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Murky pond water - getting frustrated now

FloweryJuneFloweryJune Posts: 8
edited June 2020 in Problem solving
I tried to make a wildlife pond before and it was a complete disaster, went completely green and disgusting, I hadn’t done the pond liner correctly etc

Anyway so I decided a container pond was maybe a better idea. Had got plants for it and everything. Was going well. Some life had moved in. Nice clear water. I needed to transfer the marginal plants to larger aquatic pots, so had to add some pond soil to the pots to fill the gaps, a small amount spilt into the pond...

A few days after adding the pond soil the water has gone cloudy and murky, and before that it had been clear for weeks...I’m beginning to think it’s the soil that screwed up my pond last time and now this time (used the same soil for both). Also, can’t see any life now. 

Also, the soils supposed to be aquatic but has those wee beads in it, I though aquatic soil was supposed to be low nutrient? So why add beads with nutrients?

I’m thinking I’m just gonna have to start all over again...AGAIN. Any thoughts?

p.s I also have oxygenating plants in the pond
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  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    maybe the higher temperatures recently were the cause?
    Devon.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited June 2020
    It's perfectly normal for nutrients to be in the pond plant soil, as some plants require it.
    The key is to add planting which balances it, or use one of the many proprietary solutions offered on all the pond plant sites - barley straw extracts etc. 
    You can also add watercress which uses up excess nutrients, and helps get a balance.
    Very few ponds are ever crystal clear all year round  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    There is one vital ingredients you're missing - TIME
    It takes at least a year for a new pond to settle.
    Everything is new and it's all got to find its own natural balance and that takes time.
    Sounds like you have done all the right tings, now relax and let the pond sort itself out.

    I use Blagdon Barely Straw Extract and Blagdon Sludge Buster in my little w/l pond to help keep the water clear and free of algae, and it does seem to help..
    When I first filled and planted it it looked a mess for most part of a year, murky and/or green water, scum, algae etc and the plants barely grew. But 12 months on it had all come together. Plants thriving and crystal clear water.
    It's all natural and in the end your plants will win out and you'll have a crystal clear lagoon to enjoy - just give it time.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543
    My fish pond is very green this year and I have put it down to the amount of heat a sun we have had.There are plenty of plants in the water but I expect it will clear later.
    Patience is needed!!
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - patience is often the hardest thing to cultivate in a garden.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FloweryJuneFloweryJune Posts: 8
    Patience is not my strong point  :smiley:

    Well my mind is at ease that I don’t have to restart at least lol.

    I will give it the time it needs, thanks!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They come and go a bit, depending on circumstances and temperatures etc, but in the end, they sort themselves out  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I think stand back, walk away, and leave it alone might be the best plan of action for a while. 
    Flippin' hard though, isn't it? ;)
    Devon.
  • micearguersmicearguers Posts: 646
    Agree with all of the above. That said, recently I read a blog where someone advocated using no aquatic soil at all, as nutrients enter the pond anyway. The advice was just to stabilise the plants with stones. In hindsight, I wish I would have done this; when I moved my water lilies into bigger pots, two years ago, I used some additional subsoil and it unsettled the pond like you describe.
    There is another aspect, I've started to try and disturb the pond as little as possible in any regard. Doing any work in it will mix different water layers as well as disturb the habitat and my hunch is that this can again lead to issues - this may be more of an issue with tiny ponds such as mine.
    The amount of sunlight received also plays a role, but nutrients are my number one concern, for example soil run-off can impact a pond.
    Finally, I bought some ramshorn snails and they are now thriving. I like to think they contribute a bit.
  • themanfromvolantisthemanfromvolantis Posts: 44
    If you use aquatic soil then stand the plant in a bucket of water over night before putting it on the pond. That way any loose soil that is going to spill out of the top or sides will end up in the bucket rather than the pond.

    Agree 100% on just giving it time. 

    I get an Algae Bloom most years and I know some other koi keepers spend a fortune trying to get rid of it. 

    I just leave it. The longest it's ever lasted is 6 weeks. Usually it's gone in 4 weeks. Most algae is harmless to fish and they don't mind cloudy water. 

    The only thing I do take action with is blanket weed. In itself it's more or less harmless but it does tend to trap fish waste and prevent it reaching the filter, which is obviously an issue. 


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