AboutBrigitte Expertise Pond and Water Gardening (aquatic plant selection and care, Koi and pond fish selection and care, pond and water garden building and maintenance, etc.) of all sorts.
Experience
Experience in the area: Own a Water Garden Supply Retail Store and Pond Supply Mail Order Company www.pondmarket.com
Organizations I belong to: St. Louis Water Gardening Society
Publications:
Editor of Splash! The Garden Pond & Water Garden Newsletter!
St. Louis Gardener Magazine, various internet gardening newsletters, and others
Expert: Brigitte Date: 7/6/2008 Subject: bubbles on rocks and sidewall of pond on top of alge
Question what is causing my pond to have small bubbles and brownish algae on the rocks and sidewalls..pond is approximate. 3000 gallons. we have had this happen before..don't know why but after a while the water will look like it is full of dust...and we won't be able to see the fish...the waterfall is about 3 ft tall with green algae and blue green ..not long algae..2 large pumps 1 55 gallon filter ...turns over at least every hour if not more...fish act not hungry..but do eat...just not like they did..used to act crazy at feedings ...now eat slow...all look healthy and are growing..my algae eaters are dyeing but not my koi or goldfish...
how do i stop this from happening...we live in Texas had the pond has very little shade...we r trying to get them more..panting palms and banana trees...elephant ears..ect...
water temp was 92...we cooled it to 85 by slowly adding and removing water at the same time...they r eating again..still not crazy (happy)like the were... but better than they have in days..hot hot July Texas days...any advice?
Answer Hello again, Cindy!
It took me forever to figure out how to get an answer to you, since your question had already been answered and I don't, of course, have an email address for you :-))
I can't answer in the feedback forum and now...after all this time looking for a way to answer I forgot the question!
Please submit a new question for the other information you are looking for.
Brigitte
www.pondmarket.com
Hello Cindy!
It is sometimes difficult to keep a pond functioning well at your kind of temperatures, but there are some things you can do.
The sort of algae you are describing usually thrives in high pH environments, so testing for that would be a priority.
Fish will not eat much, as a matter of fact should not be fed at all when the water temperature approaches 90 degrees. They have trouble digesting the food. In water temperatures of 80 degrees it is best to feed an easily digestible fall/spring pond fish food formulation for that reason.
Just to make sure test your nitrite and ammonia levels.
Adding beneficial bacteria to keep fish waste down and some pond salt to relieve stress on the fish is also helpful.
Brigitte
www.pondmarket.com
