You wait all winter to enjoy your pond, and then, as soon as the weather heats up, it turns green. No matter what you try, you can’t get it to stay clear. Your pond is probably suffering from an overgrowth of algae. Addressing what is causing your algae bloom can help you keep the water clear so you can enjoy your pond all summer long.
Poor Circulation
While ponds don’t necessarily need to be aerated, it does improve their health considerably. Here’s what actually happens in ponds without aeration systems. Without aeration, pond water becomes stratified. This means that oxygen saturation in lower levels isn’t as high as in top ones. Which means the algae is going to hang out in the warm water on top, absorbing sunlight and producing chlorophyll. You might know that as the stuff that turns plants (and the water they live in) green.
Fertilizer Runoff
Your lush lawn may be partially to blame for the green film on your pond. Fertilizer runoff from lawns, gardens, and agricultural areas helps feed that algae in your pond. More algae mean more chlorophyll, which means more green slime.
Overburdened Ecosystem
While there may be plenty of fish in the sea, you don’t want to have too many fish in your pond. Fish produce waste that is rich in nutrients. This acts as fertilizer for plants. If you don’t have enough aquatic plants in your pond to absorb the amount of waste your fish produce, you can end up with algae blooms.
Steps to Clear Water
With some planning and the right balance, you can have a clear and healthy pond all year. Be careful when you introduce fish into your pond and remember to think about how big they will be at maturity. A couple of Koi may seem harmless but, under the right conditions, these fish can grow very large and quickly overwhelm a small pond. If you do have fish in your pond, consider adding aquatic plants that will absorb waste and help keep the water clean. Keep the water moving to prevent stratification and surface algae blooms.
