[omnivorette]

Our pond is murky. Algae. Someone suggeste we get neutered carp (carp that doesn't reproduce?) and that would help clean the pond since they eat the algae? Is that true? Why neutered carp - do carp multiply out of control or something?

[Orik]

Alternatively you can put in carp and pirhana, they'll balance each other out.

[SLBunge]

You probably need more surface water plants like lilies. The plants look better and will essentially starve out the algae by using up the nutrients and providing shade.

If you don't want to have a pond full of lily pads, you create a plant filter which is a small pond that flows into the main pond where you essentially overload the small pond with aquatic plants that act as a filter for the main pond's water. You will need to figure out a way to move water into the filter (eg a pump) if your pond isn't fed by a stream that can be re-rerouted.

Regarding carp: yes they will multiply rapidly.

[Melonious Thunk]

I am told that sterile carp are a good solution to weeds and algae in lakes and ponds. They don't multiply, they live on the vegetation and then you can make gefilte fish up the whazoo.

[omnivorette]

It's a big pond, and it's fed by a stream and it flows out into a stream...we swim in it, we have little boats and floats and stuff...


We do have sea roses, but not a lot of them...

[Melonious Thunk]

SLBunge, on Aug 10 2007, 10:18 AM, said:

You probably need more surface water plants like lilies. The plants look better and will essentially starve out the algae by using up the nutrients and providing shade.

If you don't want to have a pond full of lily pads, you create a plant filter which is a small pond that flows into the main pond where you essentially overload the small pond with aquatic plants that act as a filter for the main pond's water. You will need to figure out a way to move water into the filter (eg a pump) if your pond isn't fed by a stream that can be re-rerouted.

Regarding carp: yes they will multiply rapidly.

Only if the urologist reverses their vasectomy. Sterile carp do no breed. d'uh. Non-sterile carp will breed like roaches and soon turn the pond into a mass of fish, some as big as five feet. Water lillies are incredibly invasive and very difficult to contain. They can cover a small pond in a matter of months and you will have replaced a solvable problem with a near insolvable one.

[SLBunge]

Ah.

Are there fish in it now?

[omnivorette]

Yes, there are fish and they look happy. The murkiness usually arrives in July and lasts through early September. Which of course is just when we want to be in it the most.

Maybe we should try the sterilized carp thing.

[SLBunge]

Melonious Thunk, on Aug 10 2007, 09:23 AM, said:

SLBunge, on Aug 10 2007, 10:18 AM, said:

You probably need more surface water plants like lilies. The plants look better and will essentially starve out the algae by using up the nutrients and providing shade.

If you don't want to have a pond full of lily pads, you create a plant filter which is a small pond that flows into the main pond where you essentially overload the small pond with aquatic plants that act as a filter for the main pond's water. You will need to figure out a way to move water into the filter (eg a pump) if your pond isn't fed by a stream that can be re-rerouted.

Regarding carp: yes they will multiply rapidly.

Only if the urologist reverses their vasectomy. Sterile carp do no breed. d'uh. Water lillies are incredibly invasive and very difficult to contain. They can cover a small pond in a matter of months and you will have replaced a solvable problem with a near insolvable one.

Hmm...duh (d'uh) seems to be the word or choice in here these days.

I was responding to her question about why you would need sterile carp. Carp multiply rapidly. Sterile carp don't.

Edit: You'll need to figure out how to keep the carp in your pond. If you have a stream outlet they may want to head down river.

[GG Mora]

More than anything, the murkiness results from poor circulation/replenishment. If there's no way to improve intake-->outflow, you might try some kind of fountain to aerate the water.

[flyfish]

Melonious Thunk, on Aug 10 2007, 10:23 AM, said:

Non-sterile carp will breed like roaches and soon turn the pond into a mass of fish, some as big as five feet.

On the other hand, your angling options would broaden

(I do have a couple of friends who have tried out new fly patterns by dangling them in front of their koi... and I also have a friend who stirred up some Vegas hotel security guards by pretending to flyfish in their fountains!)

[Melonious Thunk]

You could install a Brita filter at the end that the water comes in...

Pond management is a very complex thing. We have profuse weeds at the lake this year. They are talking about introducing sterile carp to eat them. The water is crystal clear though, just very weedy.

Sorry, SL, I realized after d'uh that's what you meant. d'oh.

[rancho_gordo]

There are faeries at the bottom of our garden.




There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
It's not so very, very far away;
You pass the gardner's shed and you just keep straight ahead -
I do so hope they've really come to stay.
There's a little wood, with moss in it and beetles,
And a little stream that quietly runs through;
You wouldn't think they'd dare to come merrymaking there-
Well, they do.

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
They often have a dance on summer nights;
The butterflies and bees make a lovely little breeze,
And the rabbits stand about and hold the lights.
Did you know that they could sit upon the moonbeams
And pick a little star to make a fan,
And dance away up there in the middle of the air?
Well, they can.

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
You cannot think how beautiful they are;
They all stand up and sing when the Fairy Queen and King
Come gently floating down upon their car.
The King is very proud and very handsome;
The Queen--now you can quess who that could be
(She's a little girl all day, but at night she steals away)?
Well -- it's Me!

[Rail Paul]

GG Mora, on Aug 10 2007, 10:35 AM, said:

More than anything, the murkiness results from poor circulation/replenishment. If there's no way to improve intake-->outflow, you might try some kind of fountain to aerate the water.

I've noticed a good sized pond on my way to work now has a fountain. The pond is now clear.

You might also get the water tested, my guess is the upstream sources contribute high levels of lawn fertilizers / cesspool drain in the runoff. That will cause immense algae growth. There's no easy way to neutralize that effect.

[Melonious Thunk]

Rail Paul, on Aug 10 2007, 01:29 PM, said:

GG Mora, on Aug 10 2007, 10:35 AM, said:

More than anything, the murkiness results from poor circulation/replenishment. If there's no way to improve intake-->outflow, you might try some kind of fountain to aerate the water.

I've noticed a good sized pond on my way to work now has a fountain. The pond is now clear.

You might also get the water tested, my guess is the upstream sources contribute high levels of lawn fertilizers / cesspool drain in the runoff. That will cause immense algae growth. There's no easy way to neutralize that effect.

We stopped using fertilizers/lawn food becuase it drains into the lake and feeds algae and weeds. A fountain is a good idea for a pond.