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Barrel pond keeps getting dirty

alan544alan544 Posts: 36
in Problem solving
I purchased an old whiskey oak barrel to use as a small pond with bubbling water feature. I originally filled with tap water and left for a week without anything in there. The water slowly got dirty.

I decided to remove the water and re-add. This time I also added plants and pump. So I have 3 marginal plants and a pygmy water lily along with some hornwort and a small pump (just for a little movement in the water).

Again, it started misting over.

Is there anything I can do to stop this happening other than lining the barrel or is it just one of those things from chemicals, or other stuff, leaching out of the wood?

Posts

  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184

  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    edited June 2021

    Top picture shows my barrel pond with a large plastic pot inside the barrel and planting around. I have no problem with water except for some blanket weed
    i have a little solar fountain which helps water clarity and makes a soothing sound. 
    That’s an old photo I will take a more up to date one. Plastic tub was about £5 from Wilkinson. 
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    It might take a while for the pond to settle and reach its natural balance so I would suggest leaving it for longer next time
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    edited June 2021
    Ponds are ecosystems, but starting with tap water gives a false impression of purity. Spores of algae will move in and so will those of fungi and bacteria and they will start to develop their own system. The oxygenators  and water lily will help to create the right balance and you should find other wildlife appear in due course. The pond will go cloudy and algae will grow, but this is jut part of the natural process. If the blanket weed grows too fast you can remove some, it is just a sign that the balance isn't quite there yet. The water will clear eventually and you will be able to enjoy your pond.
    I am a bit concerned about your marginals, though they are all lovely healthy plants. Hostas like moist soil, but they definitely don't like to be waterlogged, they will quickly rot. At the other end, is that a Rodgersia? If it is  you will need to find it a new home quite soon, they make very large plants!
    Can't ID the middle two for sure, is one a Lythrum? They are marginals but grow very tall. Mine get to about 4ft, so might be a bit out of proportion if that's what it is :)
  • alan544alan544 Posts: 36
    edited June 2021
    Buttercupdays said:
    Ponds are ecosystems, but starting with tap water gives a false impression of purity. Spores of algae will move in and so will those of fungi and bacteria and they will start to develop their own system. The oxygenators  and water lily will help to create the right balance and you should find other wildlife appear in due course. The pond will go cloudy and algae will grow, but this is jut part of the natural process. If the blanket weed grows too fast you can remove some, it is just a sign that the balance isn't quite there yet. The water will clear eventually and you will be able to enjoy your pond.
    I am a bit concerned about your marginals, though they are all lovely healthy plants. Hostas like moist soil, but they definitely don't like to be waterlogged, they will quickly rot. At the other end, is that a Rodgersia? If it is  you will need to find it a new home quite soon, they make very large plants!
    Can't ID the middle two for sure, is one a Lythrum? They are marginals but grow very tall. Mine get to about 4ft, so might be a bit out of proportion if that's what it is :)

    With regards to the tap water, is it worth getting something like "Envii Chlorine Klear" and starting again?

    Thanks for this but the photo of marginals are not mine. They are @debs64 in their reply . The actual plants I have are:

    Water plantain
    Water forget-me-not
    Miniture Papyrus
    Water Lily (Nymphaea Laydekeri Lilacea)
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    The soil around the pot is not affected by the water in the pot really. The plants are in that soil so water logging not n issue. I only have oxygenaters and water mint actually in the pot. I moved the Rodgersia as I realised it was too big. Hosta is doing well and helps shield the water which is helping with blanket weed. 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    There were some comments here in the last few weeks about problems with using old barrels as a pond. One commenter said the water was dark brown and there was a strong, terrible smell, which she thought might be to do with the history of the use as a barrel.


  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    I made a half barrel pond about a month ago. I put pond liner in and filled it with tap water which I treated with this stuff It started to get a bit manky with algae and a lot of bubbles on the surface so I bought another couple of oxygenators. Few days later, all the algae had dropped to the bottom and the water was crystal clear, has been ever since.
  • alan544alan544 Posts: 36
    februarysgirl said:
    I made a half barrel pond about a month ago. I put pond liner in and filled it with tap water which I treated with this stuff It started to get a bit manky with algae and a lot of bubbles on the surface so I bought another couple of oxygenators. Few days later, all the algae had dropped to the bottom and the water was crystal clear, has been ever since.
    Yeah, I'm just wondering whether it's the barrel wood itself that may be causing the issues. I think I may get some of that tap safe treatment, you mentioned, and maybe a few more oxygenators
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    @alan544 I watched a lot of barrel pond how to vids on YouTube and one guy on there set one up without a pond liner and his water went iffy. Most of the videos I watched used pond liner and whilst it looks better without, better safe than having to redo.
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