Elopichthys Bambusa - Yellow Cheek Carp

[jjohnwm]

Hi John,
Thanks for your post. My pond has been running for a while and has been an evolution. There might be a build thread from yester-year. I know I have a Nexus filter build thread. When I'm old and retired with nothing to do, I may put one together or maybe not.

I like keeping clear water as much as keeping fish.
Like many things on this forum, it's not one size fits all. What works for me, may not work for you......location, weather, fish size/type....on and on.
The basics can be found on this forum but putting it together is all you.

Does clear water mean good water?
Not really. You can't see water chemistry.

Is more bio media better?
Not really. I added the Nexus filter and got more long hair algae. Nitrate producer.

Why is my outside pond clear of long hair?
Straight wall helps.
No waterfall helps.
Media for anaerobic bacteria helps.

Is high flow or slow flow better? All up to you.
High flow helps me clear poop, leaves and debris out of the pond fast.
Doesn't high flow negate the UV sterilizer? No. People need to understand that this is a closed loop and not a straight (one shot) flow like drinking water.

Surface skimmer helps collect foam and flocculate the protein for the filter to bind the particles for removal.

I do understand the desire to enjoy and see the fruits of our labor. Dead fish tell no lies.

Lol, kinda vague. But I get what you are saying, and certainly wasn't expecting to be spoon fed an ideal solution for success. I just like seeing other ponds/tanks that are set up and operated using other's ideas. I have always admired the nice clear water in your ponds as shown here on MFK, even though I get that clear water is largely unimportant to the fish, just to ourselves as fish-watchers.

My one inground pond is kept clear by the simple expedient of being 8 years old. When I first started it, it would suffer several bouts each summer of green water; as the pond matured, it hosted more and more aquatic and emergent plants which seem to be able to outperform and outcompete algae, resulting in nice clear water. It was probably in operation for 4 years before I finally had an entire summer free of green water woes. Bear in mind that my pond is only thawed and capable of supporting life for about half of each year.

I've only had goldfish in it for 3 summers, and their larger biomass and sloppy habits strain the clarity at times; aside from a brief fling with a solar-powered pump/filter, the pond is devoid of mechanical means of water movement or filtration. I prefer it quiet and still.

I've been making vague noises to my wife about digging another backyard pond...bigger, deeper...better! I doubt I will carry through with these threats, but it's good to keep her on her toes.