Black Pond Water

The pond water is BLACK!

Well, really not black, but dark tea colored.  How did that happen and how do I fix it?

Chances are your pond is under or near an oak tree.  If so, your tea colored water is caused by the tannin that comes from the tree.

Here's how to fix it.  Get some activated charcoal.  Do not use charcoal briquettes like you use to barbecue with. Go to the pet store or fish store and get activated charcoal.  I know it's expensive, but it's all I know that works.  Put it in leg of an old pair of panty hose and put it in your filter. Or put it somewhere where the water can move through it.

Your pond will be clear and sparkly in a few days. Using activated charcoal is 'washing the water.'

Find tips like this and more in my book, "A Practical Guide to Building and Maintaining your Pond." Download it here.

You can also find hundreds of other pond keepers with questions and answers like this at pondlady.com

Tea Colored Water

Often we try dozens of filters to try to get tea colored water clear and nothing works. The water is turned that color by leaves usually from oak trees, but other leaves/pollen do the same thing. Here's how to fix it: Use activated charcoal. Do NOT use charcoal briquets like you use for barbecuing! Go to the aquarium store and get a box of activated charcoal. Often it comes in a box that looks like a half gallon milk carton. Put the charcoal a cut off panty hose leg and put the resulting tube in your filter. The charcoal 'washes' the water and you will have clear water soon. It is a bit expensive, but worth it.