Pond to swimming pond

Hi All,

Ive got a large lined pond, approximately 100x50, somewhat kidney shaped that varies in depth from the shallow end that gradually slopes to the deep end, around 6'-7'. I have a fountain in the pond and now an aerator at the deep end. The aerator was a recommendation from the local pond shop to help clear up the water. It was added as soon as the ice cleared from the pond this spring. The problem is that the water is still really cloudy and it appears that after a few months of aeration the only thing thing it has done is churn up a bunch of debris and cause what looks like swirling algae in the water. The water is much worse now. I tried adding midnight blue dye to the water but it still looks very green. I've put buckets of muck away in. I was in the pond yesterday. There's not much on the bottom except what feels like some rotting leaves and the sides are clean except the slippery algae. I'm looking for some recommendations to help clear the water so the family will be interested in swimming. Can I retrofit a large filter and pump? Should I try adding plants? Should I just let the aeration continue in hopes that it eventually helps? I've got quite a few goldfish/koi in the pond added from the previous owner. Do I have to drain the pond to make changes? Help! Thanks all!

First of all welcome to the Forums!

Have the pond shop test for nitrates. A pond in full sun is going to want to create algae. Warm water and bright sunlight create perfect habitat for algae blooms. especially if there is an abundance of nitrate. More water movement may help... Adding a reed bed would certainly help especially if you can pump water from the pond through it on a sort of artificial stream but that requires even more energy inputs and permies are lazy we stay away from external inputs of energy if we can. ... but before all of that think about what is going in to the pond.

Do you fertilize the yard at all... are fertilizers running in to the pond when it rains?
Do you feed the koi/goldfish... How much... do you need to? There may be enough wild sources of food that you can at least cut feeding back.

another thing to think about is adding some more trees on the south west side to help cut down the sun exposure. Maybe fast growing every greens so you don't have to worry about leafs dropping in the pond.

Plenty of others with pond experience here so I will let the forums take over more suggestions.

Thanks for the welcome and the quick reply! I do fertilize the lawn to keep the clover down, usually in the spring and winter. I stopped feeding the fish last year by recommendation to keep the nutrients down. I'd prefer the fish weren't in the water at all, but they're there so...

I'll look into water testing. I can tell you that there are tons of particles in the water because of the aerator churning everything up. Should I just let it continue to run? Does the muck away actually help? It's expensive to keep up.

Thanks again!

I am assuming you are talking about the Muck Away pond treatment.... It is supposed to be a natural supply of bacteria. It may help... It might be something you have to do every year. Basically you are adding a butt load of the bacteria that are already in your pond... instead of adding them in huge amounts for them just to end up dieing try thinking of ways to create a place for them to live. A hot pond in full sun has less dissolved oxygen. The baterica can only breed as long as there is enough oxygen for them to keep doing so and tend to like to breed on surfaces. A rocky waterfall is a great habitat for them especially in a shady area. the more lumps and bumps the better to help churn up the water. The little particles floating around in the water are also places for the bacteria to breed... I would leave it going maybe add watter lilies if there is a good shallower place. They will help take up nutients too. Have you looked at any of teh natural swimming pool info... some really amazing setups. Notice the planted area to swiming area ratio.


Natual swimming pool



I would bet if you didn't fertilize for the rest of the year that the pond would clear up once the algae ran out of food (nitrate).


What lead you to the permies forums BTW?