What causes white foam in a pond?

Question

What causes white foam to accumulate in a pond? How dangerous is this? And what can be done about it? Oh also, if it is dangerous, are there safety precautions I ought to take before the issue is dealt with?

Lee · Accepted Answer

The foam is normally caused by a build-up of protein in the pond from organic matter that is decaying at the bottom of the pond; this can be from overfeeding, a build-up of fish waste or decaying plant material. ... It is perfectly normal for the foam to appear around a fountain or at the bottom of a waterfall.

Short-term, you can change out part of the pond's water to remove the foam. When you do, be sure to add some Stress Reducer Plus to the freshwater, which will form a beneficial slime coat on your fish and make tap water safe for them. In addition, add Defoam to your water. Safe for fish, plants and wildlife, you simply shake the bottle and pour the recommended dosage into the pond. The foam will disappear in no time.

Long-term, you have several options:

Increase Filtration: Boost your filtration by adding plants to your pond or increasing the capacity of your existing filtration system.

Relocate Fish: Too many fish will produce excess waste, which means more foam. 

Cut Back on Meals: If you're feeding your fish too much or too often, the excess food adds to the extra organic material in your pond's water. Only feed your fish an amount they'll eat in a few minutes.

Add Nutrient-Eating Bacteria: To help break down the nutrient load in the water, add beneficial bacteria such as LiquidClear to work. They digest the dead organics in the pond, making the water crystal clear and foam-free. Aerate the Water: Aeration will also help reduce the nutrient load by circulating the water column and feeding fresh oxygen to the busy bacteria.


Foamy water can be a nuisance, but once you achieve some balance in your pond's ecosystem, those bubbles will disappear in no time.

David · Answer

If you have a lot of fish in your pond this can cause it, it's protein from the fish waste it normally forms around the waterfall or filter return.
A freshwater protein skimmer would solve the problem.
Kind regards Dave

Mark · Answer

The foam is dissolved organic carbon (DOC) it’s mainly protein from fish food or rotting vegetation. Use fish food with less than 18% protein or wheat germ. Reduce feeding and clear debris.

Kyle · Answer

White foam accumulates when there is too much pressure in the water with the pump might not be placed right or the pump could be blocked and needs to be cleaned for safety precautions with any fish you would need to contact a local equestrian place and they can help

Mario · Answer

The foam is normally caused by a build-up of protein in the pond from organic matter that is decaying at the bottom of the pond; this can be from overfeeding, a build-up of fish waste or decaying plant material. It is perfectly normal for the foam to appear around a fountain or at the bottom of a waterfall

Eugene · Answer

Your pond needs a bit of a clean try to get as much decaying  matter out of your pond also clean your filter but leave some bacteria  in it so it will have a boost on startup

What causes white foam in a pond?

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