New pond looking a little too green

[sparkkwing]

Thanks all, was wondering about barley straw too! Also read that throwing in a bag of supermarket watercress could help, so have done that. The water seems clearer and for some reason, the algae has mostly gone a rusty brown.!!?

[Bullseye]

Try putting in a couple of bags of Daphnia (waterfleas) available from most aquarium shops.They need high O2 levels,but they really do scoff greenwater algae.

[Mikel]

Thanks,everyone...I was going to ask about my own pond,but that jogged my memory..I used Barley Straw a few years ago,and it worked.

I remembered putting something in the pond,but couldn't remember what it was...This time it's gone green almost overnight.

I may put in some Daphnia too.

Thanks again.

[coasty]

leave the pond alone it will find its own balance

[sparkkwing]

Well that didn't take long! The water is now lovely and clear, and full of little taddies swimming about! Now up to 6 pond skaters, which have appeared from nowhere, and I spotted a damsel fly larvae catching a tadpole!

The watercress I put in (a bag of it from Tescos) has started sprouting, plus plants settling in nicely!

Yipee!

[BarbaraEmma]

I've just finished a new pond and I wonder if I can ask on this thread about the spread of plants, which I'm hoping will stop it going too green.
My little pond is about 6x6feet by2feet 6inches at deepest part.
I've put in 3 native irises,a water forget me not,a marshmarigold,a spearwort and a starwort. At the moment they look ok,but I'm not sure how they will spread. Have I got the mix of plants OK ? Will they be enough,too much or not enough?
Around the pond I've got ragged robin ,fritillaries,mixed grasses and some hostas.Bearing in mind I've got limited space ,any suggestions for marginal plants please.
I think I'll try to avoid interfering with it and let it get it's own balance,as long as I can get the planting right.

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by natureguy

Hi Spark, what pump/filter setup are you using, are are you not going to use one at all?
Welcome to WAB btw.

I wouldnt be putting a pump/filter in any wildlife pond? ...pretty little goldfish or koi pond yes but not in a wildlife pond?....some people have no taste!

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by BarbaraEmma

I've just finished a new pond and I wonder if I can ask on this thread about the spread of plants, which I'm hoping will stop it going too green.
My little pond is about 6x6feet by2feet 6inches at deepest part.
I've put in 3 native irises,a water forget me not,a marshmarigold,a spearwort and a starwort. At the moment they look ok,but I'm not sure how they will spread. Have I got the mix of plants OK ? Will they be enough,too much or not enough?
Around the pond I've got ragged robin ,fritillaries,mixed grasses and some hostas.Bearing in mind I've got limited space ,any suggestions for marginal plants please.
I think I'll try to avoid interfering with it and let it get it's own balance,as long as I can get the planting right.

I definately think you have enough , if the conditions are right the iris and the water starwort will go mental and cover it in no time but just keep hoiking it out if it gets out of control, many animals including aquatic insects love a plant dominated pond (somehow over the years humans have got to thinking this is a bad thing but its not), and irises are beautiful and give damselfly larvae something to climb up when its time to emerge, bumbles like the flowers and the starwort will help a good balance of invertebrates (and maybe newts) to develop as it provides lots of hiding places from predatory insects.

[Mikel]

I put a bag of Sainsbury's Watercress in my pond....Hey Presto !! Three days later the water is clearer than it's been for ages...Wonderful...Algae completely gone.

[BarbaraEmma]

Thanks for the help .Just looked at the pond and the plants are growing away merrily.The starwort is pushing it's way up to the surface already , the irises have got new leaves on and the marsh marigold looks really good with 2 new flowers and buds. I've got no animal life yet but patience is probably needed I think.I'll keep watching , expecting good things to be happening soon.
I,m not so happy with the surrounding area I think it needs to be more grassy and less gravelly,so I'm thinking of putting seed in amongst the gravel ,it looks too new at the moment,more patience I suppose.