John Bachman wrote:

....
I have done no cleaning except for an occasional rinse of the filter
mats just because I think I should be doing something. For the past
week the water is crystal clear all the way to the bottom ...

What are you doing wrong? You haven't posted pictures or a web site so
we can diagnosis your problem correctly. VBG Sounds terrific, but be
aware that this can change at any moment: heat wave, overzealous feeding
of pond inhabitants, visit by heron or raccoons, etc. Keep up the good work.
--
Kathy B