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.
--

Roz Cawley
Autumn Cottage Diary http://www.autumncottage.co.uk

Clay has been used as a lining for all sorts of water containers from water
holes for domesticated animals to the lining used for canals and other man-made
waterways. I suggest patience, though I'd suggest turning off any water pumps
(if you have them fitted) until the clay particles settle out. They are
incredibly small and take a while to settle. Having any water flowing through
a water feature will mean that this process takes days, or weeks rather than a
day or so. I'm not sure as this advice will help. I don't really have enough
in the way of details to give you any really helpful advice. I wish you all
the best.

Dave.