The secret to a crystal clear garden pond.
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- Опубликовано: 12 май 2022
- In this video I talk about the role bacterias play in keeping a pond crystal clear and healthy. If you want to see some of the filters I've built for these ponds, have a scroll through this playlist- • OZPOND DIY POND FILTER...
You can also view some of the products I use on my ponds and the formulas I use to calculate flow rates, bog size, etc ,etc at ozponds.com/pond-equipment/ 
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I do this for a living, and this is the simplest and most straightforward explanation I've ever heard. Well done!
=)
Plus his voice and the fish are the ultimate aquarium relaxation
How the hell does this guy only have 23k subs!? Maybe it's his voice... but I like it.. and I like the pace of information.
I agree
Beginner here. Really simple and easy to understand. Thank you
Perfect. That was the aim. 😊
Not boring at all. I needed this info
Kev is spot on! There are ppl on RUclips who proclaim to know the best ways to filter and treat your ponds. 99% are bunk. Everyone is trying to do stuff nature does on its own. All the pond stores and manufactures all push chemicals. Again all bunk. Sure they’re happy to sell you expensive stuff you simply don’t need. A basic understanding and patience along with setting up your pond correctly works. Sadly I went down the wrong road for over a year. Kev is 100% correct. Now my water is crystal clear , all levels are good and my Koi are big and happy. And speaking of. The worst thing you can do is feed your fish too much. Koi especially. Sure feeding them is fun. But keeping your water clean and cleaning filters not so much. Trust me they will not starve! How do you think they can live through the winter without feeding them. There are so many things to eat in the pond let them do a lot of the work for you. They will scavenge the bottom stones and pebbles. They will eat algae. In the end you simply need to mimic Mother Nature. Trust me she’s been doing it right forever. Thank you Kev. You helped me a lot in the beginning when I had trouble. Most of which was bad information from so called experts. In fact there’s a jerk on here that says you shouldn’t have rocks or pebbles in a pond. They don’t provide wet surface for bacteria. Yeah right ….🙄. Thx man🤙🏻🤙🏻
@@Lwimmermastermetalart I have a small balcony pond, 50 or 55 gallons with two fish and plants including edibles. The shelves I made kept dumping my plants so it looks like mud water with like mud. I brought the pond inside last fall and not putting it out this year. It's in front of east window. The fish made it through winter find and I have a pond pump, no filter. I just top up. The watercress is suffering inside and I have a hanging grow light feet above that does a little I think. I have a 17 gallon fish tank in other room with glow fish with a sponge filter. This past weekend I tried using the fishtank cleaning tool to try to start working on clearing the mud and yuk to finally get clear water. It will take time I think, the shelves had collapsed so often last year but I finally have them all worked out now. The pond is only so deep, it's rectangle and the pump is a good one which came with the set but my other problem is that the intake slots on the pond pump at button keeps sucking in the roots, mud but especially the duckweed and clogging the dam pump. I've spent so much time and money improvising covers and solutions and now going with trying to clear the muck in the water to see if that will help at least. I have tried baskets, mesh and so many things. Once it sucks the duckweed it chews it up into small pieces which keep getting sucked back down.
Great video thumbs 👍
Thank you 👍
Awesome talk and really stunning ponds 💯👍✌️
Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge. I found it very interesting and helpful great video.
Your information was fantastic and eye opening, thank you😉
man im so glad to find your videos!!! converting a pool into a natural pond!!!
Awesome 👍
Kev you do amazing work I enjoy watching your videos thank you for sharing God bless you always have a beautiful day
Thank you and you too 😊
It's a fascinating subject.. Most of my ponds in Britain don't have moving water, pumps, but are fed from rainwater from the roofs. I wouldn't say zero issues but few, I use the native oxygenating plants and only have stickle backs for fish.. and keep the ponds for . Amphibians and dragonflies, if lucky reptiles, slow worms breed in one compost pile from excess cut pond vegetation. So far only client had to ruin things with goldfish!!.. One in semi desert lanzarote surprised me most with a couple of oxygenating plants being found in remote highland ponds.. Doing very well 30 years on!! I love ponds, keep getting ideas for designs, never enough clients.. Underwater spotlights rock.. I want to build a subterranean cosy room with a large window to view into a wildlife pond
Not the usual monoculture of koy carp forced to swim in some kind of chemical soup?! "with some cameras that magnify the wildlife natural ponds are just so dramatic. I guess you agree with some of this?
I love all sorts of ponds. My personal opinion is that the more you utilise nature the better.
This is seriously a really good pond video ..........loved it
Thanks mate 👍
Great information.Man I am so impressed.
Good detailed advice. Thanks 🙂
There is so much helpful information in your videos I have to watch them multiple times to take it all in. Every time I listen I get more understanding! Thank you so much for your sharing of information we love our ponds and they were just green cesspool’s now are clear and working to improve them every week. We found 20 fish we didn’t know were in our small one and have ducks swimming around in our large pond. Would appreciate a video on what you think about any benefits of birdlife attraction to your pond? Next upgrade bog filters in both thankyou x
I’ll try and do a vid on the food chain of a pond and how birds fit in and can be quite beneficial 👍
This was excellent!
