|
Q: What is algae?
Algae are microscopic plants. Though they are small, they are very strong plants. Like all plants algae require nutrients (fertilizer), light, oxygen, aqua (water) and heat. There are in excess of thirty thousand different species in fresh and salt water. The most common types that occur in ponds are "string algae", "surface algae" and "green pea soup algae".
Back to Top
Q: What is string algae?
String algae is mostly found crowding your marginal plants, in the stream bed, and sometimes in bad cases it will grow on the bottom of your pond. String algae is really hard to pull out of a pond because it clings to rocks, plants and everything else (well, not the fish because they are slippery).
Back to Top
Q: How do I remove string algae?
Never rip string algae out because this will cause the algae spores to detach from the algae and encourage future growth. Either hold the algae and cut it out with scissors, or twirl around a stick to grab all of the algae.
Back to Top
Q: How do I rid myself of string algae?
We use a combination of 3 products: Barley Straw, Algae Fix and Pond Balance. These products work great for lessening your algae growth. I have found that the best results are if you use all three products together. First put in the Barley Straw (which takes 1 month to activate). Then put in the Pond Balance to uproot the algae. Wait 10 days, then fully remove all the string algae by hand. Next put in some Algae Fix and continue to do so once a week. Only replace the Pond Balance every time you do a water change.
Back to Top
Q: What is barley?
Barley straw pillows are placed in your bio-falls, or anywhere water passes through it. As your bacteria digests the barley it lets off a natural hydrogen peroxide that kills algae which is safe for plants and fish. Barley pillows last 3 months and are great for string algae prevention.
Back to Top
Q: What is Algae Fix?
Algae Fix helps kill the string algae spores and coats the string algae making it harder to create food.
Back to Top
Q: What is Pond Balance?
Pond Balance is a salt solution used to loosen the grip of the string algae, making removal 10 times easier. Salt also kills the algae. Do not over dose your pond, too much salt can cause your plants to die. Because Pond Balance is salt, it does not evaporate out of your pond, so only add more when you do a water change.
Back to Top
Q: What is surface algae?
This is the good algae, it lightly covers the rocks and makes the pond look more natural. Also this algae provides about 60% of the oxygen in the water. It is quite easy to remove, just scrub with a scratchy side of a sponge.
Back to Top
Q: My water is murky, like pea soup, what is it?
This is a free swimming microscopic algae. The algae particles are too small to get caught in the skimmer. It's very hard to miss this type of algae because it's so cloudy it resembles pea soup (hence the name). This algae cannot be physically removed via net or other instrument, other than draining the pond (which doesn't handle the problem, but makes it worse). Pea Soup Algae feeds off of phosphates which are found in tap water. The easiest way to rid yourself of Pea Soup Algae is to get more biological filters, or a UV light. Both are guaranteed to work.
Back to Top
Q: I have a new pond and the Green Pea Soup Algae is driving me crazy. What should I do?
You must wait it out because your eco-system has not been established yet. Every time we install a new pond there is a lot of nutrients in the tap water for the algae to eat. Also the bacteria hasn't established itself yet so it can starve the algae. This exists up to 2 months, but it will clear as the water equalizes. The typical types of algae for new ponds is both String Algae and Green Pea Soup Algae.
Back to Top
Q: Should I use algaecides for my algae?
The main rules for algae are: "don't panic" and "don't use any algaecides". Algaecides will kill the algae as well as your plants. Algae can be handled by addressing its causes and being patient enough to try the solutions. Most chemical treatments are even hazardous to humans. Algaecides are only a temporary cure for the problem: algae is killed off, sinks to the bottom and begins to decompose. The decomposing algae release all of the nutrients that it had taken up, creating a nutrient rich environment for the next wave of algae. The next wave of algae, about a week later, will be larger than original, due to all the nutrients available. Using algaecides will cause your pond to become "chemically dependent".
Back to Top
Q: What is good about algae?
1. Provides shade for the fish, thus protecting them from predators.
2. Makes a great egg shelter for fish, snails, frogs, newts, dragon flies etc. etc.
3. In the winter time string algae is about the only thing the fish eat.
4. Is a great food source for small fry.
5. Great "daytime" source of oxygen for the fish and animals.
Back to Top
Q: What are the drawbacks to algae?
1. At night uses up all the oxygen, thus lowering the water quality for the other plants and fish.
2. Not very pretty, and makes it hard to locate fish and plants.
3. With overgrowth make cause other plants to die due to absorbing their nutrients, light and oxygen.
4. Algae decay increases the amount of nutrients in the pond.
Back to Top
Q: How do I balance my pond?
Plants are probably the most important addition to your pond, since they directly compete with algae for nutrients and light. Add a wide variety of plants to your pond. This not only creates a natural look, but also will help reduce the algae in different areas of your pond. Place water hyacinth and water lettuce in your falls. These floating plants reproduce rapidly, using up an enormous amounts of nutrients.
Plenty of bog and marginal plants should be added to the pond. Plants such as cattails and iris use large quantities of nutrients. They are hardy and will be back each spring to help you balance your pond. Cover the surface of the pond by planting water lilies. Lily pads float on the top of the pond soaking up the warm sunlight. The lily pads will reduce algae by preventing sunlight from reaching the deeper portions of the pond. Don't overlook oxygenators! They soak up nutrients and sun light directly through their leaves. Think of them as nutrient sponges. Physically remove clumps of string algae if it begins to overtake the pond.
Back to Top
Q: I have soil in my pond is that bad?
Soil is a fertilizer, which has nutrients for the algae to feed on, so remove any soil from your pond. Also when adding new plants take them out of the pot and plant them directly in the gravel. Keeping plants in pots doesn't help reducing the amount of nutrients in your pond. They are in an enclosed area and may die eventually for over crowding and nutrient depletion. Also make sure to rinse out the soil, sand, or clay off the roots. This will rid your pond of unnecessary nutrients and cloudy water.
Back to Top
Q: My sprinklers cause water to run in to my pond, how does that effect my eco-system?
Sometimes water and soil may flow in to your pond from rain or sprinkler systems. Use your hose to test the edges of your pond and make sure that the water is being diverted around your pond, not in it. Never use lawn fertilizer or insecticides on trees around your pond or on areas of your property that will drain towards your pond. Lawn fertilizer and insecticides will cause large nutrient blooms and will severely threaten the aquatic life inside your pond, and may be harmful to your aquatic friends. Back to Top
Q: Does bacteria kill algae?
Adding bacteria and enzymes to use excess nutrients helps but doesn't always control a severe algae problem. Adding high doses of either will not help kill your algae. Bacteria needs a place to live, adding more will just cause a bunch of dying homeless algae on welfare, which their death will cause more nutrients in the water, thus helping the algae survive.
Back to Top
Q: Should I get an aeration device?
Beneficial bacteria's effectiveness is enhanced by the use of an aerator. Proper aeration also adds to the overall health of the pond and can get rid of the "bad" types of bacteria growing in deep waters where there is no oxygen and sludge build up is great.
Back to Top
Q: Should I skim out dead or decaying leaves?
When plants decay they create nutrients in the water. Make sure all the leaves are swept up in your skimmer or by hand. In the wintertime some plants may go dormant or even die. You must trim or remove the plant waste or algae will find it's way in to your pond.
Back to Top
|