I recently installed a 1200 gal pond with a 20 ft stream. Right after I started the stream all the stones in it turned a dark brown color. I used an algae killer and all brown stuff disappeared from the stream.

Ever since then (about one month) the water in my pond has been an ice tea color.

I have a skimmer with a filter and a waterfall filter system in the pond. The filters pick up a lot of stuff but the water stays ice tea color. What can I do to make the water clear?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.

Howdy,

Well, what started all this was the algaecide. You killed off the early growth of a hair algae that was going to be beneficial for your pond's ecology. The organic debris left after you used the plant poison is still dissolved in your water and is responsible for the discoloration.

You can reduce the discoloration with multiple water changes and by adding a protein extractor to your filter array. You can minimize the problem almost completely by avoiding the use of algaecides entirely. Your pond is supposed to be a natural environment. Algae are all natural, and will help soak up ammonia in the winter when your filter bacteria are sleeping.

Bob