Keeping your garden pond clear can be difficult, and having cloudy water is unsightly.  A pond is usually dug in order to increase the natural beauty of your home.  It is a spot where the relaxing sounds of water sooth you, local wildlife stops in for a sip of water, and your koi fish swim and live happily. 

When chemicals, rainwater, and dirt get into your pond and make it cloudy, sometimes a mechanical filtration system is not enough. Adding chemicals similar to those added to a chlorinated pool could work, but you are risking killing plant and animals that reside alongside your pond.  A chemical treatment method is also non conducive to keeping any fish you have living in your pond.

There are safe methods for clearing up your pond and keeping it clear.  The most common cause of cloudy ponds is filamentous algae.  This algae makes the water look greenish in color or often times gray.  A common and safe way to solve this is with barley straw.  When it is placed in a pond, the oxygen in the pond starts to decompose the straw.  This release a naturally occurring anti algae barrier that keeps new algae from forming and helps the old algae clump together to sink for natural decomposition at the bottom of your pond.

By using barley straw, or similar pond clearing products that are biodegradable and non-toxic, you will maintain a natural water pH and a well-balanced ecosystem in your own backyard.