Keeping Pond Water Clear

When fish and plants are added to a newly established pond, the environment is serene and natural looking and the water crystal clear. In time, however, the water can become cloudy and murky – so murky, in fact, you may have trouble seeing your fish.

Those awful algae blooms…

One reason for unclear water is algae blooms, which may appear as pea-green soup or filamentous mats that float to the surface of the water. Algae blooms develop when there is an excessive amount of nutrients (such as phosphate and nitrate) in the presence of sunlight. These nutrients come from tap water, rain runoff, fish waste and debris.

Plants can help…

A proper balance between fish and aquatic plants will help keep pond water clear. Plants not only provide protection areas for fish but hinder the growth of algae by reducing the amount of sunlight in the pond and utilizing the nutrients algae need. Consequently, it is highly recommended that 50% to 60% of the pond surface be covered with plants.

But be careful…

All pond plants need adequate nutrition to produce lush growth to cover the water surface and stimulate flower formation: however, addition of unnecessary nutrients to pond water will promote algae blooms. PondCare® Aquatic Plant Food Tablets will provide potted aquatic plants with just the right amount of nutrients needed for beautiful foliage and colorful flowers and will nourish and increase the winter hardiness or perennial plants. These tablets are specially formulated to allow direct uptake of nutrients by plant roots, providing continuous feeding for all aquatic plants without promoting the growth of algae.

And if there are no plants…

In fountains and ponds, PondCare AlgaeFix® will control the growth of algae, including String Algae, Blanketweed and “green water”. Remember, the best way to control the growth of algae is to prevent it from growing in the first place.

Block that algae…

Another way of combating algae is to block the sunlight it needs to grow. By tinting the water blue, PondCare® Algae Blocker® not only reduces sunlight within the pond but enhances the appearance of the pond by providing an attractive blue background for water lilies.

Then there’s debris…

Cloudy water is often caused by suspended particles of dirt and debris too small to be trapped by the pond filter. PondCare Accu-Clear® clumps together or “flocculates” these tiny particles, allowing them to settle to the bottom of the pond or be removed by the filter. Accu-Clear can be used whenever clouds reappear, thus helping keep pond filters working at maximum efficiency. When using Accu-Clear to clear cloudy water, you should make sure the water is well aerated.

And yucky sludge…

Sludge forms in all water garden ponds because of the continuous presence of organic matter that falls to the bottom of the pond. Naturally occurring bacteria cannot consume sludge fast enough to control its accumulation. Pond-Zyme® Plus, however, contains special types of enzyme-producing bacteria that not only break down pond sludge but improve water quality, as well. Pond-Zyme Plus starts working at 45°F (7º C). Pond-Zyme Plus immediately begins breaking down fish waste and dead algae that causes cloudy water, sludge build-up, and debris that clogs pumps and filters. Pond-Zyme Plus digests leaves and grass clippings that may enter your pond. Through enzymatic action, Pond-Zyme Plus reduces pond maintenance and keeps pond water clean and clear.