my small pond/water garden is all green

Question
Hi Robyn, I am so glad I found this website! I live in So. Florida and I have a small round plastic pond on my screened porch. It holds about 50 gallons or so. I have the pump that came with the pond attatched to s "spitting fish". I have 2 koi, 2 black moors and some kind of sucking fish. I have fake aquarium plants in with the fish. For the past few days the water has been getting really cloudy, kind of greening up I guess. I added this water clear stuff I got at the store and it didn't do anything. I don't know what to do about it and I feel so bad for my fish. If you have any ideas, let me know. The pond-actually it is more like a barrel, anyway it is light blue and I know dark colors are best, do you think I should darken it up with something? I was thinking of getting one of those aquarium backgrounds but they are black on one side and I am thinking the water would get to hot. Think about this one and let me know what I am doing wrong.       Thanks so Much... Carol   ps my fish thank you too.  

Answer
Carol, your problem is very common.  There are many things you can do but not as many than if your pond was larger!  I assume your koi and moors are still young as a 50 gallon pond is not really big enough for koi.  The sucking fish is probably a plecostomus.  

As for the color of the outside of the pond, since you're in Florida, you should stick with lighter colors to keep the pond from overheating in summer.  Are you talking about the inside or outside of the tub pond?  Insides are normally black.  Outsides can be anything really but black and brown are common.

This is spring and even my ponds are now starting to turn a little green.  Instead of my writing a book of ideas and information for you, check out these pages on my web site with lots of ideas.  My biggest suggestion to you would be to get a larger pond or find another home for the koi once they grow too big.  Good luck!

Pond algae - http://www.fishpondinfo.com/algae2.htm
Koi - http://www.fishpondinfo.com/koi.htm
Goldfish - http://www.fishpondinfo.com/gfish.htm
Plecosomtus - http://www.fishpondinfo.com/pleco.htm
Tub ponds - http://www.fishpondinfo.com/tubpond.htm