Clearing up the Pond water

My pond water isnt clear although I changed the water in it this year. I sent my pond fish over to my sisters pond because my sprinkler system was getting water in it and I figured it was a good tradeoff not to have to hand water that area.
My question is are there chemicals that I can put in the pond that will clear up the water?? I dont have to worry about killing the fish but my dog and cats drink out of it all the time. ( I have talked to them about how discusting that is but they dont seem to care :)
Any solutions?
thanks
Janice

Janice, do you have a filter in-pond or outside the pond? We don't use chemicals in the ponds, but the water is clear due to plant coverage and filtration. Usually takes about six weeks for a pond to establish the proper balance for the water to clear.......Let us know a little about your pond!

Becky G.

P. S. Sophie (Lhasa) enjoys her morning 'pond tea' too! ;)

Janice, we had to empty and refill our pond this spring. To speed up the clearing process, we used a clarifier forumlated for a pond with fish (we added back the fish after we used this product, just to be safe.)

I got it at Home Depot or Lowes for about $8 or $9.

So the water is clear, but we already have a lot of sediment building up on the bottom again, and I blame that on the fact we don't have our "biofilter" up and running, so the pond is relying on one smallish pump and filter. And I don't have any water hyacinths yet. (But they're coming......)

i just used accu-clear by pond care.i may have done something wrong but its still filled with floating,dirt,matter,not alge,of some sort.i dont have a good filter so maybe thats the answer.

Hi again. My pond is small (approx 135 gallons) I got it at Sams Club ( maybe BJS or Price Club, somewhere like that). It came with the spong-filter type contraption with either the water spout or bubbler. Its a two part pond with the waterfall type bog.
I havent been running it all the time. I am not having a problem with the muck that forms at the bottom, just the water is brownish. I dont have any plants in it ( still begging them off people haha) but hoping to be getting some soon. So I am getting the idea that the plants help keep the pond clear. Do I need to put some Mosquito Dunks in there to keep the mosquitos away if I run the pond all the time? I have the water moving in both the top bog then it runs down into the "bigger" part.
Glad to hear my pets arent the only ones who love that stuff!! Just grateful that I can keep the pond puppy (lab) out of it now!!
Thanks for your help.
Janice

The most basic mistake people make is, thinking that digging a hole, put in a liner of some kind a filling it with water is all you need to do- sadley its not.
There are many things to consider, and it will take a long time to go through them- everytime you clean the pond with fresh water you change the ballance in the water, and so it will go a odd colour, from brown to pea green; for the most part large water changes are not needed, unless you have large ammounts of fish.
You need to reach a balance of water and plants - adding plants is the best way to keep water clear and healthy; sediment on the bottom is going to happen anyway, even large ponds with bottom drain filtration get it, its par for the course- having plants in the pond will take out the nitrate from the water( that is what causes the colour change) filtration will convert other elements in the water and turn it into nitrate( high nitrate in the pond gives you algae, catch 22). By putting a pump and waterfall or fountain in, you are putting oxygen in the water( again causeing algae ). Too much direct sun light on the water causes algae and heats the water, increasing nitrite and ammonia.
Its a never ending situation, it sounds like hard work, but its just knowing how your pond works, and they all work differently; your area and climate should be considerd too.
So try to get a balance of plants, light, and movement of water; so add plants like iris, they will help a good deal, lilies will shade the water - its a slow process, so dont expect it to change overnight.
After you have cleared the water, then add your fountains and waterfalls if you want them, but for the most part they are only needed if you intend to have fish; the right plants in the pond will do all the work for you, until it gets over full of plants - then it starts again !
Good luck, and dont be put off by mucky water - it can be cured ; i have a small pond with fish and no pump, and the plants are maintaining the pond with no help from me, and the water is crystal clear.

Our water has been very clear this year. We run the filter 24/7. We have a pre-filter, the it goes through a uv light, then a biological filter. We used accu-clear once in May and it has been clear since then. I don't like using chemicals but sometimes we have to. And yes, you do need coverage if it is in full sun ie., water lilies, floating plants, etc. I clean the pre-filter 2 or 3 times a day and the bio-filters every other day. Water gardens are a lot of work but I like to think of them as a labor of love :-)

Thanks for the info. I had received some plants SASE from JustMeLisa and GoVols and the water is perfectly clear. I didnt have to go thru the pea-green stage!! Thanks for everything.
Janice

To Janice,
About clearing up pond water.
Try Aquarem and Aquazyme. One is a liquid and one is a powder. I get them from http://www.petwhse.com/
I do have fish and plants in my pond and it doesn't bother them at all.
These 2 products work great! They start clearing up the water in hours. If you call The people at Pet Warehouse they are very helpful about working with you to solve your problems. Since you have to pay shipping i usually buy my food from them to.
Good Luck!
RJ inolland Ohio

Hi RJ
Thanks for the info. My pond is presently so clear that I can see straight to the bottom- wires and all!!
If I get in trouble again with the water I will certainly look into it.
Janice