Thank you!
very informative ...gave me some great ideas 👍🌿
Great to hear 👍
Thanks again big Kev. you kick ass bro.
Great tutorial. Thank you!
Another great video, I will be using a large diy bin filter that flows through a tiny creek into a small bog and then into the pond. I have very healthy almost maintenance free (balanced) indoor aquarium. So will be stealing the substrate for the filter. Thanks for all your tips.
I was in the aquarium industry for several years and am grateful for a model of clarity and down to earth information. It should be seen by any neophyte or experienced fish or aquatic plant hobbyist.
You are a Godsend for those of us quite new to "serious" pond keeping... Such a thorough, but simplistic way of explaining things... Thanks for all of your uploads..
Thanks. That was the aim 👍
From your videos, I've learned a lot and changed the design plan of my upcoming pond in various ways even though our environment is totally different. The water for me is under the ice for 3-4 months of the year with air temp dropping to -35*C at the lowest but in summer +30*C easily in the shade...
Thank you for your Playlists with explanations and reasons... (this allows me to understand and choose the best fit for me instead of only following someone's example)
Thank you
I hope you create something special 👍
When my guppies moved out to the patio pond for the summer, they brought one of the two already in use sponge filters from their indoor tank with them. That's a good way to kick start your cycle: Pre-seeded sponge filters.
Absolutely 👍
Man I am so impressed. I threw together a quick bog filter to see if it would clear up my new 800l pond in my greenhouse. In 2 DAYS the water has gone from pea soup to totally clear. Going to build a proper one now that doesn't look as shitty. Thanks so much for your insightful and useful content. A+++
Thanks mate. That’s great to hear 🍻👍
Thanks so much for your useful content.
Great information. It covers what it has taken me 20 years to learn through trial and error! I now have a 1000 gallon above ground pond with two filter systems: One a simple fountain with a mechanical filter and the other a pump running mechanically filtered water into two 1/2 wine barrels filled 50/50 with bio-balls and lava rock. The water enters one barrel and flows from it through two outlets, one back into the pond and the other into the second barrel and from there to the pond. I have comet goldfish, shubunkins and some ruby nosed minnows at about 150% recommended inch per gallon capacity (they do keep reproducing!). Other than during mating season, the water is always clear and I have never had any disease🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
Encouraging good bacteria is a must!
Absolutely 👍
a
Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge. Apparently I am also a pond crazed individual in Arizona, USA.
I have built one pond a year since 2020. It's all an experiment using information gathered from around the world without leaving my house :). I thought I could get lucky and build an eco system with no filtering, only waterfalls, rocks and plants.
I had some success for a couple years using a bit of beneficial bacteria but after my third build, I realized I needed some bog filtration.
I used 55 gallon plastic barrels for bottom up filters and I am seeing results after only a week. At this point I am confident on success.
Awesome!! 👍
Awesome video, you have the best ponds! I think the water should be clear, a lot of people think it’s okay for it to be murky for the fish but I’d rather have good visibility to be able to see the fish and I think it’s just more hygienic for the fish. Very cool video 🐠
Thanks mate. 👍
Your large pond looks awesome. Wish I could fly you to Ireland to build mine
Thanks. 😊👍
Thanks for sharing your video, great one btw!
Happy it was useful 😊👍
Definately not boring at all, and awesome helpful information. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent
Thank you for your insight.
Glad it was helpful!
Kev, I would like to thank you for all the time and knowledge you put into these videos! My stepdad got a deal from a guy with "Koi" (they are comet goldfish) and I've used your videos to set up some temporary tanks to keep these fish in...they were in really bad living conditions and some have sores, diseases, fin rot, etc. We didn't really have time to let the tank cycle before needing to get the fish so at this point, we are hoping for the best. Our water is in what I believe to be much better condition that what they were in and they all seem to be looking better.
Our Ammonia spiked, now the nitrite has spiked pretty high which I think is a good sign that the cycle is happening, but the ammonia hasn't dropped much. I'm pretty much just hoping the fish can hold out long enough because there just wasn't any time to leave them where they were previously. We've got plants and tons of rocks, bog filter from a trash can filled with rocks like you've shown in your videos. The water is still pretty clear but I'm worried about the nitrogen levels. The fish all seem to be happy but I can't help but worry about them since this was all so rushed.
If there’s ammonia I would keep doing water changes. Ammonia isn’t good for fish.
@@Ozponds I've read conflicting info on doing water changes while the new tank cycle is happening. The ammonia has definitely dropped from the big spike that happened about 1.5 weeks after putting the fish in but now at 2 weeks, it's not down to 0 yet but has definitely dropped and nitrite is spiking now. I will maybe just do gradual water changes. The fish seem pretty happy with their new water compared to what they were in and a lot of their fins and scales are starting to look a little better but I know that will take time. Their water was so black, you couldn't even see the 10" long white ones if they were just 1" below the surface.
Btw, there was one that was scooped up from the bottom of their old home in a pile of leaves. It can't swim and just lays on its side at the bottom. I expected it to die within a couple days but still alive after 2 weeks. I've fed it peas to see if it was digestive issues or pressure being applied to the swim bladder but nothing has really helped. It will wiggle around a lot when you touch it but otherwise just lays on its side. It seems to try and move more than it was and waves around its side fins but idk if it will ever get better and be able to swim
Sounds like you are doing a great job. And yes never change all the water out at once. Just partial water changes 👍
Live Plants will control nitrates...and ammonia...
