the patient sort! LOL I went for the long term coagulator instead of the quick fix. I'd just be happy if I could see my fish! LOL I also need to get in there and feed my lilies before tiG drives up here to spank me for abusing her lilies! :) I'd feel a whole lot better getting in there if I could SEE who was in there with me.
LOL You are truly in trouble if you think it will clear up enough to see who is in there with you when you are in there stirring all that mud around. :)