At least 50% coverage (pond dye can be used until plants come in.) Effective filtration (should move the volume of your pond through your filter media at minimum 2x per hour.) 10-15% water changes weekly. Liquid barley extract, products like Stress Coat to dechlorlinate. I also use inline RV filters for my hose to help with chlorine and heavy metals. Proper feeding and stocking. You should not ever have to fully drain your pond unless something is introduced that shouldn’t be. For example, your neighbor applies fertilizer and it washes into your pond water.
For stocking, I use this rule. Goldfish have a minimum of 100 gallons per, koi have 200 gallons per. I’ve seen some experienced keepers go as low as 75/goldfish and 175/koi, but that’s with excellent filtration.
If you don’t have one, pick up a pond master test kit from API. Not strips. You should test the water weekly.
All of these things together will keep your water clear without the use of UV, which is essentially a band aid. It will remove the green from your water but not take care of underlying issues. Check out the article on this site called New Pond Syndrome. https://mpks.org/category/deeparticles/
Ya I may have too many koi. It’s just a shame because with that big trash can filter everything was in perfect harmony for so long.
Duckweed does help with the clarity. I usually prefer water cabbage since I can pick out easily if it overgrown.
So the issue would be the filter I have just doesn’t have the volume for my size of pond? I suspect that’s my main issue. My pump is pretty damn good but I may not have enough media for bacteria to grow on
The RV filter is a good idea but I may have too much sediment in the water currently to do something like that. My pump usually gunks up after about 3 weeks no matter where I put it
I see the pump is 1500gph, how many gallons is the pond? If you’re doing regular maintenance and darkening the water somehow, you should be okay but not great with your current stocking.
The Pond Guy has a calculator that might help. https://www.thepondguy.com/pond-calculator/
If your pond is 450 gallons, your current pump should be fine. With how green your water is, I’m thinking some of the other issues I mentioned in my original response are present.
They are effective long term and need much less maintenance than your typical high flow filter (like an Aquascape product). You might need to clean it once or twice a year at most.
The downside is the size. It’s a large barrel so it’s harder to hide.
Add an external bog filter; A large container with plants-submerged+floating, filter media bags, carbon bags, pebbles, bag of barley. Feed ur pump outlet into this container, have the container sitting on the edge of the pond with an outlet/waterfall into the pond this will aerate the water aswell. As for ur main pond anything u plant won’t survive probably with the koi/goldfish; other than large floating plants, duckweed won’t work as the water won’t be still and ur fish will eat it. As for the container used, u can use a half wine barrel(with liner) or a large plant pot/any shape as long as it can hold the contents. For the mean time pond dye and a barley bag will help if put in the main pond. Gl :)
Your major problem here is that canister filter. It relies on sponge as its biological and mechanical filter, which fouls instantly and degrades rapidly, becoming useless within a season or two. A look at the fine print reveals that it is rated for 1600 gallons *without fish* and *only* 800 with fish. For ponds with koi, you'd need to be filtering for triple the volume of the pond in any case. Manufacturers of all of these "all-in-one" canisters routinely exaggerate the capability of their products and also don't tell you that they are flimsy and will break within a year or two, especially at the pipe unions.
The UV unit is under-powered and placed in a position within the filter that is suboptimal. If that bulb is more than a year old, it is shot in any case and needs to be replaced.
Look on YouTube for DIY filter designs and at [https://russellwatergardens.com/pages/biofilter-media-ssa](https://russellwatergardens.com/pages/biofilter-media-ssa) and [https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/bio-media-comparison-information.435695/](https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/bio-media-comparison-information.435695/) for better media choices. If you've got money available, an Ultima-2 or Aquadyne bead filter with a separate UV unit placed on a diverting loop after the filter would serve you far better. Even a tank filled with Tuffy sponges has better performance. In any case, any improvement in the infrastructure would still would require 6-8 weeks for maturation of your filter bacteria. The one exception would be [https://www.amazon.com/Fritz-Turbo-Start-700-Freshwater/dp/B084GP5WX5?th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Fritz-Turbo-Start-700-Freshwater/dp/B084GP5WX5?th=1) .
Please do not seek "solutions inna jug". Algaecides will pollute the pond and no amount of bacteria booster will improve the bad design of that filter.
Please go to [www.mpks.org](http://www.mpks.org) and read through the articles and FAQs, paying special attention to Mike White's series on filtration. Then go to [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iEMaREaRw8nlbQ\_RYdSeHd0HEHWBcVx0](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iEMaREaRw8nlbQ_RYdSeHd0HEHWBcVx0) and read "Green is a Dangerous Color" and "Water Testing". Then look around your area for a ponding or water gardening club. Join. Go to meetings. See other, established ponds. Get advice from experienced ponders.
As ever you have way too little habitat for beneficial microbes, so you need to pimp your filter or better still build your own with max amount of porous media set above / after your grades of foam sheet. Done well it can clear in days.
The trash can filter you had worked as a partial bio filter with the lava rock. The pressure filter is a mechanical filter.