The more the merrier.....floating plants help an awful lot...we overmanage and over control everything.....ish dont like clear water it stresses them as they feel VULNERABLE TO PREDATORS.
The insistance of clear ponds is for OUR convenience NOT the fishes comfort.
PLEASE dont overstock in massively filtered overmanaged prison type ponds!
@@amandadonegan2137 i agree that ponds should never be overstocked. I also agree that plants can help process ammonia & nitrate but bacteria is far more efficient. Now fish not liking clear water…it stresses them out, how do we know? I’ve not seen any studies. I know breeders like to keep ponds green but that’s more to promote micro foods for the fry. For the average novice fish or pond keeper shouldn’t we aim to keep our pond clear, so that we can actually monitor the fish? I dunno perhaps you are right I just don’t know how I could be monitoring my fishes heath in a pond where I can’t visually see them. If you do watch my videos you’ll see I like the ecosystem approach, I like algae, biofilms, planktons and tons of microorganisms. I also like clean, clear, healthy water. Hopefully I’m not being cruel to my fishes. 🤞
Great video thank you
very informative
Even with a somewhat monotone voice it wasn't too boring especially sense the photography was great & love when people are direct :)
Yes. I’m not very charismatic
How old are you Mary. I'm thinking under 30 at least.
@@Ozponds you’re informative and educated
We are here to Learn not to be Entertained
Great tips, I’ve modified my bog filter with your important info ❤
Awesome 👍
@@Ozponds can I send you a link to my bog filter pond build? Maybe you can swing me some feedback or advice. It’s experimental based on your pond info.
Sorry I only offer personalised feedback if I’m compensated for my time. I really enjoy generalised information that helps anyone whose willing to learn. If I spent my time helping individuals I couldn’t help as many people. Hope you understand.
@@Ozponds no worries bruz
Nice advice, thx
That was very good and I don’t think purveyors give enough credit to the science here as a fascinating hobby. Properly posed, it becomes the most compelling part of the hobby; certainly for the DIY’er who wants to develop on test various forms of bacterial filters, some of which can be very attractive gardens sporting wetlands plants.
Yeap 👍
Very interesting and informative, I live in UK and have just had issues with "green water" in a goldfish pond 1000litres with pressurised spin filter, UV did not help, it only cleared when I stopped feeding the fish for a while, combined with a partial water change. Your video provides the explanation that this would give the biological process time to catch up and now all seems to be oK again and I can see the fish. I would rather have the "bog gardens" that you suggest but space in my garden does not allow this.
You could use a high flow filter. DIY Waterfall pond filter| The Build
ruclips.net/video/TMSoMHtL1Ug/видео.html. Even something like this should provide more surface area than your pressurised filter. A filter like this needs more flow than a bog.
My name is Kev too thanks Kev for the info
I can tell you’re a good guy 😉👍
Awsome explanation of how the biological bacteria works it magic in our ponds. Most concentrate on the mechanical I did not realize how Important biological was until watching your videos👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾 love your work Thankyou for your informative videos 😉
Thanks Rochelle 👍
@@Ozponds 1
Have you built a pond that does not require feeding the fish? I built a (hopefully) ecosystem pond. It has come through the first winter (Northern Hemisphere) with and has slightly non-clear water (lots of pine needles fall into the pond, releasing tannins. There is a fuzz on the rocks but no algae. It's now June in a cooler region in N America and I've barely fed the fish. If I offer food in a floating ring, they don't rush to the food but get around to eating it after a while. They seem perfectly happy grazing on agae/bacteria/scum on the rocks, mosquito larvae, etc. Even wild frogs in the area have moved in. Would be great if I could make it the entire year with only giving them treats from time to time. (about 2400l as as a small to medium pond with a 'river' area and short waterfall with a bunch of plants). About a dozen large goldfish.
3 Reasons why I hardly ever feed my pond fish
ruclips.net/video/g2A3cOYgcU8/видео.html
Thank you
Anytime 👍
Thanks!
Thanks so much Rani 😊
Great video Kev, thank you for all your time and info. I would like to request a video on how the best way to clean the filter skimmer and filter media materials...(I don't have a bogg filter) and I know you shouldn't really use a garden hose...so what the best way? Thanks again Kev!!
I’m a step ahead of you 😉ruclips.net/video/1FZnMpiyMoo/видео.html. You’ll notice I use a garden hose.
@@Ozponds big fan of your work and your videos and insights for fun have a look at my all glass all round pond ruclips.net/video/0wuwsqENGUA/видео.html
I built a 40 gallon patio pond. I researched and researched before I started. This video and the others you have greatly influenced my system. I added a bog filter but adapted it slightly. So far so good, and thank you. It makes total sense. I live in an area that has natural creeks and rivers with crystal clear water. Those all contain rocks and pebbles so what you say made total sense to me and is actually something that I can’t believe others haven’t clued in to. You are recreating a natural stream situation. Thanks for the content. I built my bog system in a planter pot with the hose at the bottom and circulating up through different layers of rocks and gravel. It’s working spectacularly.
