Question
I have had a small pond for several years and always have the same trouble.  The pond has several hours of direct sunlight and has an abundance of bacteria(?).  I have a lot of trouble keeping the pump going because so much debris is sucked into the filter.  I do not have any rocks or gravel at this time because it seems to contribute to the problem and is covered in algae and muck.  I introduced several plants to the garden - an oxygenator and two marginals but those did nothing to create a stable biologic environment. I had fish at one time but am hesitant to buy more until the water is balanced.  I recently had two tadpoles that didn't survive  which is discouraging because I understand those can survive most conditions.

How do I keep the pump going?  Are there plants that will prevent bacteria and algae growth?  I would like to accomplish a clear garden without chemicals or other such products.  Do you have some suggestions?

Thank you for your help!!

Answer
It's probably not bacteria that are clogging the pump.  It's probably a mix of algae, plant debris, and other debris.  How big is your pond?  What kind of pump and filter do you have?  It sounds like the pump and/or filter are not adequate.  Is the filter before or after the pump?  If it's before, then it shouldn't clog that often.  Sometimes pump intakes clog.  In that case, I put the pump into a holed basket and wrap it with pond filter material.  That increases the surface area of the intake and reduces clogging.  That way, I only have to clean the intake once a week instead of daily in the summer.  A balanced pond should have fish and plants and should be able to support the tadpoles.  If the tadpoles died, the water may not be safe for animals.  I suggest cleaning the pond if it needs it and doing a partial water change.  If the pond is under 100 gallons, just do a total cleaning and 100% water change.  Add dechlorinator, good bacteria, and some pond salt (<0.05%).  With a good pump and filter and all new water, the pond should hopefully be able to support fish, plants, and tadpoles.  Plants by their nature compete with algae so they help reduce algae levels.  Check out my page on pond algae at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/plants/algae2.htm for more ideas on controlling algae beyond plants, good bacteria, good filtration, barley straw, etc.  Good luck!

Robyn