Habitat - Outdoor :: Why is there FOAM/FROTH in the pond?

Ponds and other outdoor enclosures.

Post Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 3:10 pm   Why is there FOAM/FROTH in the pond?

I have noticed foam in my pond when I wake up? It usually decreases in quantity as the day passes but returns again in the morning. There are three RES and a dozen fan-tail guppies sharing the 150 gallon pond. I also have several lilies.

Would the foam/froth be caused by uneaten food (pellets)?

Has anyone experienced this before?
Gus
 
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Post Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 7:48 pm   

Welcome to the forum. Extra food could contribute. If there's a lot of food lest left over, you might feed a bit less.

Is there a lot of foam? When you say foam, is it actually foam (really thick, like soap suds) or more like just bubbles?

What are you using for filtration?
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
marisa
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Post Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 9:51 pm   

Post pics, it would really help us to see what we are talking about. It might just be from your water source (chlorine can do that) or bacterial growth from dirty water because of all the waste and uneaten food. Anyhow, a pic would really help a lot.
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the_orphaned
 
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Post Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 9:34 am   

Its more like soap suds. I though it may be created by the chlorine remover that I add to the water when I top up the pond. There is a direct pipe born water source that was designed to make filling/topping up the pond easier. When I turn on this tap I simultaneously add the chlorine remover and I see bubbles being created.

However, this week a thick gooey foam surfaced and was totally different from the normal foam that I originally noticed. It was almost creme in color.

I don;t have any pictures and don;t know how to host them.

Aside from the extra food, any idea as to what is causing the thick foam.
Gus
 
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Post Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 11:27 am   

Are you adding the chlorine remover according to the directions? You don't want to overdose the stuff.

The kind of foam you are describing sounds like a buildup of organic matter. Do you have a lot of aeration or turbulence in the water especially during the night? Usually proteinaceous matter like dissolved organics (feces, uneaten food, bacteria, decaying leaves, etc.) will adhere to the water/air interface often seen as a film or scum layer on the surface of stagnant water. When you churn up the water and introduce a lot of bubbles into the water, over a period of time you will see this protein foam accumulate on the surface.

Much like the brown foam you can see along the beaches especially when the water is choppy. It's one of nature's ways of removing excess nutrients from the ocean. The wind then blows the foam on shore across the grass where it can become fertilizer for the plants.

In the saltwater reef hobby we use expensive protein skimmers which mimic this action in the ocean by injecting millions of very fine bubbles into a vertical column of water at very high speed. As the aquarium water passes through the tube the organics are removed and bubble up to the top where they spill over and collect in a container of brown smelly scum. Actually, some sewage treatment plants utilize this kind of technology too. :o

One other thought...there's a lot of pollen in the air this time of year. That could also be contributing to the buildup of organic material in your pond. You may want to think about increasing the capability of your filter. You should also scoop out the foam as it accumulates on the surface.
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DavidY
 
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Post Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 5:17 am   

Chlorine treatment causes bubbles and makes the water a little grimey if you add it according to the directions. This bothers me, but it's best for the turtle.

The bubbles should be distinguishable from soap bubbles. If you put the appropriate amount for a gallon of water in a pitcher, then squirt water in the pitcher really aggressively, a ridiculous amout of bubbles should form very rapidly. These diminish rather quickly, whereas soap bubbles tend to linger for awhile.

I don't know why the bubbles form. Perhaps it is indicative of some sort of chemical reaction?
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thebernreuter
 
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Post Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 2:27 pm   

I'm trying to understand your filtration system. You say there's a pipe that you turn on to fill/top up the pond. Other than that, is there a filter going 24/7?
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
marisa
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Post Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 4:56 pm   

In summer months I get foam like that sometimes. I think it is because of the barley extract and algeafix I add regularly. As long as your water is healthy it should be harmless. I use these little test strips that tell me the pH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, and Nitrogen content. Strips are not the most accurate means of testing but they give you a decent area number.
GunnerMan
 
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