my new pond

[Millipede]

heres my new above ground pond i just did. last year it was basically a fetid pool full of peat/mud sludge and hornworts and utricularia macrorhiza. my goldfish just died so i took apart his tank and put it all together outside. the plants are anubias, saggitaria subulata, hornworts and some random plant i cant identify that i found in a watery ditch near my house. i dont think the anubias will survive full sun yet so ive been keeping it covered with a shade cloth for now

 

[back2eight]

I like it!

 

[Lil Stinkpot]

Ooooh, nice!

What kind of filter is that? Is that the big Rubbermaid 100 gallon tub? Looks like mine....

 

[Millipede]

i think its 50 gallons. im not sure what type of filter it is. umm.. a big one? it was for my 50 gallon cichlid tank. theres no filter material in it right now. its just for circulation.

i need tips for keeping algae at bay! i dont want it to be a pool of slime in a month

 

[Lil Stinkpot]

That filter's a good start!

Keep lots of plants in there, and few fish. Add Daphnia, and that may help, too.

 

[swords]

Lots more fast growing aquatic stem-plants will help suck up the nutrients and leave less for the algae to bloom off of.

The slow growers like Anubias, sword plants, cryptocorynes, etc. look neat but they are as pokey at taking up nutrients as they are to grow. Compared to the plants sold as "bunched" aquarium stem plants. Plants like Hygrophillas, Ludwigias, Rotalas, Diplidis diandra, Cabombas, etc. These plants are generally rapid growers if you have good light and as you prune the plants you are removing nutrients. Once the water is stabilized you can remove some of the stem plants and make room for the more slower growing "centerpiece" plants without as much battles with algae. At least that's how it worked in my aquariums.

Generally when you want to do aquatic plants you have to do a LOT of aquatic plants not just a few here and few there or they just get all gross with algae, then the plants quit taking up nutes altogether and then pretty soon you've got 50 gallons of pea soup. I've woken up to find 75 gallons of pea soup in my early planted tank days-no fun!

 

[allegedhuman]

A few other plants to consider may be a water hyacinth or water lettuce since this an outdoor pond. Those floating plants are great to absorb nutrients and divide like crazy. You only need to buy one of each at the beginning of the season and by the end you have to keep picking the extras off the top to see open water. But that is only if you are allowed to purchase them in your state due to their invasive qualities and you live somewhere they may overwinter then they are not a good idea/allowed. Plus they are easy. Buy one, throw it on the surface and ta-da. Done.