New pond looking a little too green

[sparkkwing]

Hi - I'm another newbie with a freshly constructed garden pond, 'finished' in the last couple of weeks.

We followed the guidelines suggested here (more or less) and I have planted various plants including watercress, watermint, pondweed and hornwort, trying to stick to native varieties, have added some pond sludge, 16 pond snails, and some frog spawn from a friend's pond. Some spawn also 'appeared' overnight but this was not fertile, but I left it there, is this right? The other spawn has hatched and there are lots of little tadpoles aboiut.

I was very careful to use aquatic soil for planting and thoroughly wash all stones and gravel, but have noticed the water is taking on a distinctly green hue.

Is this normal?

[natureguy]

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

[Lisaj]

Hi,

You are at the same stage as my husband and me 2 years ago. I'm not an expert but have learnt from mistakes - we found it's all about the correct balance of sunlight, greenary and the filter as natureguy asked.

We found we had not enough plants early on in the season - not available - too much sunlight so we had a green hue too.

To compensate we spoke to somemone in the know (someone like these guys online I'm sure) who advised us of what filter to use -depends on capacity of pond.

Now our pond is lovely and clear.

Your pond will bring you great pleasure for sure once you get the balance right - stick with it!!

[sparkkwing]

No filter or pump as hoping to get ecobalance right. I guess there are not enough oxygenating plants in it at the moment, the hornwort looks ok but the pondweed isn't too happy. I have planted it. If I get some more is it ok to just put it in and let it find where it wants to be or to plant it?

I have now removed the excess spawn as it seems to be the main source of the 'greeness' and figured the nutrients in it are too much for the pond, and it's occupants, at the moment anyway.

On a positive note, two pond skaters have moved in!

I set up a wildlife pond about 20 years ago, which is still going strong (at house of ex hubbie) so thrilled to have another go at one!

[coasty]

Leave the pond alone, when you set up a new pond there is always a period whilst it gets a balance of its own, If you have used tap water to set it up that will be rich in nutrients and so algae will develop. Even if you have used rainwater it will take a while. I would just leave well alone for a few months,,,I would also be wary about adding stuff to a new pond ie spawn I would just let everything settle down for the first year...

[sparkkwing]

Oh well - too late about the spawn! Too much of a rush!

Will leave all alone now and let it settle.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by sparkkwing

Oh well - too late about the spawn! Too much of a rush!

Will leave all alone now and let it settle.

I'd agree with this, all ponds go through cycles anyway out in the wild, its likely to become clearer later in the season once there's enough light and warmth to support growth of the hornwort which is then likely to out-compete the algae

[tom00_uk]

best to let wildlife come to your pond and not add things, if the ponds sutible they will come in no time

[numeniusaqua]

Definitely too soon to worry. Your pond is just naturalising and will go through this sort of thing until the balance becomes correct. Lots of plants covering the surface area will help as they consume the nitrates which your green bloom lives off, and provide shade - keeping the sunlight levels in the water down, which the green bloom needs to thrive, and keeping water temperature more stable in hot weather.
I would just think about plants in your first year rather than animals - they'll come along best once your plant level is balanced too.
If the green is really bothering you or it is become too thick, you can always use barley straw in a net (pennies compared to buying extract or chemicals, and far more natural), suspended in the water. We have used it on occasion (in fact I have a small bag in on a string almost constantly & our water is crystal clear) when we've had a bloom of algae. For the first week or so nothing happens, then suddenly one day your pond is as clear as can be!
I'm told that the straw breaks down and the process of that uses lots and lots of nitrogen, which is then not available for the green algae, which dies off. Why barley straw and not wheat straw I have no idea, but it really works!

[JoulesH]

I was also going to recommend barley straw.