Awesome to hear. Works every time 👍
What an incredible amount of useful information simplified so that us hobbyists can understand. Thank You sir.
2 questions for you if you please.
Does the use of a UV Clarifier harm or kill beneficial bacteria ?
Does a low Ph play a role in delaying the N2 cycle ?
Thanks again from Pennsylvania USA !! Cheers Mate.
The UV clarifier should impact on the beneficial bacterias as they are living on solid surfaces not so much floating around in the water. A pH lower than 6 and the nitrogen cycle will crash. Hope that helps 👍
Good video. I'm in my 7th year with a backyard pond. Learning more all the time. One of the things I recently read was that plants photosynthsizing increase the pH. I'm trying to get the pH down in my pond. I understand that fish just want stable pH. But I've also read if its too high they won't breed. In addition I have aquaponics in my pond (last year I grew kale for example) and it worked but the plants were smaller than their ground based comparison groups. This has puzzled me and my research has suggested its because my pH is too high, around 9+. I've done all I can to decrease my pH and when I read that photosynthisizing plants increase the pH I about fell apart. I even resorted to adding a chemical to lower the pH, which I don't use any more because it accomplished nothing. I don't have any limestone rocks. Trying to think of everthing. So long story short, how the heck can I decrease my pond's pH?
Some natural ways to lower pH that I know of: adding wood or peat moss
@@Ozponds I would love this video! I've been using your videos to upgrade and filter my duck pond with amazing results and I would love to see your take on birds in the ecological system.
Nice explanation, now I understand much better.
As a note for improve show footage of the concepts you talk about, aerob, anaerobic zones, bog filters etc. that helps the visualization process.
Besides that, thumbs up.
It would be nice, but it takes me so long to put these vids together. I’m actually going to need to scale back in the future. If you are interested you can watch the vids on those specific topics 👍
@@Ozponds I also thought, this must have taken time to edit and narrate. Good info, and nice footage though.
thanks
Subscribed
Heyo! Kev let me start by sayin sorry I haven't been on your material as much of late! Just now getting that clearish water this season after all the leaves and muck have built up. I'd love to get with you and just share and chat about a current project if you get bored my smurfy friend! I have a super small and super cheat setup with such amazing small and friendly Koi. You should do a segment that includes viewer pics!
I’d like to do such a segment. I should work out that post function and ask people to send in there pics. How do you see the video going? Is it just a montage of different ponds? Do I comment on the setups? Or should it focus on how much people have spent/ saved on their setups?
Great content 👍
Awesome video quality 😍
I really enjoyed watching this video
New friend here 🙏🙏🙏
Yay! Welcome to ozponds 👍
Cool information. I tried Daphnia but of coarse failed because of having to use tap water for an exchange kills the Daphnia. I like the beneficial bacteria thing. My pond is just an old bathtub with 3 little fish, a turtle and 2 Axolotls.
No filter?
The way Australians say “good’a” always puts a smile on my face 😊.
i have ponds for years, and this is the first year i have ever had an algae problem, but when i put in new fish this year, i dont feed my fish, but rarely because they eat the algae pretty well and i add clean water to the pond every morning early, and i shade our small pond, in summer,
Great and informative video. Many thanks. I never have a problem with green or dirty water but a dark green algae eventually covers the bottom resulting in a horrible aesthetic. Some of yours looked similar but others where very clean on the bottom. Wondering if you had any ideas?
I call it mulm. It’s a build up of broken down materials. Pond mulm basics| No need to drain your pond
ruclips.net/video/4cc5M1kA1Vo/видео.html. How much or how quickly it builds up will vary from pond to pond.
Fabulous video. Really appreciate the detailed explanation. Would you say an adjoining wetland filled with small rocks and pebbles and plants would be an excellent nitrogen filter if moving the water from pond to wetland and back again? I'm in the process of converting a standard pool to a natural swim pond. I'm also lining the sides and base of the swimming pond with rocks and pebbles. I hope to add a few tilapia too. Any advice? How deep should the base of rocks and pebbles be? Thanks again for the reallly helpful video.
I think this playlist will really help you. Dream pond build
ruclips.net/p/PLJ8Cv9jCFTGTGNyEFuhQvGZpeejmEpkCN.
I small pond (1.6m at widest 2m at longest 0.5m at deepest). This works out to 1600L, but it would be a a few hundred L less given the pond slopes down to the deepest point.
The pump is a low voltage 1800 L/H. The pump sends water to 100L bog filter (inlet at bottom of filter, rather than the piping coming over the top and down; I'll be making changes to accommodate a type of breather pipe setup) and the bog filter water leaves to a jug that pours back into the pond. It takes ~6sec to fill a 1L jug, so works out water flow through bog is ~600 L/H (after head, pipe friction, resistance from material in bog, etc).
Water from the jug is on one end of the pond and the pump is on the other end of the pond (no skimmer). The pond is home to around 20 small native fish - small enough to be tadpole safe.
The pond has several different plants in it, but the primary plant I can't get rid of is green string algae. It has been there for over a year. I have a drill with a stick, that I use on a regular basis, to get some of the string algae out, but it just will not go. I've used different types of natural additive bacteria products, but nothing. It just won't go. During winter, the water is clear, but with heaps of string algae. Now we're moving into the warmer temps, the water is still clear, but a lot more string algae is forming.