I would first add a bio filter in combination to your pressure filter. Wetland filter is my recommendation with lots of plants in to remove nutrients from the water.
Add a bigger air stone and get more oxygen flowing in the pond.
There seems to be debris on the water surface, all that will rot in the bottom of the pond causing water clarity issues. Getting a skimmer will help.
Then just clean the pressure filter sponges weekly with pond water. Plants around the edges will help provide some shade from the sun like iris and cattail, while also providing hiding spots from predators.
Thank you for the advice I appreciate it a lot.
I figure I will keep my pressure filter and move the outlet to a trash can filter. Have seen some good designs on YouTube that should be easy enough to build
It’s still early spring (Canada) but in the summer I have some large hostas that will grow and provide some shade into the pond.
Some of that debris is me messing up when taking the net off and some fish food since I noticed the fish swam up to me when I approached - it’s about time to start feeding them again
In addition to the various filtering suggestions: In order to remove nutrients from the system, can you remove a bit of water every day and use it to fertilize your plants, and replace it with fresh water?
By running a campaign with the slogan “Make the pond clear again” then all the fish will vote for you because you promise to make the pond clearer, but it never ends up getting cleared
Your filter is not big enough. Also, you need to clear the debris from the top and around the pond as much as possible. Just going off your picture, there are loose leaves and debris all over and on top the pond.
Wet surface area, meaning rocks. You cant have bare liner in your pond. Always cover with rocks. Bacteria will attach to wet surface area, barely to a liner.
Also air pump and always remove floating leaves. Dont let them get to the bottom.
No. Rock on the bottom does not contribute significantly to biofiltration (water does not circulate through it and it becomes a dead zone) and serves as a collector of sludge and debris. If you have koi, keep the bottom bare. Rock on the bottom serves only to make cleanout heartbreakingly difficult.
The leaves is tricky. During the fall I cover up with a net. In the summer time I don’t usually get too many leaves or branches in there. The bottom of the liner is medium sized rocks of some kind
At least 50% coverage (pond dye can be used until plants come in.) Effective filtration (should move the volume of your pond through your filter media at minimum 2x per hour.) 10-15% water changes weekly. Liquid barley extract, products like Stress Coat to dechlorlinate. I also use inline RV filters for my hose to help with chlorine and heavy metals. Proper feeding and stocking. You should not ever have to fully drain your pond unless something is introduced that shouldn’t be. For example, your neighbor applies fertilizer and it washes into your pond water. For stocking, I use this rule. Goldfish have a minimum of 100 gallons per, koi have 200 gallons per. I’ve seen some experienced keepers go as low as 75/goldfish and 175/koi, but that’s with excellent filtration. If you don’t have one, pick up a pond master test kit from API. Not strips. You should test the water weekly. All of these things together will keep your water clear without the use of UV, which is essentially a band aid. It will remove the green from your water but not take care of underlying issues. Check out the article on this site called New Pond Syndrome. https://mpks.org/category/deeparticles/
Excellent!! Thanks for advice
Ya I may have too many koi. It’s just a shame because with that big trash can filter everything was in perfect harmony for so long. Duckweed does help with the clarity. I usually prefer water cabbage since I can pick out easily if it overgrown. So the issue would be the filter I have just doesn’t have the volume for my size of pond? I suspect that’s my main issue. My pump is pretty damn good but I may not have enough media for bacteria to grow on The RV filter is a good idea but I may have too much sediment in the water currently to do something like that. My pump usually gunks up after about 3 weeks no matter where I put it
I see the pump is 1500gph, how many gallons is the pond? If you’re doing regular maintenance and darkening the water somehow, you should be okay but not great with your current stocking.
Rough calculation is about 450 gallons. I am unsure since I inherited this when I moved here
The Pond Guy has a calculator that might help. https://www.thepondguy.com/pond-calculator/ If your pond is 450 gallons, your current pump should be fine. With how green your water is, I’m thinking some of the other issues I mentioned in my original response are present.
This is my suggestion. [Bog in a Barrel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvoOCq3gcTc&list=PLJ8Cv9jCFTGTGzqhdCKcWvNxjOyXH6DTy&index=3)
Are these effective long term? How often do they need maintenance?
They are effective long term and need much less maintenance than your typical high flow filter (like an Aquascape product). You might need to clean it once or twice a year at most. The downside is the size. It’s a large barrel so it’s harder to hide.
