Yesterday I finally got round to making the barrel pond I've been wanting for ages. I drained the water already standing in the barrel then created a substrate of building sand and pebbles. I pushed some oxygenating plants into the sand, stood the reeds on a brick, then started putting the water back in as well as topping it up. As soon as I filled it it became super dusty, from the sand.
I am hoping the dust will settle on it's own but there's been no noticeable change at all overnight. There are oxygenating plants under the surface which presumably won't survive in such murky conditions. I also put a small pack of daphnia in, as well as whatever little critters were already present in the standing water.
Will it settle on its own? Is there anything I can do to help purify the water? I've read that watercress can be good. Or should I just just drain it (whilst straining out the critters) and refill with fresh water from the water butt?
by nottherealslash
3 Comments
Did a quick google and it sounds like it can take a week or two to settle and clear. Give it some time.
Our aquarium was very cloudy when adding sand too, you should rinse it but even if you do there seems like there is always some left. It settles after a while.
Was any clay heavy soil added as it does look a similar colour, but you can get sand in that color too. It should clear up, can always replace some of the water and see if it helps a bit too.
What do you treat the pot with to stop it leaking?