Restoring a once beautiful pond....

[kindai]

Should it just be a case of running the pump once in a while to keep the pond clean?

If you want crystal clear water the pump and filter (and UV) will need to be run 24/7.

Looking at how that catches the sun in your original photos, the moment you stop exposing the water to UV clarification it will turn green within a couple of days.

(source, I have ponds of several thousand gallons each and the battle against the green is never far off )

 

[psd99]

If you want crystal clear water the pump and filter (and UV) will need to be run 24/7.

Looking at how that catches the sun in your original photos, the moment you stop exposing the water to UV clarification it will turn green within a couple of days.

(source, I have ponds of several thousand gallons each and the battle against the green is never far off )

running a pump 24/7.... imagine how expensive that would be lol

Anyway the water is almost empty like 80% gone now, I'm going to save some of the water for when I refill the pond.

plan is to completely empty the pond then put the plants into containers with the saved pond water temporarily before refilling the pond
not sure if I want any fishes in there yet!

 

[Regy53]

why are you saving the water?

The cost to run a pump wont be expensive, you will need to otherwise it will go like you have just sorted.

 

[psd99]

why are you saving the water?

The cost to run a pump wont be expensive, you will need to otherwise it will go like you have just sorted.

while I clear the pond. doesn't this water have good level of bacteria/nutrients that will help keep my lillies alive temporarily in a few big buckets?

 

[roman59]

Run the pump 24/7 all year round, clean out your filters once a week during the summer months also keep the UV lamp on (if you have one & make sure to replace the lamp every year as they lose their intensity over time) 24/7 from May to October.

The above is what I do with my pond which has around 100 goldfish & 6 fairly large Koi in it, the water is crystal clear, also with no UV lamp on the blanket weed will appear in the pond.

I would put a net over it all year round to keep predators at bay & keep the leaves out.

I have a heron in my area, have seen it sitting on my neighbours green house roof eyeing up its breakfast.

Cheers all

 

[Amp34]

If you want crystal clear water the pump and filter (and UV) will need to be run 24/7.

Looking at how that catches the sun in your original photos, the moment you stop exposing the water to UV clarification it will turn green within a couple of days.

(source, I have ponds of several thousand gallons each and the battle against the green is never far off )

To counter that, the pond I previously mentioned is in full sun pretty much all day and has crystal clear water and is never covered in green. It does have a basic filter filled with gravel (no UV), largely to reduce particulates, but other than that it’s all natural filters (plants in the pond and the when the pump is on water runs through a couple of small marshy areas).

It does get the occasional bit of blanket weed, but that can be pulled out easily and quickly a couple of times a year and never takes over.

Edit: this is on a larger scale but the methods and premise works on smaller ponds as well.

https://www.gardenmyths.com/pond-pumps-filters/

Take away - don’t put too much nutrients in the pond, have plenty of aquatic plants, don’t stir it up constantly and don’t overstock it with fish, a few is fine and with a natural pond with goldfish they will keep themselves in check (you’ll get young ones). You’ll also be overrun by frogs and other creatures.

If certainly recommend a small pump you can turn on for decoration (and a little bit of aeration) when out in the garden. We found the pump cost too much to run 24/7, or even just during daylight 7 days a week.