Thanks for your help on my string algae question. I used the HP and it has disappeared. Now I have a question about what is causing my tea-colored water and how I can get rid of it. Thanks for any information you can provide.
Tea Colored Water
I haven't read your other post GA, sorry, so I don't have a history that others might have, but I'll say that if the hp usage was very recent, could the discoloration be due to the algae dying off?
If not, then I would wonder if you have something nearby dropping debris into the pond that would cause it, like a tree.
No matter what it is, you would want to do some partial water changes and get rid of it slowly, over time. You may want to check your PH (if some debris is causing it, it may have also affected your ph, not good)
HTH- Lynn
Thanks for the advice. String Algae problem was very recent and was corrected last week. No trees at all and no rain any time recently so I don't think it could be from any run-off into the pond. I will try to be patient and give it some time, hoping that it is related to the algae dying off. Thanks.
I have the tea colored problem too. Mine is due to the fact that portions of my yard drain into, and not around, my pond. Water traveling in contains sediment and other debris, causing my pond to act as a sedimentation basin. Soil in my area is clay, which stays suspended, creating the tea colored water. Maybe you have a similar problem. This weekend we're raising the edges of the pond so that water doesn't drain into our pond.
Edit: Sorry I didn't see your latest post that said there hasn't been any rain recently. My coloring sticks around long after the rain from the suspended sediment.
This message was edited May 22, 2006 3:48 PM
try using activated charcoal in your filter system. It should remove the tea coloration. It works great in my pond. You can buy it most cheaply in the potting soil section. They sell bags of horticultural charcoal for use with certain plants. Activated charcoal removes impurities in the water. Just rinse it well until the black dust is gone, then put it in a filter bag or some panty hose and stick it in your skimmer box or your filter. In a few days, your coloration should be gone.
I don't know how big your pond is, but mine is 4000 gallons and I use three bags of the charcoal.
I have used activated charcoal for many years and it works great. Pulls the tannin brown right out. I put it in a pany hose leg and put it in my filter system in such a way that the water runs through it.
Thanks for the information. My pond is approx. 1200 gallons. Pixydish, you mention you use 3 bags so 1 should probably work for me. Do you know how big the bags are that you buy?
I happened on some activated charcoal sold in a pond store and it was 50% off, so I got it at a more affordable price once. It came with a filter bag about the size of a pillowcase, but I don't fill it up. I think the panty hose idea would work just fine, if not better because I could put a few of them in the skimmer rather than taking up the whole skimmer with one big bag.
Hi --
Healtly pond water is naturally the color of weak tea. I think you should just leave it alone!
jo
Agree wholeheartedly with Jo. Do we want to create a natural, 'nature-mimicking' environment or an antiseptic, unnatural, see-through bowl?? Show me a crystal-clear pond in nature! Relax and enjoy.
Victor