I would suggest MORE aeration, not less. How many airstones are you using?

You must have high nutrient levels in the water. That with direct sunlight is perfect for growing algae. Water plants can help reduced the amount of nutrient in the water. But are you getting water/rain run off from the lawns, perhaps with fertiliser from the gardens/lawns?

I haven't fertilized since mid summer. I don't think anything is running off into the pond. We've been at this house for a few years now and never had this issue. Ever since I added the aerator, the algae has exploded. Could it be that the stirring up of the leaves and such on the bottom is adding all the nutrients? I'd like to add plants to one end (shallow end) at some point but i don't want them to take over the pond. Ideally, I'd like to make it a swimming pond. At this point, I'm thinking I may drain it in the spring and start over... Not sure what else to do and it's hard to find anyone in the area that has much expertise in "natural pools".

There'll be nutrient from somewhere so the aerator stirring up things from the bottom is a likely culprit. Can't see much in the way of trees around it, but that photo is only one angle. How deep does it get to? Does any water flow out/away? One way of removing nutrients is to have a second pond filled with a lot of water plants and then circulate the water between them. The pond with the plants becomes a biological filter (or bio-filter). The thing with natural pools is that they are all different in that local circumstances and the ideas of people vary as to what they want to achieve. I have a natural pool which suits me, although in our dry season it dries out completely so it's only a swimming pool for part of the year. I'm always exploring new ideas for it, even though most of my friends think I'm crazy.

There are actually quite a few trees around the pond and leaves do make their way in. I have a net that I try to get most out but some definitely stay. It angles from the shallow end to a depth of around 6-7 foot at the deep end. It's a lined pond and I add water (keep it topped off) in the summer with a zone on my well-fed sprinkler system. I have considered adding plants to the shallow end in pots to see if that helps, or even adding another pond to cycle water. I'm willing to do whatever works best as I'd love to have a crystal clear pond without chemicals. I've talked to some local vendors on quoting a conversion but they like to tell me in the 100k range which I think is ridiculous.

What kind of algae, what exactly am I seeing in the photo - it kinda looks like the water is clear and you can see to the bottom and theres clumps of green algae on the bottom?

If that is correct, and its NOT the thick pea soup type of algae you cant see through, if its string or clumping type of algae that actually is a sign of a healthy pond. The nutrients - fish waste, leaves, whatever, have to go through the ammonia-nitrite-nitrate cycle and SOMETHING has to use the nitrate - plants, algae, or usually some combination of the 2. Its realistic to expect the water can be "crystal clear," but not realistic to expect that the water can be clear entirely without some combination of plants/algae to use the nitrate. Now there are strategies for getting plants established and taking over from the algae but someone else will have to speak to that bc I have fish and haven't attempted plants.

If I've totally misread the situation and it is pea soup then its a similar situation - getting your plants and/or a better class of algae established (ie the string or clumping) . Algae can be your friend - if its the right kind!

You can't see more than 6 inches deep in the water. The water is completely green and you are seeing a swirling of, what I assume is the algae. I was thinking about draining the pond in the spring and putting up a barrier between the shallow and deep end to keep the plants on one side...possibly with a pump to move water from the two sides. Or, should I just try potted plants? I'm planning to run the aerator all winter but I'm not sure how much that's going to help. I just added some PondLogic water dye in hopes of helping too. Get rid of the fish? Thanks to everyone that responded. I'm new to the pond scene and it's (swimming pond) not generally something you can find a great deal about (at least in specifics) through searching.

Well, I was going to say the same as kashka_kat, but if you really can't see far down, then I suppose that there is a problem of some sort. Your pond is huge. I can't imagine what kind of aerator (or pump for that matter) would be big enough to have any effect on a pond that size.

I was talked into the PS10 aerator by air max by my local pond store when I explained I was trying to clear up the water.

Here's a link: http://www.thepondguy.com/product/airmax-pondseries-aeration-systems

Ah, the thermonuclear approach! Well out of my experience range.

Algae are not totally bad for your pond, they actually provide oxygen which is needed by fishes, however, there is a need to limit their growth to keep your pond healthy and balanced. There are several factors that affect the growth of algae in your pond, and these include turbidity, light, termperature and nutrients. There are several chemicals that can be mixed with pond water in order to reduce the growth of algae however, it can be harmful to the fishes. However, there are natural ways on how to get rid of algae in your pond without killing fish as discussed in Aquadye. You have to take note that it is not good to overpopulate your pond with fish and choose the type of plants that can help promote oxygenation, absord nutrients and block sunlight which in turn reduced the growth of algae.

All I can tell you is Koi smart.call them-They helped me just send them the photo -that's what I did