I'm considering adding some small solar pumps to move water from the sides. Perhaps I have to fork out for a bigger bog? I just have no idea what else to do. It is rather frustrating :/ And I'm envious of your beautiful ponds and how they have turned out.
Do you feed the fish? How old is the pond?
@@Ozponds Thanks for your reply, Kev. The pond was built around Jan 2023 (just under a year old; so algae less than a year, not over). The only feeding is throwing in any caterpillars I pick off the vegies in the garden (maybe 1-2 every couple of days) otherwise they fend for themselves via insects landing on the pond and algae.
Ponds still finding its balance. It’s young.
Lol can you please list your website on your videos? Lol 😂 I want to support you some how. You sparked something inside me. I wanted a pond so bad, but I thought it was just a large outside fish tank.
After watching a couple of your videos, I feel that a pond with a big style filter is more my speed and I have some ideas for what to plant into the top of the bog filter.
I legit spent a day binging your videos. Lol I spent 4 hours at lowes. Worst experience ever… luckily I met up with the manager of the garden center. I got some Papyrus plants. Lol I saw they can survive in water, so imma try to slowly train it so I can set a netted root ball to have it be a part of this thing I’m putting together.
I got one of those plastic liner things, it’s very old and I got a good price. It’s old because it does not have that step platform thing as it gets deeper. It looks like 2 fused bowls, but I have to start somewhere before I jump into the liner sheets.
I dug it too deep….. lol but luckily it’s on the part of my land that’s the highest and it’s next to the house. I’ll trench some drainage stones around it and have a path leading away from the pond.
Still looking for rocks and I am making a big filter. Lol I’m using a thin tall 22 gal trash can. I get the concept and the shape of the trans can works out for me. I wish I could show you.
It will be a while before it looks good enough to show off, but I’m patient enough to let life in at stages. Microbial life, then plants, and maybe 🤔 some sacrificial gold fish. Lol
Thank you and please continue what you do. I’ll continue to share your videos on my Facebook to spread the news of what you do!!!!
Watching the videos, commenting and sharing helps the channel grow. Thanks for your support. 😊👍
Hi Kev I’m just going through new pond syndrome now everything is going green and abit of string algae starting to form in the bog filter so I’m fighting the urge not to clean everything hopefully it will all sort it’s self out soon 👍
🤞it should sort itself out pretty quick.
Splosht is a wonderful product also
I’ve used splosht in the past
@@Ozponds it's good shit huh. But a proper ecosystem shouldn't need it. :)
Correct 👍
I swear by a bog system. I used to use filters and it was a pain to keep clean. I've used a bog for years, never had to clean it once and my water is crystal clear
Awesome 👍
came across your videos and have now suscribed to it as I have built a garden pond and was wondering - do you wash/boil the stones and pebbles before adding them to your pond or just lay them in along with plants < in soil > . my pond is 6ft long by 4 ft wide with the deep end at 1 ft and the shallow end at 6inches. I will be watching all your videos from now on. thank you for posting them. Billy Mac.
G’day Billy. All I do is give the rocks a rinse. I prefer to plant the plants into the pebble/ gravel. Soil adds nutrients. Nutrients add problems.
@@Ozponds thank you for the info, I will get a bag of stones and another of pebbles to add to my pond and set in Oxyplants to help the pond and fish. thanks again.
Kev, your videos are always so helpful. Thanks to you, the water in my 12,000 gal. liner pond has remained crystal clear this entire season here in north eastern USA. The rocks and gravel however, are all covered with a film similar to the rocks in the underwater shots of the video (1:53 and 2:08). How do you keep your gravel and rocks so clean and clear?
I don’t really as you saw in the video. Overtime the biofilms, waste and debris builds up. I’ve shown in other vids how I stir up the pond, net or vacuum. I don’t do it very often, as what looks unsightly to us is a thriving habitat for microorganisms that the fish feed on.
Trying to post for the second time 😊 just found your channel. Great info.
I put in a small 8ft diameter by 2-3 ft deep pond about 3 yrs ago. No fish, no waterfall or filter. It just has a small aerator . Most of the past two years have struggled with string algae and not so clear water. I had(I think) a lot of plants too. Last winter I removed most of the plants and this spring the water has cleared up without me doing anything. Guessing the bacteria found my pond 😊
However, there is a lot of pine needles, leaves that constantly fall in and there is a quite a bit of sediment in the pond. The small rocks at the bottom are no longer visible and there is sediment on the larger rocks too. What do you recommend I do? I would love to see the pebbles at the bottom and have a “cleaner” looking pond. Thank you
I would use a net to remove the majority of sediment. You’ll never stop the sediment from forming, like you said lots of needles falling in. A skimmer does make a big difference, but then you’d need to run a pump.
@@Ozponds thank you. Yes it is small enough to remove it manually. Also after I posted this I did see that you did have a video on this issue - you called it “malm”😊
Yes mulm, detritus same thing. It’s just broken down organic material 👍
Good to hear an Aussie voice on Uutoob for a change, apart from that I'm gunna be the mug to react to the use or the non-word bacterias...... there can be one bacterium or two to many bacteria despite what spell-checker says. Cheers, by the way I keep 3 greenish water ponds with pondslime for the purpose of breeding native fish.
