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Pea Green
The Pea Green is driving me crazy G
My pond is 3 years old, and goes through this every year. I am using "pond blocks" but they are not working. I have a Tetra 2.5 gallon filter (pond is about 650 gallons). I am working on convering a 50 gallon preform into a bio-filter. Hope that will help. The pond get a medium amount of light, some parts of the pond are in the sun all day. Plants are starting to come up, and I have a little hornswort and anacranis (sp) in the upper 100 gallon area. Will try to get some pics up on my website soon. Ideas, suggestions??? Thanks Marc |
Pea Green
Patience? & Don't overstock nor overfeed.
I need the above advice also by the way. -- _______________________________________ "The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: The chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'." http://community.webshots.com/user/godwino "Nobody you know" wrote in message .. . The Pea Green is driving me crazy G My pond is 3 years old, and goes through this every year. I am using "pond blocks" but they are not working. I have a Tetra 2.5 gallon filter (pond is about 650 gallons). I am working on convering a 50 gallon preform into a bio-filter. Hope that will help. The pond get a medium amount of light, some parts of the pond are in the sun all day. Plants are starting to come up, and I have a little hornswort and anacranis (sp) in the upper 100 gallon area. Will try to get some pics up on my website soon. Ideas, suggestions??? Thanks Marc |
Pea Green
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Pea Green
I put a 150 gallon rubbermaid on mine, patterned after skippystuff filter.
No pea green and no string algae (except in the filter). Water stays clear. However, it did clog the other day. Too many pecan "blossoms?" (stringy beaded dammits) blocked the exit grid and it pumped down. Pump wasn't on the bottom but I have shelves and a "lot" of lilies. Some of the fish got trapped on the shelves and died. I'd had them over six years. Time to rework the pond. Anybody tried the bog filter featured in this months "Water Gardening"? JD http://www.nrgy.com/pond.htm "Nobody you know" wrote in message .. . The Pea Green is driving me crazy G My pond is 3 years old, and goes through this every year. I am using "pond blocks" but they are not working. I have a Tetra 2.5 gallon filter (pond is about 650 gallons). I am working on convering a 50 gallon preform into a bio-filter. Hope that will help. The pond get a medium amount of light, some parts of the pond are in the sun all day. Plants are starting to come up, and I have a little hornswort and anacranis (sp) in the upper 100 gallon area. Will try to get some pics up on my website soon. Ideas, suggestions??? Thanks Marc |
Pea Green
J.D. Stone wrote: I put a 150 gallon rubbermaid on mine, patterned after skippystuff filter. No pea green and no string algae (except in the filter). Water stays clear. However, it did clog the other day. Too many pecan "blossoms?" (stringy beaded dammits) blocked the exit grid and it pumped down. Pump wasn't on the bottom but I have shelves and a "lot" of lilies. Some of the fish got trapped on the shelves and died. I'd had them over six years. Time to rework the pond. Anybody tried the bog filter featured in this months "Water Gardening"? JD http://www.nrgy.com/pond.htm saw that article several of us use bog type filters but keep our plants in pots some with just dirt, some with kittie litter and some with rocks of various sizes, bigger rocks if koi can get into the filter the amount of gravel and concrete blocks he used scared me !!! John Rutz Z5 New Mexico If it can't be fixed with bailing wire or duct tape its not worth fixing see my pond at: http://www.fuerjefe.com |
Pea Green
"John Rutz" wrote in message
... J.D. Stone wrote: I put a 150 gallon rubbermaid on mine, patterned after skippystuff filter. No pea green and no string algae (except in the filter). Water stays clear. However, it did clog the other day. Too many pecan "blossoms?" (stringy beaded dammits) blocked the exit grid and it pumped down. Pump wasn't on the bottom but I have shelves and a "lot" of lilies. Some of the fish got trapped on the shelves and died. I'd had them over six years. Time to rework the pond. Anybody tried the bog filter featured in this months "Water Gardening"? JD http://www.nrgy.com/pond.htm saw that article several of us use bog type filters but keep our plants in pots some with just dirt, some with kittie litter and some with rocks of various sizes, bigger rocks if koi can get into the filter the amount of gravel and concrete blocks he used scared me !!! Right, not my VF is bog like, but I am using pots...I plan to start reducing pots over time, and see how the plants do without them. I am trying to come up with an anchor system/idea, whereby using weights I can keep the plants at depth and in an area, and then just have the roots dangling in the water...I am thinking maybe a light frame system of some sort... BV. |
Pea Green
We used lighting grid, each little square was about 3/4s of an inch big. We spray painted it black and then stuck a sprig of watercress through each grid. The stuff grew like crazy and even flowered. It had long roots that went down into the screening media. Then one of the labs walked across the grid and broke it in several large places. I tossed it all and replaced it with water hyacinth. k30a |
Pea Green
Hi JD... Sorry about the accident. Always sad...
