What to do if your pond water is green

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Adding water to your pond, what to do if your pond water turns g

What to do if your pond water is green

So your pond is dirty. Leaves, debris have gotten out of hand, so you decide to do what we call a “drain and clean”. Whether you do it yourself or have a professional do it for you, you may still experience your pond turning green. This is a normal thing that can happen as your pond must balance all over again. If you’ve got some green water showing up in your pond and you’re kind of feeling freaked out about, you’re not alone. In fact that’s a common response.

For many pond owners, the next logical thing to do would be to think that something is going wrong with your pond or someone did something wrong. After all it was clear just a few days ago – why is it a green mess now??

So what seems to make the most sense would be to start over. Drain the water out and add some fresh and see if this time, things will go better.

Right?? Wrong!! NO! NO! NO!

That will just start the process all over again. In fact, in almost every case, you’ll find that in a few days, your pristine, freshly filled pond, will be turning green again! The problem is that in a newly filled pond the single cell bacteria that help to keep your pond clean and clear have not developed yet. And refilling it will only start over again and again.
Remember three very important points…

Do not change the water again!!
Do not add an algaecide!!
And most of all …. Be Patient!!

As long as you have an adequate filter and add bacteria as directed it is only a matter of time –Sometimes a week or two sometimes 6 -8 weeks is what it takes. We recommend to add a bacteria like Organic Digester every day until the pond clears up. That will be the indication that there is then enough bacteria to support a clean and healthy pond. Pond plants like water lilies are very helpful in the balancing process as well because the aquatic plants will use up the nutrients and starve out the algae.

If beyond that point you still have a problem with greenish water, there are other things you can do, such as consider a UV light.

Another good tip would be to do major pond cleanings in the cooler months of the year. Spring is the best time, before it gets warm. After the winter many ponds are in need of a good cleaning as debris finds its way into it from rain , wind and other elements. Hot sunny weather makes it harder balance your pond.

Also remember no matter what part of the country you live in to always add a water conditioner like Laguna Water Prep.