😂 no worries Jim. I’m gonna keep saying bacterias. Many, many bacterias 😉. I understand people that breed like green water 👍. Good to hear you’re breeding Aussie natives. What species? Where are you based? Can the public buy from you?
@@Ozponds I'm near Adelaide, had three fibre glass tanks, rather than ponds, going spare, so put Lake Eyre hardyheads in to see how they would go. They bred without my help. Not selling just experimenting to find a native alternative 'mosquito fish'.
Nice Jim 👍here we have southern Pygmy perch that are awesome little mosquito destroyers.
@@Ozponds beaut little fish but I suspect not as 'bulletproof as a Gambusia', which is the result I was aiming for. Adelaide tap water is 350ppm at the best of times, evaporation is 6 times rainfall so my tanks get over 1 ppt salt with topping up. Then there is temps from iced over in the morning in winter to 30+ when air temps are in the 40s in summer. So far the LEH have coped. Cheers
Yes. Pretty lucky here in Gippsland we get around a metre of rain per year. I’m going to see if I can get some of these lake eyre hardyheads, they sound fantastic!
Thumbs up
Great videos ! Wondering if you could tell me the plants you used at 5:43 the green spiky leafed bush against the wall and the two small blue/gray bushes at the back of the pond?
This video will help 👍Plant ideas for in and around a backyard pond
ruclips.net/video/IwnYPZ9HJaQ/видео.html
@@Ozponds Cheers weve been looking at plants for so long cant find any we like or wouldn't be good in ponds
Good video. 👍👍 How do you stop your water turning green and forming blanket weeds? I use to pull out loads of those weeds. 👍👍
The bacteria keep the water clear, clean and healthy. Some algae is good. I believe in finding a balance. Good filtration, some plants, species that will eat algae, diatoms. Those are things I find help. I’ve got many different videos talking about how I like to maintain, build and keep my ponds if you are interested 👍
@@Ozponds cheers for that 👍👍
Really boring. Just kidding! One of the best pond bacteria videos on RUclips. I'm currently fighting muck buildup at the bottom of my pond. I'm having to clean my filter twice daily. Hoping Muck Away does the trick. Thanks!
🤞
1 may I ask what part of the glob you are in please? So I know how to try to compare it /or not to where I am. Thank for the info and videos
Australia down south. Cold wet winters, hot dry summers.
I have a wine barrel pond that I love. What can I add to keep clear? Are pathos plants and there roots safe for the fish?
People add them to aquariums all the time 👍
What is the powdery stuff that gets all over the pond plants in my pond? I think it’s killing my plants, is this the bacteria? Thanks for your videos, love your ponds!
The powdery stuff is what I call mulm. It’s an inert byproduct of all the waste that is broken down inside the pond. It shouldn’t be killing your plants.
Hi! I was thinking of white/light colored gravel for my pond's bottom and fine sand for the area near the shore (because I'm making a kind of foreshore), do you think that it would help to make my water looks even more blue/crystal clear? I want to specify that my pond hasn't a lot of light because of trees around (that I think it's not bad for preventing unicellular algae) but I also live on the Mediterranean Sea, so it's pretty much always warm.
Thank you, your videos are great!
If you want blue water it’s easy to add a dye.
@@Ozponds A dye? it's not bad for fishes and plants? I thought of a light colored gravel bc that + a more deep water, crystal water should look more blue
Does a pond vacuum help with keeping the Ammonia and Nitrites lower? Also thank you for all your information.
No not really. A pond vac is useful for sucking up algae and detritus(mulm). Ammonia and nitrites indicate a filter problem to me.
Kev, does the intake in the bog filter have to come into the filter under pressure or can it just just flow in by gravity?
I have only a solar pump?
You can do it via gravity. I’ve done it on small ponds with small fish and it works well.
For more bacteria contact can you add Lava rock. This pond is located in New York Long Island. No plants in pond
Lava rock is a great rock for increased surface area.
Thank you so much for getting back to me.
Hey Kev, would love your thoughts. Just inherited a 600 sq meter natural pond, 3m at its deepest. Very cloudy, but there seems to be fish, frogs, and other creatures. Lots of ducks like to swim in it. No aeration or plants. How would you recommend clearing up a natural bottom pond this large?
Also, I'm considering a future project of installing a ~116 sq meter raised wetland filter using a modified version of your DIY filter in a snorkel/centipede configuration. I'd like to clean it up to make it a rec pool eventually, though this configuration is only 20% surface area. I'm thinking two sets, laid side by side, of: two 6m lengths of 0.3m diameter pipes with slits cut in them, connected together by a vertical pipe (for cleanout). Each end having a 34000 L/h pump (4 in total across both sets). Do you think this would be sufficient? I'd love to hear cheaper, more efficient options if you have any ideas. Thanks!!
A big wetland/ bog will definitely make a huge difference 👍.
I reckon a permanent duck population could be a problem in the long term - they dump a load of their crap in the water.
Never had a green water issue, but I do have a lot of suspended particles which is somewhat annoying.
