Xref: kermit rec.ponds:146940

I finally finished the install of my pond(s) and things have been going and
looking great for about 2 weeks. My wife and I purchased some more plants
from Home Depot (water lilies, cat tails and some other stuff that I can't
pronounce...). They came packed in kitty litter. Of course the goldfish
rooted the kitty litter out and into the pond with incredible speed and
precision and I was left with cloudy water. Grrrrr....

Yesterday evening I came home and the wife said, "you better look at your
pond..." I went out and it was milky green. DOH! This water has been
clear as a bell since I finished the install. I know to pretty much expect
an algae bloom after a new pond install. So that's not a surprise. I've
got plenty of circulation going. The pond is turned over twice per hour and
is run through a UV filter. I'm patient, I know it will clear eventually.
But I thought I had avoided the green monster this year.

Oh and one other thing. The wife hung a flower basket on a Shepard's hook,
that hangs over one corner of the pond. We had some heavy rain and I think
some of the fertilizer in the pot may have leached through and dripped into
the pond. That's my theory on how quick the algae bloom occurred. She says
I'm insane. But that's beside the point....

Question:
1. Which did the pond in? cloudy water or fertilizer drippins... Both?
Oh we can't let her be right. I'll never hear the end of it.

2. Can I eliminate the use of the kitty litter all together? I hope I can
LOL, because I took all the plants out and re-potted them in pea gravel. Of
course I rinsed off the gravel real well before I did anything and was as
gentle as possible with their little roots.


--
Pond Diver