Green pond water and forever duck weed

[Marb67]

For the life of me I can't seem to get rid of all the duck weed in my small pond. I have spent HOURS scooping it out with a flour sieve over the last few weeks and yet more and more tiny pieces seem to come from under the water when I disturb it. It's bad enough that the ramshorn snails are eating my oxygenating plants (some now completely gone that were purchased at expense) There are also some small leaves fallen in autumn as well as the pond water going a thick green soupy colour. If I get rid of the snails what will eat the green algae ?

I know I can't completely rid the pond 100% from duck weed but even the tiniest amount will multiply very quickly drowning out all the light for the frogs and tadpoles.

And since I built the pond 7 years ago it has still not attracted one water boatman or other aquatic beatles

[bikermike]

DO you mean the thin thread-like stuff or the leaves on top?

Do you have a pump and filter?

I have a pond which gets a bit of both kinds of weed (although the leaf-stuff is supposed to indicate good water quality). For many years, I was able to keep the tread-stuff in check with barley straw extract, but a few years ago, I really couldn't shift it, so I bought a UV filter. It's annoying, but it works. Bulbs are hair-curlingly expensive and blow really quickly, but I don't bother to replace them unless the weed comes back.

Re wildlife - are there enough hidey-holes for them? also how is access?
if you've got a lot of frogs and a small pond, they may eat any would-be inhabitants

[Marb67]

The small leaves are fallen from a climbing shrub.

This was when newly constructed 2011. Plenty of hidey holes, logs etc added since then.

[bikermike]

nice pond.

My (non-expert view is) that it may be too small to manage without some kind of pumped circulation. Ponds do not naturally continue to exist unless filled, they tend to silt up.

Also, there didn't seem to be any undercover routes from the pond into the vegetation. If you think about it from the point of view of a small animal, it's not going to want to come out of the pond and get eaten by a cat/heron etc as it's in plain sight.

I have to say, I have no idea how long it takes for animals to "find" ponds, we got the pond as we moved in (and planned to fill it in, not doing has to be one of the better moves I have ever made, even if goldfish have no communication with one other than dieing at you). Is there much greenery nearby? or other ponds?

[burnie]

Pond life is all about balance to get it to be clear without filtration, problem with filters is they remove the good stuff like plankton as well. Water goes green because of a lot of nutrients and a lot of sunshine, natures way would be to add some live Daphnia, might be available at your local fish supplier. Shade can be created with Water Lilies, do you have many fish in there?

[Marb67]

No fish, just frogs and ramshorn snails and small shrimp like creatures. I need to get some plants around the rockery to give more cover but not sure what would be suitable for a dry soil due to sun most of the day and the roots from the climbing thorny shrub (can't remember the name) I would like something native to the UK if possible.

[Bigmallly]

If you have no fish, I personally wouldn't worry about it. Nature has a wonderful habit of balancing things out. You could buy a fine holed fishing net just to keep on top of the duckweed. As for the blanket weed, what I do is put some kind of stick into it and twist, the blanket weed will wrap round the stick & you just lift it out.

[jackarmy]

The snails wont be eating the algae marbs just the dead vegetation ( and live of course) personally id do without the snails and get some oxygnators. Also like said above, between half and two thirds of the pond needs to be covered by Lillys etc but as Mal says, if its mainly a wildlife pond then dont worry about it

[DannyK]

Duckweed needs endless scooping.
Blanket weed removal needs care when there are tadpoles about.
Disconnected my 30 watt UV filter ages ago. Didn't notice much difference. They say tubes should be replaced annually.
Barley straw bags seem to work and they're relatively cheap.
Surely you have pond skaters. Get plants like irises, not flag too vigorous, to give dragon flies something to climb out of pond on.

[Marb67]

The snails wont be eating the algae marbs just the dead vegetation ( and live of course) personally id do without the snails and get some oxygnators. Also like said above, between half and two thirds of the pond needs to be covered by Lillys etc but as Mal says, if its mainly a wildlife pond then dont worry about it

Thanks. I will fish the snails out and place them in the wild as I don't want to kill them.

[Marb67]

Duckweed needs endless scooping.
Blanket weed removal needs care when there are tadpoles about.
Disconnected my 30 watt UV filter ages ago. Didn't notice much difference. They say tubes should be replaced annually.
Barley straw bags seem to work and they're relatively cheap.
Surely you have pond skaters. Get plants like irises, not flag too vigorous, to give dragon flies something to climb out of pond on.

I have yellow iris but gets too big so taken it out. Might split and put in again. Never had a single pond skater in 7 years but perhaps the duck weed puts them off. The pond is pretty clear now though. I am finding that the frogs sometimes lay the spawn on the path or in the little half moon recess of the sewer grid. I scooped it out and laced it in the pond. No idea why they do this as it would just dry up.

[Bigmallly]

I note that you say the pond gets sun for most of the day. I don't know how big a job it is for you but have you considered growing your veg in that spot & moving your pond to a shady area as it is the sun that is encouraging algae growth.

[Bigmallly]

I have yellow flag iris in square planters as they are easier to take out & dead head at the end of the year.

[Marb67]

I note that you say the pond gets sun for most of the day. I don't know how big a job it is for you but have you considered growing your veg in that spot & moving your pond to a shady area as it is the sun that is encouraging algae growth.

I have but it would be a huge undertaking that could cost a lot of lives of creatures. Perhaps a job for Autumn/Winter but my tadpoles sometimes never mature and stay tadpoles until the following year.

[Bigmallly]

Stop dillly dallying & get it done this weekend.