Keeping pond water clean and clear can be challenging. In a swimming pool the process is made easier by using chemical sanitizers and a filtration system to keep the water looking great. In order to keep the water clear you will need to maintain a minimum of 1ppm free chlorine levels in the water. In addition to this you will need to cycle the water through a filter. So long as the chlorine level does not drop to zero, and the filtration system continues to remove organic debris from the water, the water will remain clear.

In a pond the process can be more difficult as most pond owners also have aquatic and plant life in the pond which makes using chlorine not an option. If you do not want any plants or fish in your water, then simply follow the same requirements as swimming pools which is to say turn over the entire volume of water through a filter 2 times every 24 hours. This combined with a chlorine level of at least 1ppm will result in clean and clear water however the little critters and plant life will not thrive.

Most ponds are built to attract wildlife and plant life and some are even purposefully stocked with aquatic life like Koi fish. These ponds can not use chlorine or other forms of chemical sanitizer as this will likely kill the fish and plants. Keeping pond water clean and clear without sanitizers requires a much stronger understanding of water balancing and chemistry.

Keeping the water filtered is extremely important in ponds containing fish and plant life as any dead organic debris in the water must be removed before it causes an algae bloom. Things like dead leaves sinking to the bottom of the pond are a prime example of something sure to cause cloudy water if left unchecked. The type of filter that you use for your pond will depend on what plants and fish you will have in the water. Sand filters as most commonly used for swimming pools are not suitable for most Koi fish ponds as the filter will become plugged too often.

Koi fish produce a great deal of organic waste that needs to be removed from the water. Using a biological filter is ideal for ponds however forms of cartridge filters are also useful. The ultimate setup will see both a primary (coarse) filter and a secondary (fine) filter as this would require less overall user maintenance to keep the system functioning.

The more plants and fish in the water, the more you want to turn over the water in a 24 hour period. A minimum of one full turnover will keep some very modest ponds clear however 2 times and up to 4 times full water turnover daily through the filter is ideal.

The filtration of the water is only part of the equation. Without chemical sanitizers in the water such as chlorine or bromine you will have a hard time keeping the water clear. In place of the chlorine you will need to add two natural additives: copper and silver.

Copper sulfate (sulphate) is a natural form of algaecide that is commonly used in swimming pools. In small doses, approximately 0.5ppm, copper will prevent the growth of algae without causing any adverse reactions. In larger doses copper can actually cause problems such as chlorine lock as well as staining of surfaces exposed to the water. In terms of pond care, copper is very easy to use and will not harm most plant and animal life.

Silver colloidal is known for having tremendous bactericide properties and has been used for thousands of years for this purpose. In swimming pool and pond water silver can be added to help control bacterial growth while being inert and non toxic for plant and animal life. The ideal range of silver needed to control bacteria in a pond is around 0.02ppm. At this range the silver is extremely effective at killing bacteria but also killing cryptosporidium which is known to be very difficult to kill – even using chlorine.

It is also possible to maintain water clarity in a pond using more natural methods such as algae eating life like sucker fish and certain forms of snails which are known to be voracious algae eaters. Mother nature managed to keep water clean and clear and thriving with life long before chlorine or other chemicals were used in water so it is possible to achieve clean and clear pond water without harsh chemical sanitizers – though it may take some practice and some patience to get it right.

Steve Goodale is the owner of Green Pools Contracting in Burlington Ontario Canada and is the author of the How To Build A Pond guide which is a resource for backyard pond building, maintaining and types of ponds

Steve Goodale is the owner of Green Pools Contracting in Burlington Ontario Canada and is the author of http://www.makeapond.com which is a resource for backyard pond building, maintaining and types of ponds

Author Bio: Steve Goodale is the owner of Green Pools Contracting in Burlington Ontario Canada and is the author of the How To Build A Pond guide which is a resource for backyard pond building, maintaining and types of ponds

Category: Home Management
Keywords: pond, cloudy, water, balance, care, maintenance, chlorine, pH, alkalinity, algae, turbidity