Is there anything I can do to clear the murky water??

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Is there anything I can do to clear the murky water??

Postby alison on Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:53 am

My pond has never been so murky. Usually we can see quite well into the pond, but this is the first time that it has become so bad that the fish are not visable. It isn't blanketweed or anything like that (obviously too early for it here or for green water). I hate not being able to see anything but brown water. Is there anything that can be done. I have kept my waterfall pump running, but my pump to the filterbox has been off for a few months as it needed mending. I don't know if that would have made a difference. Any ideas ?
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Re: Is there anything I can do to clear the murky water??

Postby AJC on Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:39 pm

Hi alison :) brown eh, well there is an algea that can make ya water go brown, would have thought it to cold and not enough sun for that one tho, frogs can make ya water go brown if you get enough of them, they peeing un pooping in ya pond can make a big difference in a short time if ya filter is off, but you would need a fair few frogs in your pond i would think, so not sure, best way is to treat it as algea, turn on ya UV for a few days see if it helps clear it, if not we have to rethink.

a partial water change woulnt hurt tho alison.
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Re: Is there anything I can do to clear the murky water??

Postby alison on Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:12 am

Thanks Alan. I have now got the filterbox/UV back on so hoping for the best. I had thought about a water change but wasn't sure with the cold weather if it was a suitable time for doing one. I will give it a few days with the UV and see how things are first.
I haven't had enough frogs in to do any damage yet, even though we counted 32 yesterday :D so they are on their way back home. 52 last year so hoping for more this year.
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Re: Is there anything I can do to clear the murky water??

Postby AJC on Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:19 pm

Hows it looking now alison?

turned my surface skimmer pump on today, to put a shine on the water, fish all seem in very good health and so far no signs of any spring probs, they are active and feeding well on high quality wheatgerm and medikoi pellets, nice to see them properly again, I let the water go murky during winter so they not distrubed when walk past, and it also make thier colours come out after a long period in murky waters, the season has begun :D

if winter dont decide to bite yet again :?
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Re: Is there anything I can do to clear the murky water??

Postby alison on Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:35 pm

Well it felt like winter this morning Alan. :smt103 I ended up with a hat and gloves on, but it has warmed up a bit now. :D
The pond is much better. I did 2 very partial water changes only about 10 inches each time as the shallow end always empties first and the frog spawn had been laid there and I didn't know if it survived out of water for long so didn't like to take the risk.
What was a lovely surprize though was as the water went down, although only 3 clumps of spawn was visable above water there was absolutely loads hidden in the shallows. I can breathe easy again.. :D
The fish seemed to like the cleaner water and came looking for tasty goodies to eat amongst the spawn. :shock: Maybe the frogs should have laid it a bit nearer the edge.
So all in all things have improved. It is not completely clear but is definitely an improvement. I am just hoping that the UV does the rest.
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Re: Is there anything I can do to clear the murky water??

Postby dampflippers on Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:50 am

How's your pond now Alison?
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Re: Is there anything I can do to clear the murky water??

Postby alison on Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:55 pm

It is a lot clearer now thankyou. :D
I bought a new UV bulb and changed the water a few times and now it is so much better. Also had to really do a big clean on the filterbox. That was bad but seeing as I have never done it before and I have had the filterbox since building the new pond, it hasn't done bad. It is one of those where you can pump it up and down (squeeze the sponges really) and send the water and muck into the garden, so I had done that a couple of times. I just didn't think about cleaning it properly. It worked so much better afterwards :lol:
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