Pond not looking great

So i built this last year and added some plants, only one grew and that was underwhelming to say the least, can be seen in the pictures. Im guessing lack of plant life is why its all murky. Pond is 3m x 1.2m x 0.9m and gets a fair bit of sun, so where am i going wrong?

 

Hello, it'll be lovely when you get the water balance sorted Get some oxygenating plant....Elodea crispa or Myriophyllum are good ones.....Then you need something like a waterlily that spreads it's leaves on the surface. Check any incoming plants carefully for traces of duck weed, which you don't want. This link might be useful...Oxygenating Pond Plants & Bunches | UK Grown | Fast Delivery

 

That looks pretty normal for a new pond. Single-celled algae are usually the first things to colonise, followed by microscopic invertebrates. The algae will die back once the pond matures, it uses up all the nutrients and gets eaten by other pond life.

Periodic algal blooms especially for new ponds are quite normal, you just want to avoid excessive nutrients getting into the pond regularly (through tapwater or fallen leaves/plant matter/dead animals), and not being used up by something, which will encourage algae to dominate. But that isn't usually a problem in more developed ponds because even if your pond plants don't survive, seeds of emergent plants (sedges/reeds/irises etc) will blow in or be carried in by animals and use up the nutrients. Nature always finds a balance eventually.

 

I agree - it's oxygenators that you need.
Hornwort is one of the best, but it takes a year or so to settle in, then it'll take off quickly.
Elodea crispa is now banned from sale as it is so invasive.
The brown colour should disappear of its own accord, but then you'll likely get green water for the reasons given above.
Oxygenators will outcompete the algae and the water will clear, but it takes a bit of time for the pond to balance.
Brooklime will grow very quickly and spread across the surface, it's excellent for wildlife and can be kept under control by removing the excess

Buy Pond Plants Online - Puddleplants have good quality plants at reasonable prices.

Your pond looks great and as it matures will look better and better.

 

I don't find Hornwort very good as it doesn't seem to spread much here, but I've had Elodea for years in ponds and it doesn't cause trouble, so maybe it's the location that makes a difference to that. It does take time for any oxygenator to settle and start working though, and choosing ones which will suit the site.
More plants is definitely the solution, and then it's time and patience. The floating ones to help cover a decent surface area, which helps create some shade in hot weather and prevent too much blanketweed, plus marginals etc, including verticals for different wildlife and also variety. If there's enough room you can have a good range of different plants according to the depth.

There will always be some blanketweed and/or algae due to the temps and time of year etc, but that's normal. It takes time for everything to balance out once the plants are put in - just as it does in a standard garden bed/border.
No pond is perfect all year round anyway, so it's then a bit of maintenance now and again, and most important of all - enjoying it.

 

Just to add I was surprised to hear elodea crista is banned, its the only oxygenator that I could get to grow in my pond in the early days.
You need a strong grower imo, at least to start with, and lots of it .
Also it stands a better chance of establishing if its planted rather than just floating.

 

Yes - I was surprised when I heard it had been banned @pete, because it's never been a problem here, but I assumed it was down to certain areas and the conditions there.

It's the same as many plants, just as it is with insects, birds, mammals and anything else. There's a tendency to believe the conditions in the UK are the same everywhere - when they absolutely aren't.

 

I think it's probably when it gets in the water ways, I often chop off large amounts at this time of the year as it can take over.
But no worse than the water cress I have in there.

 

Will order some hornwot today any others and how much would i need for a pond the size of mine? Also looking for a reliable solar aerator any suggestions?

 

I've never used aerators etc, especially with wildlife ponds, so can't advise on those.
I use watercress each year @pete, and find it very useful as a floating 'cover' and it also roots around and uses up nutrients, so it's useful as a cheap balancer in that sense.
I expect that will be the reason for the ban. I've never had a problem with it, but it must be more invasive in some places. Even in the very large pond we had at the last house, it stayed mostly in the deeper are in the middle and just did it's thing.

Most sites will have a table for working out how much you'd need @Endless Pursuit, based on volume, but it also depends on how you purchase it - some suppliers will do clumps of bareroots, as well as potted plants. Probably 2 or 3 large clumps would be adequate for a pond that volume though.

 

My hornwort came today, it says online just to chuck it in and it will do its own thing, is that right @fairygirl @pete. Is the watercress the stuff you buy in the supermarket or a specific type?

 

I'm not sure about hornwort, never grown it.
In the old days bunches of elodea would come with tiny lead weights attached so the plant stayed submerged and didn't keep floating about.

My watercress is just stuff from the supermarket.
You need stems, often they just give you leaves in those prepacked bags.
The stems should have white roots showing at the base of the leaf stalks where it joins the stem.
I dumped loads of it today,

 

Ah, i nearly chucked the lead weights in the bin, will see about re-bunching them tomorrow. I assume i xould just grow my own cress and throw it in when they have stalks

 

Cress is best on the surface I would say, I just throw the bits with stalks in the pond, it does grow long roots and tend to anchor itself if you could start it off at least in a shallow spot.

 

Cress leaves wont grow, you will only be able to grow the bits that has stems.