I looked at the filter when I first got the mag. But remembered the mess I had when I added lots and lots of gravel to existing veggie filter. Didn't think I'd ever get it cleaned. Maybe that was my problem ... Not supposed to clean it? Also, I would like the use the room inside the pond for the fish. So, I guess I had several problems with it. Nedra http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836 http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118 "J.D. Stone" wrote in message ... I put a 150 gallon rubbermaid on mine, patterned after skippystuff filter. No pea green and no string algae (except in the filter). Water stays clear. However, it did clog the other day. Too many pecan "blossoms?" (stringy beaded dammits) blocked the exit grid and it pumped down. Pump wasn't on the bottom but I have shelves and a "lot" of lilies. Some of the fish got trapped on the shelves and died. I'd had them over six years. Time to rework the pond. Anybody tried the bog filter featured in this months "Water Gardening"? JD http://www.nrgy.com/pond.htm "Nobody you know" wrote in message .. . The Pea Green is driving me crazy G My pond is 3 years old, and goes through this every year. I am using "pond blocks" but they are not working. I have a Tetra 2.5 gallon filter (pond is about 650 gallons). I am working on convering a 50 gallon preform into a bio-filter. Hope that will help. The pond get a medium amount of light, some parts of the pond are in the sun all day. Plants are starting to come up, and I have a little hornswort and anacranis (sp) in the upper 100 gallon area. Will try to get some pics up on my website soon. Ideas, suggestions??? Thanks Marc |
Pea Green
Good idea! Lighting grid, not the heavy-footed doggies - for giving the
plants a start! Lee "K30a" wrote in message ... We used lighting grid, each little square was about 3/4s of an inch big. We spray painted it black and then stuck a sprig of watercress through each grid. The stuff grew like crazy and even flowered. It had long roots that went down into the screening media. Then one of the labs walked across the grid and broke it in several large places. I tossed it all and replaced it with water hyacinth. k30a |
Pea Green
I thought maybe I'd try it as an external. Was going to build one anyway so
I thought I'd try the gravel route. Cleaning would be a problem but I don't have to clean my filters too often. Would be nice to try some water hyacinths again but hard to get. Any DFW ponders composting any? I'd be glad to come pick 'em up! (sigh) probably too early. email: jdstone AT itexas.net JD http://www.nrgy.com/pond.htm "Nedra" wrote in message rthlink.net... Hi JD... Sorry about the accident. Always sad... I looked at the filter when I first got the mag. But remembered the mess I had when I added lots and lots of gravel to existing veggie filter. Didn't think I'd ever get it cleaned. Maybe that was my problem ... Not supposed to clean it? Also, I would like the use the room inside the pond for the fish. So, I guess I had several problems with it. Nedra http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836 http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118 "J.D. Stone" wrote in message ... I put a 150 gallon rubbermaid on mine, patterned after skippystuff filter. No pea green and no string algae (except in the filter). Water stays clear. However, it did clog the other day. Too many pecan "blossoms?" (stringy beaded dammits) blocked the exit grid and it pumped down. Pump wasn't on the bottom but I have shelves and a "lot" of lilies. Some of the fish got trapped on the shelves and died. I'd had them over six years. Time to rework the pond. Anybody tried the bog filter featured in this months "Water Gardening"? JD http://www.nrgy.com/pond.htm "Nobody you know" wrote in message .. . The Pea Green is driving me crazy G My pond is 3 years old, and goes through this every year. I am using "pond blocks" but they are not working. I have a Tetra 2.5 gallon filter (pond is about 650 gallons). I am working on convering a 50 gallon preform into a bio-filter. Hope that will help. The pond get a medium amount of light, some parts of the pond are in the sun all day. Plants are starting to come up, and I have a little hornswort and anacranis (sp) in the upper 100 gallon area. Will try to get some pics up on my website soon. Ideas, suggestions??? Thanks Marc |
Pea Green
FYI, although many of you are likely aware of this:
Green water occurs during unicellular algal blooms (explosive growth and multiplication of single-celled "plants"). Algae blooms are caused by one thing: abundant (excess) nutrients in the water column. In most U.S. waters, including backyard ponds, the nutrient most likely to limit algal growth (and thus blooms) is phosphorus. Where is the excess phosphorus in green ponds coming from? From reading this group, it appears there are three main sources. 1) Tap water carries a fair amount of phosphorus, in many cases enough to cause some level of algal blooms. I believe most people top off their ponds with the most convenient water source: the hose and faucet. Put tap water into a plain bucket, and set in the sun. You might be surprised to see what grows after a few weeks. 2) Certain metabolic wastes are rich in nutrients, including phosphorus, and fish waste is high on the list of phosphorus sources in small ponds. Uneaten fish food also contains phosphorus (more than fish waste, actually). Put tap water into a second plain bucket, set in the sun, and throw in some fish food. Compare with the first bucket after several weeks. 