[Rebekah Claar]

Rebekah Claar  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Ponds and aquatic life: we are home-schooling this year and want to make it one of our daughter's science projects.  We have a pond out front in our yard, but the barn I board at has a 3 acre pond that has very little plant life and is a brown colour.  We would like to know how to help make it a healthy pond.
 
Rebekah Claar

What do you think?

[Don_1]

You would need a chemical analysis of the water to find out what is in it that is preventing plant growth.

[ukmicky]

Healthy pond water requires plants that release large amounts of air into it.


Canadian Pondweed (Elodea Canadensis) is as good as it gets and grows quickly

[LeeE]

As Don_1 says, you need a chemical analysis of the water, not only to check for toxic pollution but also for nitrite, nitrate, acidity, phosphate and oxygen levels.  The brown water may indicate high phosphate levels, but this should be good for plant life in the pond (unless it causes a toxic algal bloom).