Should be an easy fix with increased flow and some filter sponges.
The coke that we burn in our fires makes a great medium for filters due to it massive surface area
Nice 👍
I have a new pond and it now turned green. I believe it does need more wet surface area. I'll add 2 bog filters connected to each other this weekend. My main question would be, how do I keep the pump from clogging up. It just collects mud into the intake holes. I already have a system with a UV light attached to the pump, but it doesnt seem to help. Any suggestions for the pump?
Have you watched this video? DIY pond skimmer
ruclips.net/video/zfIlRZO3nxI/видео.html. Pumps sitting on the bottom of the pond will usually always clog quickly.
I’m guessing it’s a fountain pump? If that’s the case, yes prop it up off the bottom of the pond. Will still aerate the water just fine.
Facultative bacteria is the type of bacteria that converts Nitrates into Nitrogen. They also consume Phosphates. This conversion only happens in an Anoxic environment between .5pmm - 2ppm dissolved oxygen in water.
facultative bacteria
Bacteria that can use dissolved oxygen (DO) or oxygen obtained from food materials such as sulfate or nitrate ions, or some can respire through glycolysis. The bacteria can live under aerobic, anoxic, or anaerobic conditions.
Source- www.owp.csus.edu/glossary/facultative-bacteria.php
Do you do anything different is you want to set up a pond as a freshwater swimming/dipping pool? Obviously it has to be deeper
Supersize the filter. Take a look at my dream pond playlist. That’s pretty much exactly what I would do.
I got my liner in and now have to get it pleated and folded and do all our adjustments.... if I have a stream going into the pond how far up that stream should pond liner go for over lap? My thought is the stream liner I'll bring all the way down into the pond over a 4ft wall in the pond, but I wonder how far out the pond liner should go under the stream liner? 🤔
I like to allow 30cm above water level.
@@Ozponds thanks. I'm sizing my plumbing... I figured I'd use regular hard pipes and make all my y splitters, cutoff valves, and backflow and then distribute my returns into a larger perforated flexible pipe. How much bigger should my distribution pipe be than the supply? My filtration bays are 23ft long and 3 ft wide each, I want water to get to the ends but not have so much pressure it moves pebbles around. I'm running both bays off a y splitter with supply of 4,800 gallons per hr. Instead of a big clean put that uses sump.pump my plan is to just drop in vacuum hose and I won't need a big clean out so I figured I'd make it the same size maybe slightly bigger than the distribution pipe.
Sorry this confuses me. I can’t quite wrap my head around what’s going on.
Kev you haven't done a video on this yet so I'll ask here. Do you have any experience with "aggressive fish behavior"? I got bored of my basic comet goldfish so I bought 2 shubunkins to add some color. They are maybe 1 inch smaller then the comet goldfish and the pond isn't crowded so I thought I'd have no issues but my comet goldfish are bullying the new shubunkins. They constantly chase them around and I've even noticed 2 or 3 of the comet swim them into the wall of the pond. Is this just them establishing a fish pecking order and they will stop in a few days or a bigger issue? I feel really bad for my new little friends. Thanks Kev.
I have had experience. My comets or southern Pygmy perch were eating my rice fish. My only solution was to remove them.
Are you sure it’s not spawning behaviour? The males are relentless if the females have eggs? I get this monthly when it is time for spawning, the males will bump the females to get them to release, once they have it will settle. Just a thought.
I heard that it’s best to have different depths to a pond. It’s to do with movement of water or something. Just like the oceans. Is this true?
There’s a thing called stratification it’s not really an issue for most garden ponds. At least not in my climate. Different depths are good to allow the growing of different plants.
Have had my pond some 8 yrs and every summer it turns green. Trying to get away from algaecides and am using fine filter pads in my skimmer and polyester quilt batting to capture that pesky algae but with 90 degree weather it went green real fast. Have waterfall, 2 air stones, fish, not a lot of plants since here in mid Michigan their not a hot commodity. Very frustrating.
You really need to increase the biological filtration.
Is a bog filter the same as a bellsiphon system that is used in aquaponics? Could you do both to your ponds to grow fish and plants in a beautiful setting?
A bell siphon allows the water in a aquaponic grow bed to fully empty, then re-fill. This is useful when growing vegetables as you allow the root zone to re-oxygenate. A grow bed is practically a bog filter and yes you could incorporate a grow bed in an ornamental pond and have the best of both worlds.
@@Ozponds Thanks, SE Qld and hot in summer. A bog filter that feeds us would be an added bonus with a nice pond instead of an IBC with bored perch in it!
I have pond in my garden...about 2700 liters. First i got green water, but the bottom is brown/red....what can i do to get clear water. I have no fish inn it, only birds drinking and bathing in it.
Greatfull for answer.
Is the water clear and you just see brown/red on the bottom? Or is the brown/red throughout the entire pond and you can’t see anything? Are you implementing any of the strategies in the video? If so which ones?
The water seemes clear. The red is in the bottom. I had green alges, but used a small dose of algie stop and noe they are gone.
But the pond smells bad.
I may also inform that i live in Norway in an area with climate zone 3. This summer er had very little rain and a lot of Sun. I have not used any of the tips in the video, cause i Will be sure that i am doing the right thing.
