These are the little things that make you say “Oh No!”
“Hi Mica, just wanted to let you know, the pond is crystal clear. I really love that filter. It also helps to see all the leaves that fall on the bottom so we can keep it cleaned up. Thanks again!” Diana P., Lake Dallas, Texas.
“Oh No! My pond's water is green.”
This is probably free floating or "planktonic algae" in your pond. This can be due to an over abundance of food. This is usually due to OVERFEEDING or lawn fertilizer in the pond. The right balance of bacteria will also help to keep you pond clear.
What can you do?— It Depends
If the water is just a little green it is probably best to just do nothing. The plants in the pond will compete for the over abundance of nutrients. The fish or tadpoles will also eat the algae. The right balance of bacteria will also help to keep you pond clear.
But if the pond is VERY green you may need to treat the water. You can purchase several types of chemical treatments at you local pond supply or pet shop. Read the label carefully. Some will work very well but are dangerous to plants and fish. Select the product that is for ponds with plants and fish. Read the instructions carefully. Some products are dangerous to animals. (Don't let your dog or cat drink from the pond.) Some products have warnings about even coming in contact with your skin.
NOTE: The above works well if the problem is not too bad. If nothing really works you will need to invest in a UV pond clarifier. This is an Ultraviolet light that is either in your filter or in the hose line. It works by killing ALL the algae that passes by it. An inline light for a medium size pond will cost you about $150. Save yourself some trouble. Go ahead and get one of these if your pond is VERY green. I have learned this the hard way.
A Laguna Brand Inline UV Sterilizer
Keep the pond aerated and filtered. Dead algae can give off products that can deprive the pond of oxygen. It can also give off a product that feeds the growth of more algae. More detailed information can be found here: http://www.russellwatergardens.com/UValgae.htm
“Oh No! My pond has suddenly become full of gray and black string.”
If you go out to your pond one morning can see, what looks like, miles of gray yarn, you probably had a love connection occur overnight. You probably have been hearing the croak of a frog or toad in the evenings. This frog has gotten lucky and your pond is about the be filled with tadpoles.
What do you do?— Nothing
In a matter of hours you will start to see movement in the string of yarn. In 48-72 hours you will have tadpoles.
The Good News: They will eat ALL the algae in the pond. In a couple of days you will have just a few tadpoles. In a few more days they will all be gone.
“Oh No! My pond water has suddenly taken on a pinkish orange color.”
Unless one of your party guests has poured a bottle of "Big Red" or something in the pond, this is probably a "Bacteria bloom."
This can happen if the conditions are just right, just the right amount of sun, food, fish waste, etc exist. The bacteria has reproduced wildly and the little buggers have over-populated the pond.
What do you do? — Almost Nothing
This could clear itself up in a few days. The bacteria will run out of food, then start dying and eating each other's remains. It will soon reach equilibrium. Do not try to kill the bacteria. You need these bacteria in the pond. They eat lots of bad stuff. You might try draining out about an inch or two of water and replacing it with city water. This might speed the process along. But, depending upon what caused the bloom, this new, clean, water might cause even more reproduction.
“Oh No! My pond's fish have white bumps on their tails and fins.”
You have probably just set up this pond or you have added fish. Your fish have Ichthyophthirius multifilis or "ich" for short. This is a parasite that burrows into the fish. This causes a blister like swelling. The fish will often be seen scratching themselves on rocks etc. Your fish are miserable. If treated early, it is cleared up rapidly. The parasite has a two week life cycle. It is only during one part of the cycle that it is treatable. There are several treatments on the market. They all work very well. But some will stain your rocks because they are dark blue. Be careful!
What do you do? — Treat the water
Ich is probably the most common disease of pet fish. Therefore it is the most commonly found treatment.
You can order it on line or pick it up at most pet shops. Do a google search for "fish ich" and you will see tons of information on it.
“Oh No! One of my party guests has discovered that a broken off piece of hamburger bun makes the fish act like piranhas.”
Once this happens it will become the favorite pastime at the party. Everyone will want to see this and then show their friends.
What do you do? — Very Little
A little bit of bread from a bun will not hurt things. The fish will love it. Let the guests have their fun but you might want to tell them that too much will affect the water quality and that the fish do not digest the bread that well. These things are all true.
Use your net to scoop out uneaten bread as soon as possible. The fish don't like crust. One good tactic might be to make one of the guests in charge of the bread parts. There will usually be one person who finds the fish fascinating who will be happy to take care of them.