Roz Cawley wrote:

I was thrilled when I had a new wildlife pond and bog garden installed a
couple of weeks ago - but not so thrilled to see that the landscape
gardener had lined the pond with the subsoil that he had excavated from
"the hole" - because our subsoil happens to be horrible, yellow clay,
unlike the better, though sandy topsoil that he buried/left in a heap at
the side of the garden :-((.

Two weeks later, and the pond water still has a murky, yellow cloudiness
- which I assume is the suspension of fine clay particles still floating
around in it.

Questions - will it finally settle more (am I just being impatient?), or
am I doomed to cloudy water unless I drain the pond, scrape out the clay
and add another layer of larger particle topsoil?

To avoid this, is there any sort of flocculent that I can add to the
water to help to clear it - or will even that only be a temporary
measure?

Help, please - what can I do to get the reasonably clear water that I
was hoping to see by now?? I don't expect miracles, and I know that the
oxygenators and surface cover need to become established before I get a
decent mini eco system operating there - but the murk that I look at
each time I work there is horrible - and at the moment, I am very
disappointed.

As others have said, patience is probably all that is required.
Temperature also has an effect and as the weather start to cool off,
you'll probably find the pond clears.

I would also suggest putting in some barley straw - this will act as an
algicide and help to keep the pond clear next year. It takes quite a
while for the straw to start working - up to 3 months and probably
longer if added in cold weather, so I'd suggest putting some in during
September. The amount will depend on the size of the pond but if you
visit your nearest garden pond centre, they can advise on the amount.
--
Larry Stoter