Habitat - Outdoor :: Sludge and algae

[julesmims]

Hello... my outdoor pond has sludge and algae on the bottom. It is about 100 gallons (I think) and 12 inches deep, give or take. We created it specifically for our 1 red ear, Shelley. The water is clear due to the UV light the water is pumped through and back into the pond. The filter is one of the in the pond varieties. It is about a foot square and is attached to the pump that runs through the UV light. I am cleaning the filter pads everyday due to the build up of sludge. I've treated the pond with Fluker's sludge removal, but it doesn't appear to be doing anything all all. I don't mind the green algae on the sides and bottom. We also have 4 fish. Is there a safe product out there to break done the sludge?

Thanks so much

[Linus]

Snails

[swiltz]

Algae eaters/ bristlenose plecos could aid in preventing more growth... bt depending on how serious the current situation is.. you may have to clean it out yourself :/

[swiltz]

algae normally occurs when there are excess nutrients in the water, coupled with sun light ( normal as your pond is outdoors). How is your biological filtration system going? Have you tested the pond water for ammonia/nitrites? High levels of these will encourage algae growth in the long run and should be kept to a minimal

[apondfortimmy]

Other plants taking the nutrients helps, especially if they're of the floating, shading variety. Turtles seem to love water hyacinth, and those not only grow like weeds but they shade the bottom so the algae and sludge doesn't grow as much. (You can get those on ebay pretty easily, and I know of a pond-plant-grower out in Southern California that I get really good quality plants from if you were interested in her info.)

[julesmims]

Thank you so much everyone.

I will probably be cleaning the whole thing out one day when Shelley is out basking. And, last year we did have plants.. which did not make it through the winter cold. I will add more. I would love to have the name of your source for plants in Sourthern California.

Also, I will purchase whatever is necessary to test the water for quality. What PH level should it be for a turtle?

I have 4 goldfish in the pond which are about 4 or 5 inches. How big are the algae eaters and bristlenose plecos? I'm worried Shelley might eat them.

I'll let you know how it goes

Thanks!

[kerby]

Im going to make a pond soon. does this happen allot?

[julesmims]

Hello all...

Well, I drained the pond, scrubbed the sides and bottom, refilled (added water conditioner/chlorine remover) and put Shelly and the fish back in a clear and sparkling pool. I need to add plants and some algae eaters. I know there are algae and sludge removal products that you can buy to treat the water periodically. Are these products safe for turtles and fish? I'd like to keep growth to a minimum without using something harmful.


Thanks for any suggestions you all may have.

[steve]

How thick is the sludge? Would you be able to suck it out, with say a pump or a shop vacuum? We generally don't recommend adding chemicals to treat water.