Hi, I'm new to ponding and know I'm going to love it. I got the pond going around the end of Feb. I put in Beckett Pond KickStart, and Chlorine/Chloramine Remover.

After I got the pond started, it was nice, clean and sparkling. Then the oak trees bloomed and started shedding their pollen. It has fallen and been blown into my pond, and even though I net the pollen blooms and ALL leaves out a few times a day, some pollen goes to the bottom, and has made the water turn an ice tea color (from the tanins in the pollen, from what I have read on this forum). I got a glass of the water and it's clear, no suspended particles in it at all. I can see the bottom of the pond and there is the pollen from the oaks that I didn't get out in time. I don't have any rocks in the bottom of my pond. (Pond is about 8' x 10' x 2' deep.)

How I can get rid of the brown color in the water?

I have read about using activated carbon to clear the pond; some say it works and some say it doesn't. It's kind of expensive to take a chance on it not working. Is this the best thing for clearing the clear brown water, or is there something else?

Also, I looked at pond products online, and see something called pond water flocculants that make the particles clump together and fall to the bottom of the pond, but mine are already on the bottom! Is there any product that will make this stuff just disapear? Will the pollen in the pond keep giving the tanins forever, or will it all eventually leach out?

I also have a little foam on the surface, more at night that disapates mostly during the day. It originates at the waterfall. Should I use a defoamer?

Should I just drain the pond after all the oak blooms have fallen and start over?

Thank you for reading this, and for any advice and help you can give.