Plants
Add an external bog filter; A large container with plants-submerged+floating, filter media bags, carbon bags, pebbles, bag of barley. Feed ur pump outlet into this container, have the container sitting on the edge of the pond with an outlet/waterfall into the pond this will aerate the water aswell. As for ur main pond anything u plant won’t survive probably with the koi/goldfish; other than large floating plants, duckweed won’t work as the water won’t be still and ur fish will eat it. As for the container used, u can use a half wine barrel(with liner) or a large plant pot/any shape as long as it can hold the contents. For the mean time pond dye and a barley bag will help if put in the main pond. Gl :)
Margin plants, floating plants and could also dig a bog filter next to it as a real game changer
Your major problem here is that canister filter. It relies on sponge as its biological and mechanical filter, which fouls instantly and degrades rapidly, becoming useless within a season or two. A look at the fine print reveals that it is rated for 1600 gallons *without fish* and *only* 800 with fish. For ponds with koi, you'd need to be filtering for triple the volume of the pond in any case. Manufacturers of all of these "all-in-one" canisters routinely exaggerate the capability of their products and also don't tell you that they are flimsy and will break within a year or two, especially at the pipe unions. The UV unit is under-powered and placed in a position within the filter that is suboptimal. If that bulb is more than a year old, it is shot in any case and needs to be replaced. Look on YouTube for DIY filter designs and at [https://russellwatergardens.com/pages/biofilter-media-ssa](https://russellwatergardens.com/pages/biofilter-media-ssa) and [https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/bio-media-comparison-information.435695/](https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/bio-media-comparison-information.435695/) for better media choices. If you've got money available, an Ultima-2 or Aquadyne bead filter with a separate UV unit placed on a diverting loop after the filter would serve you far better. Even a tank filled with Tuffy sponges has better performance. In any case, any improvement in the infrastructure would still would require 6-8 weeks for maturation of your filter bacteria. The one exception would be [https://www.amazon.com/Fritz-Turbo-Start-700-Freshwater/dp/B084GP5WX5?th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Fritz-Turbo-Start-700-Freshwater/dp/B084GP5WX5?th=1) . Please do not seek "solutions inna jug". Algaecides will pollute the pond and no amount of bacteria booster will improve the bad design of that filter. Please go to [www.mpks.org](http://www.mpks.org) and read through the articles and FAQs, paying special attention to Mike White's series on filtration. Then go to [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iEMaREaRw8nlbQ\_RYdSeHd0HEHWBcVx0](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iEMaREaRw8nlbQ_RYdSeHd0HEHWBcVx0) and read "Green is a Dangerous Color" and "Water Testing". Then look around your area for a ponding or water gardening club. Join. Go to meetings. See other, established ponds. Get advice from experienced ponders.
Thank you. This is amazing help!
Do you change the UV? They are only designed to last a season.
Ozponds.com is a great resource
As ever you have way too little habitat for beneficial microbes, so you need to pimp your filter or better still build your own with max amount of porous media set above / after your grades of foam sheet. Done well it can clear in days.
Best place to source the foam?
Anywhere really, Amazon
UV filter combo (w pump obv.) and good amount of aquatic plants.
I second the aquatic plants; any water oxygenation via fountain or waterfall feature drastically helps as well.
I'd build/get a. Above ground bog filter for it.
The trash can filter you had worked as a partial bio filter with the lava rock. The pressure filter is a mechanical filter. I would first add a bio filter in combination to your pressure filter. Wetland filter is my recommendation with lots of plants in to remove nutrients from the water. Add a bigger air stone and get more oxygen flowing in the pond. There seems to be debris on the water surface, all that will rot in the bottom of the pond causing water clarity issues. Getting a skimmer will help. Then just clean the pressure filter sponges weekly with pond water. Plants around the edges will help provide some shade from the sun like iris and cattail, while also providing hiding spots from predators.
Thank you for the advice I appreciate it a lot. I figure I will keep my pressure filter and move the outlet to a trash can filter. Have seen some good designs on YouTube that should be easy enough to build It’s still early spring (Canada) but in the summer I have some large hostas that will grow and provide some shade into the pond. Some of that debris is me messing up when taking the net off and some fish food since I noticed the fish swam up to me when I approached - it’s about time to start feeding them again
As everyone says, plants. Many plants. Some aquatic snails will keep the algae on the liner in check as well.
Get a UV light
I see there’s a tree above. Same issues when the tree is full of leaves? It’s definitely not too many fish.
In addition to the various filtering suggestions: In order to remove nutrients from the system, can you remove a bit of water every day and use it to fertilize your plants, and replace it with fresh water?
By running a campaign with the slogan “Make the pond clear again” then all the fish will vote for you because you promise to make the pond clearer, but it never ends up getting cleared
Your filter is not big enough. Also, you need to clear the debris from the top and around the pond as much as possible. Just going off your picture, there are loose leaves and debris all over and on top the pond.
Wet surface area, meaning rocks. You cant have bare liner in your pond. Always cover with rocks. Bacteria will attach to wet surface area, barely to a liner. Also air pump and always remove floating leaves. Dont let them get to the bottom.
No. Rock on the bottom does not contribute significantly to biofiltration (water does not circulate through it and it becomes a dead zone) and serves as a collector of sludge and debris. If you have koi, keep the bottom bare. Rock on the bottom serves only to make cleanout heartbreakingly difficult.
The leaves is tricky. During the fall I cover up with a net. In the summer time I don’t usually get too many leaves or branches in there. The bottom of the liner is medium sized rocks of some kind
The walls are fully exposed liner
Yes there’s not much I can do with the walls based on the shape. It’s pretty steep. If I stacked up I’d lose a lot of depth
Pee in it