If there is anyone here with large recreational pond experience could you
please comment on clearing algae?

The pond in question is 3 - 4 acres and 30' at the deepest. It has some
springs. The bottom is limestone and silt. Lotsa silt. The sides slope so
adjacent runoff goes into the pond. A field is nearby and during severe
thunderstorms there is a "river" running off the field and into the pond.

I suspect that the nitrate level is high. (Think I'll take my fish pond
testers and check the levels to see.)

Also there is little plant life. Some weeds along the east shore. Some
fish, bass, pike, sunfish etc.

The owners have asked me what they should do to clear the algae since this
is used for recreational swimming and SCUBA diving.

If I advise them to plant hardy water lily will this help? Water hyacinth
would be expensive for so large an area and in Zone 5b.

Anyone ever rig a homemade UV filter using 4' black lights protected by
glass or something like that to use on a large pond?

Thanks for all help.

Heather

The owners have asked me what they should do to clear the algae since this
is used for recreational swimming and SCUBA diving.

If I advise them to plant hardy water lily will this help? Water hyacinth
would be expensive for so large an area and in Zone 5b.

That would make swimming unsafe.

Throw about 8 bales of straw , still tied in a bale, into the
pond...put a couple around the edges so they are half submerged.

Yeah, check out http://www.baraclear.com/

Your phoshate is too high. Many a people think it's nitrate but algae grows
from high phosphate levels which generally raises as nitrate levels rise.

What's in this field? Any cows or crops?

DO NOT PLANT WATER HYACINTH.

Sam


"Heather" wrote in message
...
If there is anyone here with large recreational pond experience could you
please comment on clearing algae?

The pond in question is 3 - 4 acres and 30' at the deepest. It has some
springs. The bottom is limestone and silt. Lotsa silt. The sides slope
so
adjacent runoff goes into the pond. A field is nearby and during severe
thunderstorms there is a "river" running off the field and into the pond.

I suspect that the nitrate level is high. (Think I'll take my fish pond
testers and check the levels to see.)

Also there is little plant life. Some weeds along the east shore. Some
fish, bass, pike, sunfish etc.

The owners have asked me what they should do to clear the algae since this
is used for recreational swimming and SCUBA diving.

If I advise them to plant hardy water lily will this help? Water hyacinth
would be expensive for so large an area and in Zone 5b.

Anyone ever rig a homemade UV filter using 4' black lights protected by
glass or something like that to use on a large pond?

Thanks for all help.

Heather

Tell the owners to look into this book and these internet references.
(And find some way to stop the run off.)

Earth Pond Sourcebook
by Tim Matson
and the newsgroup
misc.rural
and the ask the Pond Boss forum
http://www.pondboss.com/cgibin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi
and
A
HREF="http://www.aquaticecosystems.com/aquatic1v1/index.icl"http://www.aq
uaticecosystems.com/aquatic1v1/index.icl/A


k30a

"Lori" wrote in message
...

The owners have asked me what they should do to clear the algae since
this
is used for recreational swimming and SCUBA diving.

Throw about 8 bales of straw , still tied in a bale, into the
pond...put a couple around the edges so they are half submerged.

Tie a swimmer to one and you will find the facility is used less
subsequently.

:-)

--
Brian
"This isn't the longest day of the year: it just feels like it"

Tie a swimmer to one and you will find the facility is used less
subsequently.

:-)

Thanks everyone. I will pass on these ideas to the owners tomorrow.


"Heather" wrote in message
...
If there is anyone here with large recreational pond experience could you
please comment on clearing algae?

The pond in question is 3 - 4 acres and 30' at the deepest. It has some
springs. The bottom is limestone and silt. Lotsa silt. The sides slope
so
adjacent runoff goes into the pond. A field is nearby and during severe
thunderstorms there is a "river" running off the field and into the pond.

I suspect that the nitrate level is high. (Think I'll take my fish pond
testers and check the levels to see.)

Also there is little plant life. Some weeds along the east shore. Some
fish, bass, pike, sunfish etc.

The owners have asked me what they should do to clear the algae since this
is used for recreational swimming and SCUBA diving.

If I advise them to plant hardy water lily will this help? Water hyacinth
would be expensive for so large an area and in Zone 5b.

Anyone ever rig a homemade UV filter using 4' black lights protected by
glass or something like that to use on a large pond?

Thanks for all help.

Heather

Hi Heather:
The pond's primary problem is the runoff from adjacent fields into the pond.
That will bring in phosphates, nitrates, etc from fertilization of the
adjacent lands which will feed the algae, resulting in uncontrolled blooms.
Barley straw, plants, UV, etc won't even to begin to eliminate that kind of
algal problem, until the source of ground water containing
nitrates/phosphates is controlled.
You really need to rework the ponds sides, to build a berm to prevent inflow
of ground water from those fields.
Of course you may need a little flow to keep the pond's level up, if your
pond doesn't have springs feeding it.
Good farm ponds are not setup to fill by flows of water over their sides
from adjacent terrain.
Also streams should not be allowed to flow through ponds, or you will have
silt issues, just as you are describing.
It is not that difficult to hire a contractor to pump down the water level,
even on a 4 acre pond, and rework the sides.
Happy ponding,
Greg


"Heather" wrote in message
...
If there is anyone here with large recreational pond experience could you
please comment on clearing algae?

The pond in question is 3 - 4 acres and 30' at the deepest. It has some
springs. The bottom is limestone and silt. Lotsa silt. The sides slope
so
adjacent runoff goes into the pond. A field is nearby and during severe
thunderstorms there is a "river" running off the field and into the pond.

I suspect that the nitrate level is high. (Think I'll take my fish pond
testers and check the levels to see.)