3) Fertilizer inserted into aquatic plant substrates are another source of phosphorus in backyard ponds: Tabs/stakes/etc. dissolve quickly, far too quickly to be absorbed by plants at one time, and the leftovers are then available to support algal blooms. Put tap water into a third bucket, set in the sun, throw in some fish food, and throw in half a dose of fertilizer for a single plant. Compare. Additionally, the efforts put forth in this group often seem directed at managing algae, rather than excess nutrients. In many cases, the techniques come across as overly complicated and somewhat backwards. For instance, UV sterilization. Although UV has it merits, and does kill algae, it does nothing to address the root of the problem: nutrient loading. Turn off the light and the bloom recurs within a fortnight. One gets the same effect from periodic treatment with algicides, but can have harsh consequences if applied without precision. Several of you post valuable information regarding nutrient management, most notably cutting back on fish feeding and the use of plants as nutrient filters. I see some problems with plant filter species selection, but all in all, the idea is sound. Tweaking current practices and including some fresh ideas may serve as the solution many seek. I suggest further discussion on techniques for reducing nutrient loads in your ponds, thus minimizing problems with algae. The disinterested can always kill the thread. Gary "Nobody you know" wrote: The Pea Green is driving me crazy G My pond is 3 years old, and goes through this every year. I am using "pond blocks" but they are not working. I have a Tetra 2.5 gallon filter (pond is about 650 gallons). I am working on convering a 50 gallon preform into a bio-filter. Hope that will help. The pond get a medium amount of light, some parts of the pond are in the sun all day. Plants are starting to come up, and I have a little hornswort and anacranis (sp) in the upper 100 gallon area. Will try to get some pics up on my website soon. Ideas, suggestions??? Thanks Marc |
Pea Green
"J.D. Stone" wrote in message
... I thought maybe I'd try it as an external. Was going to build one anyway so I thought I'd try the gravel route. Cleaning would be a problem but I don't have to clean my filters too often. Would be nice to try some water hyacinths again but hard to get. Any DFW ponders composting any? I'd be glad to come pick 'em up! (sigh) probably too early. email: jdstone AT itexas.net JD http://www.nrgy.com/pond.htm I wish I had green water. *sigh* I have so much clay in my pond, the algae can't bloom. *laugh* I am still trying to find more on Bentonite to see if will help...else...I'll just wait until the construction is done...drain the pond, clean out what I can, and start over... BV. |
Pea Green
BenignVanilla wrote: "J.D. Stone" wrote in message ... I wish I had green water. *sigh* I have so much clay in my pond, the algae can't bloom. *laugh* I am still trying to find more on Bentonite to see if will help...else...I'll just wait until the construction is done...drain the pond, clean out what I can, and start over... BV. -- BV dina worry the clay will settle out I had the same problems when I built my ponds (esp the first one) the clay particles are so fine that they stay suspend ed for a fw weeks one way to speed it up if you have no fish is to turn off all pumps so the water stays still, but when you fire up the pumps again it will resuspend some clay but that will settle in a day or three John Rutz Z5 New Mexico before you criticise someone walk a mile in thier shoes that way when you criticise them your a mile away and have thier shoes see my pond at: http://www.fuerjefe.com |
Pea Green
"John Rutz" wrote in message
... snip dina worry the clay will settle out I had the same problems when I built my ponds (esp the first one) the clay particles are so fine that they stay suspend ed for a fw weeks one way to speed it up if you have no fish is to turn off all pumps so the water stays still, but when you fire up the pumps again it will resuspend some clay but that will settle in a day or three snip What I worry about is...adding fish...and then they stir it up constantly...I want gin clear water...not OJ clear water. BV. |
Pea Green
BenignVanilla wrote: "John Rutz" wrote in message ... snip dina worry the clay will settle out I had the same problems when I built my ponds (esp the first one) the clay particles are so fine that they stay suspend ed for a fw weeks one way to speed it up if you have no fish is to turn off all pumps so the water stays still, but when you fire up the pumps again it will resuspend some clay but that will settle in a day or three snip What I worry about is...adding fish...and then they stir it up constantly...I want gin clear water...not OJ clear water. BV. well my fislh dont stir it up real bad every once in a while Ill catch one kickin up a "dust cloud" when he takes off (sorta kinda like a hot rod spinning tires) but that clears up in seconds -- John Rutz Z5 New Mexico before you criticise someone walk a mile in thier shoes that way when you criticise them your a mile away and have thier shoes see my pond at: http://www.fuerjefe.com |
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