Pond pump water quality question

[someone97]

We have a small garden pond, 8' x 6' about 200 gallons (1000L?) with about
15 fish in it, plus sundry water plants, iris, bulrushes, elodea, etc. We
bought a simple pump just to oxygenate the water, so it makes a little
waterfall about 8" high. The thing is, the turbulence in the water is
amazing. The water is always full of "stuff", and I can see a little divide
on the surface where the current runs faster. The fish are permanently
swimming through a haze.

There is a small filter in this pump which I clean out about every two
weeks, but even then, the water weed just under the surface is completely
covered with the yucky stuff that the pump throws up.

I guess I need an external filter or something, can anybody recommend a
brand, or say what I should do?

Thanks, s97

[Nick Byford]

Firstly, I should ask how old your pond is. It apparently takes anwhere
from three to five years for a pond to mature.

Next, do you have oxygenators in your pond?
These keep up the oxygen level allowing the fish to breathe. They also help
keep the muck down.

Is your pond in full sun, or do you have some shade? They need to be shaded
by about one third.

We have found that pond filters are necessary and they help keep the
nitrites down that would ordinarily poison the fish. We use Oase products
(filter box and two pumps; one powering the filter, the other the
waterfall). They're not cheap, but they do what they say on the tin as it
were.

Our pond may be bigger than yours, but the principals are the same. Take a
look at www.pennix.co.uk and hopefully some if not all of your questions
will be ansered.

Post by someone97
We have a small garden pond, 8' x 6' about 200 gallons (1000L?) with about
15 fish in it, plus sundry water plants, iris, bulrushes, elodea, etc. We
bought a simple pump just to oxygenate the water, so it makes a little
waterfall about 8" high. The thing is, the turbulence in the water is
amazing. The water is always full of "stuff", and I can see a little divide
on the surface where the current runs faster. The fish are permanently
swimming through a haze.
There is a small filter in this pump which I clean out about every two
weeks, but even then, the water weed just under the surface is completely
covered with the yucky stuff that the pump throws up.
I guess I need an external filter or something, can anybody recommend a
brand, or say what I should do?
Thanks, s97

[Roger Whitehead]

Post by Nick Byford
It apparently takes anwhere
from three to five years for a pond to mature

A mature pond is a meadow. 8-)

[someone97]

Post by Nick Byford
Firstly, I should ask how old your pond is. It apparently takes anwhere
from three to five years for a pond to mature.

28 years. This turbid water problem has only happened since we've had this
recent underwater pump, which only powers a little balloon fountain.

Post by Nick Byford
Next, do you have oxygenators in your pond?
These keep up the oxygen level allowing the fish to breathe. They also help
keep the muck down.

yes

Post by Nick Byford
Is your pond in full sun, or do you have some shade? They need to be shaded
by about one third.

You have a point there, our pond which used to be in full sun is now almost
completely shaded by our loquat tree (grown from seed). Wanna buy any
loquat trees? I have about six coming on.

Post by Nick Byford
We have found that pond filters are necessary and they help keep the
nitrites down that would ordinarily poison the fish. We use Oase products
(filter box and two pumps; one powering the filter, the other the
waterfall). They're not cheap, but they do what they say on the tin as it
were.

I appreciate your recommendation, had a quick look on Google, the product
looks OK, I'll investigate further. Our pump only seems to swirl the muck
about. From what you say, the problem is probably due to the lack of sun on
our pond because of the loquat tree, but I would hate to cut down it down.

Post by Nick Byford
Our pond may be bigger than yours, but the principals are the same. Take a
look at www.pennix.co.uk and hopefully some if not all of your questions
will be ansered.

Nice website. By the way, as you're in Dorset, you might want to consider
visiting these people who have a couple of open days in August, they're in
Ferndown, and, although they're too small to have a pond, their garden is
well worth a look-in. Only found them by accident and went down there last
weekend.

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/lynandmalcolm/index.htm

Anyway, thanks for the advice. As I say, I think I'll invest in a filter
since we're so shaded.

s97