How to Clear Up a Cloudy Or Green Pond Or Aquarium

!: How to Clear Up a Cloudy Or Green Pond Or Aquarium

Are you one of the thousands of people trying to find out how to clear up a cloudy or green pond or aquarium? Have you done everything the experts say and you still can't see your fish. There are many different reasons a pond will become cloudy or green. Weather is number one. Different temperatures, rainfall and too much sun will contribute to a nasty pond. Also inadequate filtration and overfeeding will cause problems, as well as ineffective chemicals. Below are some of the truths I have discovered in regards to maintaining a Koi pond or aquarium.

Are all filters created equal?
Sand filters are hard to clean and do not trap all particles in the sand, allowing some to re-enter the pond. Also the sand filter should be run 24 hours per day for best filtration and must be backwashed on a daily basis. The Bio filter is very similar to the sand filter except that is it even harder to clean. Submersible pumps are hard to maintain, as you must climb into the water to perform maintenance on them and they tend to raise the water temperature. Cartridge filters are the best filters to use. They filter out 99% of the debris, are very easy to clean and last a very long time. You can use cartridge filters in aquariums as well.
What are the chemicals the experts recommend?

Algaecides are recommended to remove algae therefore clearing up a green pond. What they do not tell you is that algaecides are a poison not only to your fish but also to the environment. Algaecides contain copper sulfate which can build up in the organs of fish and other wildlife. The City of Naples, Florida has banned copper sulfate because it heavily contaminates Naples Bay, and the European Union has regarded forbidding its use as it is "not compatible with sustainable ecosystems."

Beneficial Bacteria Pros & Cons

Pros
Breaks down organic matter thus removing the food source from the algae Natural Safe for fish
Cons
If you already have an algae problem, it must be addressed prior to using beneficial bacteria in order to achieve the desired results. Slow to take effect. It can take up to 6 weeks for a colony to grow large enough to consume enough of the organic matter to clear up your pond. If you water flow is too fast or slow, PH levels too high or low or the water temperature is below 50 degrees the effectiveness of the beneficial bacteria will be reduced. Lack of aeration decreases the benefits of beneficial bacteria. If beneficial bacteria is not live it will not work. There is no way to tell if the product you are purchasing actually contains live bacteria. Check the expiration date!