Why Is My Pond Going Green (And How To Stop It)

A pond going green is probably one of the most common problems that you will face. It is important to note that this can be completely normal, especially during early spring and autumn. However, if you are finding it excessive then this is when you can intervene.

In essence, the reason your pond water is turning green is because of the algae build up which is caused by excessive nutrients.

This article will explain the reasons why your pond is going green and ways that you can stop or limit this from happening. It will also explore how to clear away the green from your pond if it does arise. 

Why Is My Pond Water Going Green?

Green pond water arises when algae or blanket weed grows. Algae is caused by excessive nutrients. These excessive nutrients can come from a range of different things. The main factors being over feeding, sunshine, fish poo, uneaten food and organic debris like plants and leaves.

If your pond does not have enough shade, then this is going to cause significant problems and make your pond greener. This is because algae thrive off sunlight and this causes it to grow more rapidly.

The growth of algae, and therefore having a green pond, can happen rapidly. When the nitrate and phosphate levels in your pond are high, this can make the algae bloom.

The muck and sludge at the bottom of your pond, if not cleared out regularly, acts as food for the algae. This releases nutrients which causes the algae to grow, making your pond greener.

Therefore, the more things in your pond that releases the nutrients, the quicker your pond will become green. Having too many fish in your pond can be a common cause for algae as well.

This is because many people forget that fish might start off small, but they will grow, especially koi. If you have a lot of koi in your pond, then they can create a lot of waste. This in turn gets broken down which releases nitrates. These nitrates then feed the algae. Therefore, this becomes a vicious cycle.

Also, plants, or more likely the lack of plants, can cause your pond water to turn green. This is because when you have plants in or around your ponds, they act as competition for the algae as they consume the same food. They survive off the nitrates and the phosphates that are released.

So, if you do not have any plants around or in your pond, then the algae have the opportunity to consume all the nitrates and other nutrients that is released. This will make your pond turn green much quicker. So, having plants in your pond can act as a great way to lower the nutrient levels.

Sometimes algae that causes the pond to turn green can be removed by animals and fish eating away at it to restore the natural balance of the pond. Although if the algae grows too quickly that the animals cannot keep up with the growth, then this is where problems arise.

How To Stop My Pond Going Green

One of best ways to stop your pond going green is to add a filter, although knowing the right one can be difficult. Having a filter in your pond can help you to solve many of the problems that can arise, especially when dealing with green pond water. Although you should note that filters use chemicals to ensure you have a clear pond. There are other options if you do not want to pump chemicals into your pond.

It could be argued that although filters use a small amount of chemicals, this is one of the most effective ways of maintaining a clear pond. In order for your filter to remove the algae from your pond, you will most likely need to add an ultraviolet clarifier alongside this.

Most filter systems come with a UV light built in. It is the UV lamp that helps to break down the algae, so you need to ensure that you have this. Although a UV alone cannot completely get rid of the algae that is causing your pond water to turn green. You need a good filtration system to work alongside this.

It is important that you replace the lamp once a year as the UV radiation that is emitted will stop over time and will not kill the algae. Using translucent plumbing or something similar to this, usually allows you to check whether the lamp is functioning or not.

However, if you do not want to have chemicals being pumped into your pond, there are some ways you can stop your pond going green. The first being that you should not have too many fish. The amount you can have will be dependent on how big your pond is. Typically, you should try to avoid having too many koi as they tend to eat everything, including the wildlife that can be used to help keep the balance in your pond.

You should also ensure that you do not overfeed the animals in your pond. Most of your fish and pond wildlife can survive on the plants and bugs that live in or around the pond. However, if you do want to use fish food, read the packaging, and feed them about 30% less than what they recommend.

Another way of ensuring your pond does not go green without using chemicals is to avoid fertiliser getting into the water. Before planting plants around or in your pond, ensure that you wash off any soil or fertiliser. Once you have done this you can then replant your plant. You can cover the roots with rocks to ensure it does not float away.

