My pond water has turned green ive checked the uv bulb and thats ok plus only had it 2 months. Ive put some treatment in water still not worked could the bulb work but the case the uv is in not. If that sounds right.

does it have frogs in it?

It may have because weve had them before but its so green cant tell at the moment.

Is your filter working properly? Have you cleaned it out?

We strip ours and pressure wash it quite regularly. Also make sure that it's set to the correct settings to allow both the filter and the fountain to work simultaneously - if you have one.

Have you got any oxygenating plants in your pond?

It's quite normal for the pond liner to go green round the edges within a few weeks, but the main body of the water should be nice and clear.

Don't forget water treatments too.

The guys at Viscum water centre are fantastic and give free advice (01709-893265)

They also do free water testing too if you take a sample along.

Hope you get sorted. :)

Only had filter box in 3 months so could it still be that ill go and have the water tested thanks ive no plants in it. Also used a treatment for green water.

We had to blitz ours after it was in for only two weeks - you should have seen the cack that came out of it...:gag:

Ill give it a go tomoz thanks.

It sounds like algae to me, Try using barley straw to cure. Just place the bale of straw under the waterfall/fountain and leave it to rot down.

Ours does this its usually when the filters want washing

It sounds like algae to me, Try using barley straw to cure. Just place the bale of straw under the waterfall/fountain and leave it to rot down.

Yeah, i have heard about barley straw, i was told put the barley straw in some tights and place it in the pond are even fish tank.

Ive just spent three hrs cleaning filters the were a right state got lots of worms in them is that a good or bad sign. How long does it take to clear up. Ive got some barley straw in pond been in about 6 months though does it ned new.

Ive just spent three hrs cleaning filters the were a right state got lots of worms in them is that a good or bad sign. How long does it take to clear up. Ive got some barley straw in pond been in about 6 months though does it ned new.

It should clear within a few hours now, ours is beautiful and clear once the filters are cleaned

Oh i hope so can only see fish when they come up to feed and then only there faces lol. Thanks for advice .

The worms are probably "Tubifex" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge_worm they are a source of food for fish.

Barley straw only starts to work when its decomposing we leave ours in from around May till September.

they look like that so its not all bad then. Ive not got any plants in should i.

I would put oxygenating plants in if nothing else to offer the fish some shade I normally put Water Hyacinth (SP) in but this spreads like wild fire, it has a pink flower for a couple of days. We also have a reed at one end too (its meant to be at one end but it needs trimming).

Jaci,

Given the situation, I can't stress enough how much I think you should have your water chemically tested. Viscum water centre do it for free. I trust them and use them for all my pond supplies.

These could be worms, but they could also be something called 'Flukes' or any number of things that aren't welcome.

There could be some pretty scary diseases in your pond - and only testing will identify what's really going on. The tester will place your pond water sample under a microscope and will quickly be able to give you a better picture of what's happening and recommend any appropriate treatments.

All sorts of problems can occur with pond water - and speculating isn't really good enough if you want any fish/pondlife to be happy in the environment you've created for them.

Don't delay - pop and get it tested. :)

Have you had any fish die recently? or do any of them look a little ill?

Hi could you tell me where abouts in rotherham the centre is please.

have you ever tested your water, buy a water testing kit to do this. should be done at least once a month, fortnightly is better.

Hi could you tell me where abouts in rotherham the centre is please.

Hi Jaci,

Sorry for the late reply.

Here (http://www.viscum.co.uk/index.html) is their website.

I'm off up there now - it's a pity I don't have a sample of your pond. :)

Barley straw or ordinary straw stuffed into an old leg of a pair of tights and weighted down under the shallow part of the pond will cure this in about six weeks.

Also get some pond lillies to shade the water from the sunlight.

Ponds do get like this in the summer and to expect crystal clear water is too much to ask for, it doesnt harm the fish- they like murky water and the main thing you have to remember is that its FUN to get elbow deep in slime and leeches and mud!

Try to enjoy it and look forward to cleaning the slime out of the pump and washing the sponge of the filter box.

Oh yeah... pond snails... they help get rid of the algae too.

Where do you buy pond snails from? The water was dreadful a month or so ago but I can see the bottom of the pond again and the fish which is novel, so along with the hay I stuck in again maybe some snails would be a good idea.

Anyone got suggestions on how to fix a leak? There is a tear in one of the shelves that the plants sit on so the pond is about a foot and a half lower than it should be at the moment. I really can't be doing with replacing the liner as the pond is quite large and I would'nt have a clue where to put the Koi because they are massive. I inherited it/them when I bought the house if your wondering why I am so clueless about it all :lol:

Thanks for all your help had water tested and it wernt to good bought teaments recommended seems to have helped alot, only problem was when i finally got to see my fish theyd got a fungal infection treated them its helped a little that was last weekend ive been away this week and theyve still got it but not so bad does anyone no if i can treat them again, thanks again for all your help.

High ammonia, PH and nitrite levels are all damaging for fish, but all can be easily rectified once the problem is identified. Same with infection, usually.

I'd have your water tested again to see if there's any change in the balances. Viscum do it for free and advise what to do if things aren't right. Also make sure your filter is kept on - as breaks in the filtration system will essentially render the filter system useless. If the filtration cycle has been broken then you will need something called safe water which puts good bacteria back into your pond and helps restore balance; it also removes harmful ammonia and nitrite.

Do you do part water changes every week? (about 25%) and then add de-chlorinator to remove the chlorine?

In relation to the infection, again, Viscum will take a look at your fish if you take him up and they will diagnose the problem and give you something to treat the pond with.

There's a pond fish treatment you can buy called Medifin by Tetrapond. It treats the majority of external bacterial, fungal and parasitic fish diseases and also acts as a reliable deterrent in helping to prevent nasties from getting into your pond.

We're here if you need us. :)

Thanks ive just been looking at there website ive put some sachets of powder in thats soppose to balance out the water and some fmg i think you called it that was all last weekend i will definatley go and get my water tested again i would hatwe to loose my fish espcially has thay took me and my
daughter about 5 hrs to catch from an old army baracks in tattersall.I hopr this makes sense as im falling asleep while writing lol.

When we choose to have a pond, we choose to take on the responsibility of looking after all the fish living in it - and that means looking after them responsibly when they're sick. Those poor creatures are totally and completely 100% reliant on us to survive. :(

I hope you get sorted and the fish don't suffer for too much longer.

Oh.. I feel like a bad fish owner, I've never had my water checked, the Koi seem happy enough though and the pond is clear, the only thing I put in the pond is food (different types and amounts depending on the time of year) , barley straw and occassionally if I do a tap water top up some sort of solution which makes it safe. I clean the filter once a year but as it's massive (header tank) it only needs it then. Not done it yet this year :( got lots of plants some reeds, water lillies, iris, grass stuff and 4 other yellow/ white flowering things. Not had many flowers on the water lillies this year.

The koi are about 2-3ft and seem happy enough no funny scales or disease, infact they have been very active today I've had a few jumps that make a massive splash and give me and the dog a heart attack :lol: Is testing the water really essential then?

Hey don't get me wrong - if your pond is functioning well, I wouldn't worry too much - but if there's ever a problem then it needs prompt attention...

I would definitely advise getting a water test done though - you never know if the fish are truly comfortable in their environment unles the ammonia, PH, nitrite and oxygen levels are tested.

Some people think that just because the fish move and they've still got their fins, they're happy - and this isn't always the case.