Quatermas 2 or 3

[roitelet]

Has anyone any ideas what is going on with this pond?

Back in the early spring a friend had to remove some of the water lily which was making a take over bid for his pond. This of course stirred up the bottom of the pond and it turned into some thing like a brown soup. He expected the sludge to settle but it didn't. After a couple of months he had to resort to chemicals😨. This got rid of the sludge but the pond turned green. The strange thing is that the surface now looks like jam that is just setting and the can skim off the surface which is gelatinous and semi transparent. There are lumps of black compost like material coming up from the bottom and floating on the surface.

Should he just be patient for a few months or is there anything he can do to get rid of what I think is an algae.

[marchogaeth]

Is there any sign of any insect life at all?

[Bill HH]

I know what this is, Someone at some time has thrown a bread and butter pudding into the pond, the reason i say this is that it sounds exactly like the ones my wife burns erm makes.

[roitelet]

Is there any sign of any insect life at all?

Yes there is and frogs as well.

[marchogaeth]

Well if it has frogs in and they aren't the dead and rotting kind, that is supposed to mean a clean and active water environment. So I would be very tempted to wait and see, hard as that must be, although I would also use a barley straw bundle or two to help get rid of an algae http://www.ceh.ac.uk/sci_programmes/...ntrolalgae.pdf I have never used this myslef but understand it is helpful in keeping ponds healthy and might just tweak the water environment for your friend.

[roitelet]

Thanks for that. I have passed the link on.

[marchogaeth]

Thanks for that. I have passed the link on.

As ever it would be nice to know what happens. I'm also going to pass the contents on to a STEM ambassador who comes in to school. She knows lots about pond environments and may have some more specific advice. "I'll be back" and, hopefully with more help.