How to clean

[wurkn with amish]

Anyone have an idea on how to clean up algea in a pond and not kill the Koi in it? I built a waterfall into an existing pond (lake). I routed a natural spring pipe into it. The natural spring is turning the falls into a nasty looking mess, but its how they keep their pond filled.. Is there anything I can use or do short of discontinuing the pipe( which will never happen). I had lettuce and water hyacinths floating in the koi part didn't seem to matter. Anyone ever use the sonic solutions thing in the above ad?

thanks,
UP THE CREEK

[tadpole]

If I am reading your post correctly, the pond and waterfall are fed by natural spring water. If this is the case and you have a severe algae problem, the problem is in the spring water. A simple Nitrate test and possibly a Phosphate test will tell you exactly what you are up against. Make sure that your test sample is taken as close to the spring head as possible. If you show high test reults, treatments and/or devices will not really help much as the spring is constantly resupplying the nutrients to the pond and waterfall. The addition of a sufficient number of aquatic plants will help in reducing the nutrient load. Like I tell all of my customers, either they can add the plants of their choice or nature will in the form of algae.
It sounds like the spring has been contaminated. Is this pond located in an heavy agricultural area or near a large industrial site?

[wurkn with amish]

There's a neighborhood on top of the hill behind the pond. I always wondered if their nitrogen worked its way down to the water supply. Would I get the tests at a pool supply place?

[STL Ponds and Waterfalls]

My buddy that quarantines hid Koi uses potassium permanganate to clear up his water. The downside is it will kill the beneficial bacteria, but clears up the water. I haven't tested this stuff yet or did any real research on it yet. Maybe Tadpole will have some better information on the use of potassium permanganate.

[tadpole]

You can find basic water test kits at most pet stores.

Potassium permanganate is used primarily in the aquatic business as an anti-bacterial, anti-parasite treatment. A side effect is it also will clear the water. HOWEVER, it is very dangerous to use around fish and must be applied very accurately. It alos needs to be deactivated after a period of time. I won't go into unnecessary details for, in your case, you should stay away from using it.
You have a unique problem in the fact that, not only is the pond receiving the normal nutrient load from the usual sources (fish waste, plant decomposition, wind blown organics and run-off), it appears that it is also being constantly supplied with additional nutrients from the contaminated spring water.

You have not said whether or not the actual pond water is clear. Even if it is, the Nitrate level is evidently high enough to support 'String Algae' on the Waterfall. String algae, by the way, only occurs in moving water. It also prefers a high pH.

Let me know, either on the Forum or by PM, what the test results are. You might as well test all of the basic chemical parameters----pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite and water temp.

At this point, I really do not see any permanent remedy given the apparent condition of the spring water. Chemical treatments are never a cure, they only treat the symptoms and not the cause. If this were a recirculating system like the ponds that we install, the problem could be corrected in a short period of time.

[wurkn with amish]

Sorry,
you cant read my thoughts. But the pond and falls does have a 10,00gph pump so it is recirculating. We just put the spring pipe at the top to help fill the pond up. I do think they want it left though. The stones that the falls is made of is sandstone. let me try to post a pic of when the falls was first put in.

[wurkn with amish]

first pic is of the pipe. I really wish in hind sight we just rerouted and ran it all the way to the pond instead of cutting it off... Second is the finished falls, third is before falls but shows the dividing point. By dividing point I mean we installed a fence under the bridge to keep the Koi in the smaller section up by the falls. The water is clear, but there is alot of the bottom algea.

[blk90s13]

your only answer is here www.koiphen.com

[tadpole]

That's a good link. Koivet.com is probably the overall best. I think that you will find that the overall emphasis on reducing algae growth, besides controlling the nutrient load, is aquatic plants of which I don't see any in the photos. Like I said before either you add the proper number of plants or nature will in the form of algae.
A few questions: How old is the Pond? How deep is the Pond? Is the Pond lined or earthen bottom? Does it get any shade? What do you estimate as total capacity (gallons)?

[wurkn with amish]

The pond is year old, earthen bottom, no shade, 30ft wide x 120ft long x 11ft deep i think. Aquatic plants were added after the pic was taken. I had some in the Koi part and one of the pools in the falls. I had one of those floating islands also( 30" x 60").