Also there is little plant life. Some weeds along the east shore. Some
fish, bass, pike, sunfish etc.

The owners have asked me what they should do to clear the algae since this
is used for recreational swimming and SCUBA diving.

If I advise them to plant hardy water lily will this help? Water hyacinth
would be expensive for so large an area and in Zone 5b.

Anyone ever rig a homemade UV filter using 4' black lights protected by
glass or something like that to use on a large pond?

Thanks for all help.

Heather

On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 01:37:44 GMT, "Gregory Young"
wrote:


Good farm ponds are not setup to fill by flows of water over their sides
from adjacent terrain.

Hmmmm...I'm building a 1.4 acre pond as we speak. I plan to fill it with
runoff, but all runoff will seep through a large gravel filter under a wide
18" high levee. The pond is mostly for fishing, but I hope to get some
swimming in. I've already resigned myself to include some shallow weed beds.
Looks like I'll have to quit fertilizing my grass too.

Bob

Hey Bob:
Just be sure to channel your run into the pond, so it enters the pond via a
stream bed, that you can screen debris in, just as you are doing with your
gravel.
Only problem with using gravel is that it will need cleaning, and gravel
gets heavier as you get older.
Another way is a small catchment pond, the size of which depends on your
pond's surface area.
I have one (for 1/2 acre 100 x 200ft pond) that is about 10 x 20 x 3 ft
deep.
I clean it out, once the stream quits flowing in mid spring. The lite silt
comes out easily once semi dry.
By stream I am referring only to water runoff from the woods, not a real
flowing stream. The latter should be diverted from your pond.
Happy ponding,
Greg
--


"Bob Adkins" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 01:37:44 GMT, "Gregory Young"
wrote:


Good farm ponds are not setup to fill by flows of water over their sides
from adjacent terrain.

Hmmmm...I'm building a 1.4 acre pond as we speak. I plan to fill it with
runoff, but all runoff will seep through a large gravel filter under a
wide
18" high levee. The pond is mostly for fishing, but I hope to get some
swimming in. I've already resigned myself to include some shallow weed
beds.
Looks like I'll have to quit fertilizing my grass too.

Bob

On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 02:59:16 GMT, "Gregory Young"
wrote:

Hey Bob:
Just be sure to channel your run into the pond, so it enters the pond via a
stream bed, that you can screen debris in, just as you are doing with your
gravel.
Only problem with using gravel is that it will need cleaning, and gravel
gets heavier as you get older.
Another way is a small catchment pond, the size of which depends on your
pond's surface area.
I have one (for 1/2 acre 100 x 200ft pond) that is about 10 x 20 x 3 ft
deep.
I clean it out, once the stream quits flowing in mid spring. The lite silt
comes out easily once semi dry.
By stream I am referring only to water runoff from the woods, not a real
flowing stream. The latter should be diverted from your pond.
Happy ponding,


Hi Greg,

Great idea! I'll have to chew on the sediment pond. If my plans don't work
out, I can always add it in later.

Right after a rain, I drove over to my pond site and looked at the runoff
that will be going into it some day. I have about 7 acres of grass, and my
neighbors have about 5 acres of manicured grass for the catchment area.
There is also unfortunately about 2 acres of woods runoff too. Even with a
little runoff from distant woods, the runoff is still crystal clear by the
time it gets to the pond area. I guess clarity can be misleading, but at
least there will be no ugly tannic acid stain. My land is nearly dead flat,
which I suppose helps things settle out.

My gravel filter will be pre-filtered by a surrounding weed and grass bed as
well, so I am hoping it will not get choked by grass clippings, etc. Water
will seep straight down into the gravel about 18", and flow laterally about
8' before exiting into the pond. I'm thinking that microbes living in the
gravel will consume the small stuff and a small amount of nutrients. There
shouldn't be any big stuff. I hope it will never reach my gravel filter.

Bob

Just be sure to test the water for nitrates and phosphates, both test kits
are readily available.
It may be clear, but if high in these 2 you will have algal problems..
Happy ponding,
-- Greg


"Bob Adkins" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 02:59:16 GMT, "Gregory Young"
wrote:

Hey Bob:
Just be sure to channel your run into the pond, so it enters the pond via
a
stream bed, that you can screen debris in, just as you are doing with
your
gravel.
Only problem with using gravel is that it will need cleaning, and gravel
gets heavier as you get older.
Another way is a small catchment pond, the size of which depends on your
pond's surface area.
I have one (for 1/2 acre 100 x 200ft pond) that is about 10 x 20 x 3 ft
deep.
I clean it out, once the stream quits flowing in mid spring. The lite
silt
comes out easily once semi dry.
By stream I am referring only to water runoff from the woods, not a real
flowing stream. The latter should be diverted from your pond.
Happy ponding,


Hi Greg,

Great idea! I'll have to chew on the sediment pond. If my plans don't work
out, I can always add it in later.

Right after a rain, I drove over to my pond site and looked at the runoff
that will be going into it some day. I have about 7 acres of grass, and my
neighbors have about 5 acres of manicured grass for the catchment area.
There is also unfortunately about 2 acres of woods runoff too. Even with
a
little runoff from distant woods, the runoff is still crystal clear by
the
time it gets to the pond area. I guess clarity can be misleading, but at
least there will be no ugly tannic acid stain. My land is nearly dead
flat,
which I suppose helps things settle out.

My gravel filter will be pre-filtered by a surrounding weed and grass bed
as
well, so I am hoping it will not get choked by grass clippings, etc. Water
will seep straight down into the gravel about 18", and flow laterally
about
8' before exiting into the pond. I'm thinking that microbes living in the
gravel will consume the small stuff and a small amount of nutrients. There
shouldn't be any big stuff. I hope it will never reach my gravel filter.

Bob