Hi, brand new here so just hoping that I can get back here to see if any of you guys can asnswer my question ( fingers crossed ) I'm in the UK, got a pretty big pond that has somehow had brilliant water condition without any work or mechanical help, for 15 years. However . . . for the last 2 years we have been fighting the battle with single cell algea ( pea soup water ) We have the biggest aireator we could buy, the biggest clover leaf filter and 110w UV light plus a series of three gravel beds ( yet to be planted) the water cleared amazingly, then it cot very cold and we could even see to the bottom of the 3m deep part. The last 3 days the temperature has gone up a little and the pond water has a chalky appearance, its murky, and protein scum coming again. There's a sort of film on the surface thats got to be more than just the feather deposits of the 2 mallards that come each morning. Sorry this is so long, but we've noticed that its always clearer when the weather is colder. Does anyone know why ? and can anyone throw any light on why we now have this oily ish film We aren't using anything that has oil.
Hoping some of you can help
Pen

On Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:28:03 EST, Pen
wrote:

Hi, brand new here so just hoping that I can get back here to see if
any of you guys can asnswer my question ( fingers crossed ) I'm
in the UK, got a pretty big pond that has somehow had brilliant water
condition without any work or mechanical help, for 15 years. However .
. . for the last 2 years we have been fighting the battle with
single cell algea ( pea soup water ) We have the biggest aireator we
could buy, the biggest clover leaf filter and 110w UV light plus a
series of three gravel beds ( yet to be planted) the water cleared
amazingly, then it cot very cold and we could even see to the bottom of
the 3m deep part. The last 3 days the temperature has gone up a little
and the pond water has a chalky appearance, its murky, and protein
scum coming again. There's a sort of film on the surface thats got to
be more than just the feather deposits of the 2 mallards that come each
morning. Sorry this is so long, but we've noticed that its always
clearer when the weather is colder. Does anyone know why ? and can
anyone throw any light on why we now have this oily ish film We
aren't using anything that has oil.
Hoping some of you can help
Pen

Ducks are your problem, they're feeding the algae and leaving the oil,
that's what keeps them dry, they secrete a lot of oil. Pea Soup Algae needs
a little warm up in temps, sun/light and food, duck poo will doo. ;-) Do
you do water change outs? How many fish? ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Ducks are your problem, they're feeding the algae and leaving the oil,
that's what keeps them dry, they secrete a lot of oil. Pea Soup Algae needs
a little warm up in temps, sun/light and food, duck poo will doo. ;-) Do
you do water change outs? How many fish? ~ jan
------------hi jan, thanks for your reply. You really think the ducks could be the problem ? NO I don't change the water, ever, coz the pond is way too big for that. Ok so I guess that I'd better go storming down the garden in the mornings, instead of sneaking down to watch them. Its still weird how the clarity changes with the temperature, do you know why that is ?

On Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:37:38 EST, Pen
wrote:

------------hi jan, thanks for your reply. You really think the ducks
could be the problem ?

I guess I should ask, is this the first spring that ducks have found your
pond? If so, and the first spring that it has been cloudy.... I think it is
fair to say the ducks. Have you read our story about Ian and his duck?

Its still weird how the clarity changes with the
temperature, do you know why that is ?

Just like grass, it grows better when it is warm. ;-) Once the other
algae's, the green fuzzy sweater ones wake up the problem should go away.

So how big is big? And what kind of fish and how many? How old is the pond?
Do tell us more. It's winter time and I'd love to hear about a different
pond. Any pictures posted on the web? :-) ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Once the other algae's, the green fuzzy sweater ones wake up the problem should go away.

On Mon, 2 Mar 2009 19:41:24 EST, Chris Hogg wrote:
Now there's a pearl of useful information for me, as a newbie to
ponds. I was under the false impression that there were only pea soup
and blanket weed! Thank you. Any idea very roughly how long it takes
for a new pond first filled last autumn to develop its 'green fuzzy
sweater', assuming nothing happened over the winter? Months? Years?

New pond with no UV, first year pea soup, unless lots of plants and few
fish added. Next year string algae, but clear water. Long string algae that
gets on everything, rake the worst out. Third year sweater algae, short and
fuzzy, can be up to 3 inches thick in some ponds, but koi can keep it
trimmed. Mine in most places is only 1/4-1/2" thick, doesn't normally grow
on other plants.

With UV, you can skip a year, but watch your water quality. Pea soup means
there are too many nutrients in the pond. The pea soup keeps those
nutrients from harming the fish... though pea soup can be a killer without
extra O2 add, like aeration, fountains or waterfalls. Larger surface area
helpful.

The above is based on not using ANY algaecides! Those just retards the
process an aging a new pond needs to go thru.

Smaller ponds we use water change outs and keep our fish loads low and our
plant load high to help get thru the first years. My lily pond has never
had pea soup per se, high plant load from the beginning, very few fish. My
only culprit, was high pH which retards the higher plants taking up the
nutrients.

There is a different algae for every water situation. When my pH went up I
got a suspended algae that just made the water a tad murky. Whenever an
unwanted algae shows up, I know it is time to test my water quality.

As time has gone on I found that water change outs have taken care of most
water problems from ever forming. This is dependent on how good one's fresh
water source is, what is safe for people isn't always safe for fish. pH,
chlorine/chloramines, even nitrate levels in some source water may need to
be treated before or as it enters the pond.

Cold, warm, hot water, low, medium, high light needs, low, medium, high
pH... my understanding, all different algae that may look similar to us as
suspended, string or blanket weed algae, are all different in some way due
to what environment they can survive in.

Sweater algae, ime, needs good sunlight, mid-range pH, clear water and not
too cold or hot.... hmmm, I guess we could rename it Goldilocks Algae.
~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us