What Causes Green Pond Water?

​Algae blooms are the culprit for most water quality problems. If your pond water is cloudy, murky, or brown, it’s likely an algae issue.
Algae can grow in almost any body of water with sunlight and nutrients.

Here are three common ways to combat algae growth.

1. Dye the Water. Adding coloring to the water (often deep blue), blocks sunlight and inhibits algae growth in the water. This approach can be effective; however, it will also prevent you from viewing fish or any aquatic life in the pond. For this reason, most people chose not to dye their pond water.
2. Add Chemical Treatments. The swimming pool industry treats water this way. Chlorine sterilizes the water and prevents algae growth. However, algae and green water will come back without repeated treatments. Unfortunately, chlorine and most pool chemicals are toxic to fish and other wildlife. Because of this, most pool treatment methods are not viable for water gardens and fish ponds.
3. Manage Nutrients in the Water. Algae grow in water that contains nutrients to sustain it. Removing or managing those nutrients can create conditions less likely to produce murky water to occur. Plants growing in your pond at the water’s edge can remove a large share of nutrients from the water without causing any danger to fish or wildlife. Healthy strains of bacteria can be introduced to the water to help consume debris and improve water quality as well. The ecosystem approach to algae management is the natural way to prevent algae growth, and you don’t need to use any unnatural dyes or toxic chemicals.

​Read more about pond maintenance or contact us to learn how we can help you manage green algae using the safe and natural ecosystem method.