You should also ensure you remove rotting plants or fallen leaves. This is because these plants would then release nitrates which is what algae uses to feed. So, by removing this, you are limiting the food source for the unwanted algae growing in the pond.

It is also recommended that you cover at least half your pond with big plants that has a lot of leaves, like water lilies. This can help to prevent the growth of algae as algae thrive off sunshine, but you should not completly shade your whole pond. All living things need a little bit of sunshine.

So, there are many different ways to ensure your pond water remains clear. You may have to try more than one of these things to maintain the water in your pond, but these methods are very effective.

How To Clear Green Pond Water

There are three key steps you should follow to help you to clear out the green water from your pond. The first being cleaning out your pond to reduce the sludge and debris that gather in your pond.

This is an effective way of reducing the greenness of the water as algae feeds off the nutrients released by sludge and leaves that are found in the pond. So, by removing these the algae has no source of food. This should then cause the algae to grow less quickly.

To clean out the sludge and leaves you can use a rake or a pond vacuum. However, when doing this you should be careful of the fish and wildlife, you do not want to scare or hurt them whilst doing this process.

Step two would be to reduce the number of fish that you have in your pond at any one time. Fish produce a lot of waste. When this waste breaks down it releases nutrients that algae love to feed off which then causes it to grow. So, if you reduce the number of fish, you will have less waste building up in your pond.

The third step would be by adding more plants to your pond. The more plants that you have in your pond, the more competition for food that the algae have. So naturally, the less food the algae have, the slower the growth would be. Plants also attract additional wildlife that can help to eat away at the algae and therefore returning the pond to its natural state.

What Is The Best Treatment For Green Pond Water

There are some really effective treatments for green pond water that we recommend. The first is a sludge and muck reducer. This can be a very effect way of getting rid of the build-up of sludge and muck at the bottom of your pond.

One jar of this sludge and muck reducer can treat up to 6,000 gallons of water, making this very cost effective. This treatment also prides itself on being safe for all the fish you may have in your pond, so you do not have to worry about this.

This reducer is used to break down the sludge and muck that are deposited at the bottom of your pond. So, if this is big problem for you, this is the product that is highly recommended.

The second commonly recommended product that you should use to help clear the colour of the water in your pond is pond sludge remover. This product is similar to the one above but has many other benefits. It has beneficial bacteria to help break down the sludge and to reduce the odour that can form because of build-up of muck.

One pack of this pond sludge remover contains 6 tablets which can treat up to 30,000 gallons of water. So, no matter how big your pond is, these tablets can help you to treat your pond. It is also perfectly safe for all pond animals and fish, so you do not have to worry about harming your animals in the process.

Lastly, you should try Nualgi ponds, this is an effective and natural algae controller. Within just a few hours of applying this liquid to your pond, you should start to see the benefits. It works to kill off the algae as it cannot receive the nutrients that it needs to survive.

The Nualgi pond algae controller is fast action and highly efficient. It is also used to help improve the water quality. This therefore allows the fish, animals, and plants living in your pond to have long, happy lives. So, this algae controller is 100% safe to use in ponds that contain wildlife.

So, if you are having problems with algae or the colour of your pond water, we highly recommend that you use one of these pond treatments.

Conclusion

To conclude, there are many reasons that your pond is going green. If this does happen you should not panic, and this is a common problem that most people with a pond have encountered at least once during their time tending to a pond.

The reason for the change in colour of your pond water is usually because you have excessive algae growth because it is absorbing the nutrients from a variety of things.

The main ways to stop your pond going green is to have a good filter, not over feed your fish, create shade for at least half your pond, not have too many fish, and get rid of rotting plants, leaves and debris.

However, if you are consistently suffering from a green pond, use one of the treatments recommended. They all help to restore your pond in a safe and natural way, so they are 100% animal and fish safe.