Thanks for answering
My guess would be that the stuff on the bottom is the dead algae. It might also be the cause of the smell.
How to increase the anoxic zones in ponds?
Simply, depth and variety of surface materials, rocks?
Anoxic Pond Filter
ruclips.net/video/19m3OPvzpBQ/видео.html
What did you say you used to help clear the sediment?
Gee I can’t remember. This vid was a year ago. I use a flocculent (dam clear) to clear muddy water. Usually for sediment it’s manual removal (vac or net), increased flow to send sediment to filters, or bacteria. Bacteria won’t fully remove it but it may help keep it manageable.
From your experience what bacteria products should I buy and use for the ponds as you discussed here? Thank you in advance for your help!
I have a few products I like to use linked on my website. ozponds.com/pond-equipment/
@@Ozponds Thank you for your quick reply. I really appreciate that! I will try some of these products that you pointed out.
Another question. My pond was build many years ago. It is overall fine over years. Last year, my pond maintenance guy left the area. After I switched to a new guy, there are a lot of string algae growth. I was thinking to have him or someone else to have a pond cleaning to get rid of the algae. Then, I will treat the pond with the bacteria that you recommended. Do you think it is the right thing to do? Also, can you give me some reference of the schedule of the bacteria treatment?
Be good if you could find out what the other guy was doing, sounds like he had everything sorted Does he still do pond maintenance in a different area? Could you call him? Most bacteria products won’t work in cold temperatures, but otherwise can be added regularly through the season.
@@Ozponds I thought this also. Unfortunately, he got leukemia and had a bone marrow transplant as I heard before he left. I tried to find his new information on the web but without success. I really doubt if he is still working in this profession. He is really a very good guy. Somebody told me he was the first one introduced garden pond water features to San Diego area but others disagreed. Well, I really miss him.
In my case, right now, there are approximately half inch (or more?) dead string algae in the bottom of the pond. Some people suggested to do a full pond water change and water hosing the algae out. Do you think this is a good idea or I can maintain the pond without a full pond clean by adding bacteria when the weather getting warmer?
Really appreciate your input and insights!
I would remove the dead algae (with a net or pond vacuum), add bacteria when the weather warms up. I wouldn’t do a full water change. If the problem persists during spring/summer, try doing a 10-20% water change weekly. That’s where I would start. Hope it helps.
Why is my koi stay on the bottom and never swim on top of the pond? Please help me , thank you so much
I’m not sure. I’ve never had koi so I’m no expert. Hopefully someone else can help you. 🤞
Great video. Thank you for posting. I have a problem with string algae in my pond. This pond is 100% natural with the water pumped from an underground well. The area where I live has great clean endless water that is only a couple of meters underground. The water quality is great and cristal clear. Yet I have string algae. I have about 20 cichlid fish and probable 5 cat fish. I have aeration on all the time. There are no rocks anywhere and the bottom is full of aquatic plants. Since fresh water is constantly being pumped there are no filters at all. From you video I gather that adding stones will help get rid of the string algae. Do you have any other suggestions? Thank you in advance
I’m not so sure that adding rocks will eliminate your string algae. I’m actually surprised you have any string algae at all with cichlids, they usually devour it! I’m wondering how much you feed the fish? It could be the issue. Is the pond a liner pond or bare bottom? Is the pond constantly overflowing from the added water?
@@Ozponds Thank you for the response. I am not feeding the fish. They are eating what is in the pond. I forgot to mention that there is a water fall for added oxygenation. This is a bare bottom pond with no liner. The water goes into the natural water table and flows out. As I mentioned there is no filter of any kind. Only 4 lotus and bottom plants.
Hmmm 🤔. Have you tested the water parameters? How much new water is coming in? Is it constant or is this just a hole that filled naturally with water? How bad is the algae?
@@Ozponds I have never tested the water. The water fall is always on. Yes it is a hole that fills naturally with water as the water table is very high in this area. Usually you dig a 2 meter hole and find excellent water. The string algae is always there. Sometimes it covers 1/4 of the pond
I would definitely add filtration. You’re already circulating water anyway.
I never feed my pond fish, except to throw in slugs from the garden beds. No filter either except oxygenation plants & water lily. However some time I will have to empty the pond cos it has 20+ years of sediment
Nice! If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. 👍
I have a 275 gallon tote with a 55 gallon drum bio filter that filters the water. There as been 8 sunfish in there for a few weeks now. In one week the water turned PEA SOUP green. The fish are still alive. I have nothing in the tank but water and the fish. In my bio tank I have lava rock, plastic Scrubys, and some PVC pipe, and old fittings. The tote gravity feed off bottom valve thru a 200 micron sock into drum. I then have a 800 gph pump that pump the filtered water back into the top of the tote. Tote then drains from the top portion of the tote back into the drum thru a sock. What can I do to get rid of the algae?? Tote is outside in the sun, but I now have place a roof over the tote which blocks most of the sun. Any help would be great! Thanks!!
Might just need patience if the pond is new. Or your filter simply isn’t enough for the bio load.
Using the same setup but water remains deep green after four weeks and only four goldfish about three inches long. Today added a bag of lava rock into the water and am adding two gallons of creek water into the mix. This tank serves as the rain barrel from my roof.