Saskia

I don't know what an inlet is. I will look at the wire cage option you discussed this weekend. It would be a great weekend project - especially in this weather! Thanks for all your help Caryl - I do appreciate it!

Hi Carly, I am very embarrassed to say, but the thing in the middle is the filter and I didn't turn it off - it is on but with all the green stuff I need to clean it often for the water to flow through. (I have to come clean ... I haven't cleaned it for a few months though!) But when I do clean it, it stops flowing after a couple of days to nothing more than a dribble (if that). I really am a terrible fish owner!!!! I have gone through all the documentation we got when we bought the house and the pump from Waterwerks Australia. Maybe if I looked at investing in a larger pump the gunge wouldn't clog it up and maybe the water would be less likely to look so green??? I've tried Animates here (not knowing where to go for help), and they didn't really know what I should do. To be fair to them, I was describing the problem without pictures.

Hi Stella, The gunge appears to be floating on the top. Water has a definite green colour to it. I taken a couple of photos and attached them (hopefully) to show what I mean.

Thanks for the reply Caryl. Our pond is in the corner of the section which has a lot of banana trees etc that hang over parts of it, but I have cut these back. I figured without these trees there would be no shade as it is in direct sunlight. You mention that the gunge is natural so obviously if it stops the fish from getting cancer, then it's a good thing. What a good fish person I am - I didn't even know this could happen. It makes sense, but I had just never thought about cancer in fish. Thank you I will definitely not stress too much about having the green in the water, but I will look at getting oxygen weed and lilies and if the greeness continues, then at least it will look prettier with all the plant life Thanks again, Saskia P.S You have a great looking pond! I'm a little envious but that is because I can see your fish in the clear water!

I've tried that but within a few days instead of the crystal clearness I get green gunge and the water ends up changing to a dark forest green. I have no plant life in there, except I did find a frog under the rock when I cleaned it last. However, I don't think he is turning the water green. When I cleaned it, I just used clean water and scrubbed the surface (tarpaulin I assume) until it was clean but alas it didn't stay clean for long. I have heard from people adding oxygen weed or snails ..... I've looked online and there seems to be a range of ideas about oxygen weed being bad for the fish at night due to the CO2, but then again surely this green stuff can't be too pleasant for them either? Or maybe they don't mind and that is how they have survived all these years with my track record? Not sure what the snails did, perhaps they eat the green stuff - maybe I should invest in hundreds?

Hi, I'm relatively new to successful fish owning (my last attempts in a aquarium was disastrous with my causalities and lots of tears). But this is all behind me as we have moved into a new place which came with a pond. So far the fish are doing great - three years and counting. The only trouble is that we have tried to clean the pond on two separate occasions and both times green gunge returns to the pond quickly. I have looked online to see who can offer assistance into pond cleaning, but no one my way (Auckland North Shore region). I would love to have a nice pond for the fish (although they don't seem to mind the colour), but I'm not sure if it lies on the filter or the rocks. There is nothing else in the pond. If any of you know about a place out my way, it would be gratefully appreciated, Saskia