How do i solve the problem of algae in my garden pond?
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There is a product called AlgaeFix that should be able to help with this problem, but perhaps you could look into getting some snails, or other algae-eating fish that get along with whatever fish or frogs you already have in there...
u could put some fish in the pond and they will eat them up...
barley straw or go to a good garden center and get pond treatment
use alum
introduce fishes
refer :http://www.pond-supplies-and-help.com/po... for more info
Try using Aquashade, its a blue pond dye that contains a blend of blue and yellow dyes that help to block out specific light rays. By limiting sunlight penetration into the water, you can limit algae and weed growth.
turn it into a sandpit? only kidding but couldnt resist it sorry, please forgive me. xxxxx
There are two kinds of carp that will eat algae. You could also use barley straw. Or you could add a little bit of (a very little dab will do ya) of copper sulfate.
I use aquarem I also have a stream and waterfall fish and plants and my pond is clear all summer long.
Fill the legs of nylon stockings with straw and put into your pond.
Your best and cheapest solution is to ask someone with an established, healthy pond (in your area) to give you a bucket of their muck. NO KIDDING!! Mother Nature has had millions of years of experience in keeping water balanced and healthy. Just pour it into your pond in several places and within a week (or even a few days) you will see results. You can buy the expensive bacteria products and that will help, but transferring the micro-organisms and tiny pond insects, ect with give you a junp-start! DO NOT use an algaecide. It is a temporary fix and will not solve your problem. If you have used it, the muck may not work as well. The less chemicals you use in your pond, the better. Your fish don't want to live in a chemical bath.
Good pond maintenance also helps...remove leaves and other dead debris and NEVER add more than 10% in a water change. If you are adding water, trickle it in.and set a timer! We all do a fish kill before we learn this lesson. Oh, to be smart without the awful lesson!
You must have the 'circle of life' also. Fish, plants, snails ect. Don't overstock the fish or overfeed (think how tiny the fish stomach is). The algae is a natural food source, and if you get rid of all of it, your balance is off.
Happy ponding!
if you already have fish, don't feed them so much, if you don't have fish, get some, make sure you have a pump to keep the water constantly moving to avoid build up and if none of these work, there is a liquid you can buy to help break it down.
There are many different types of Algae that affect ponds, from the green soupy mixtures to the long filaments of Algae such as Blanket Weed or Spirogyra.
Both need light, nutrients and warm water to thrive and can be countered in differing ways.
The blanket weed, if you have it, can be a pest, as it often 'chokes' water lilly leaves and flowers, deforming them. Somone has mentioned straw, and it is particularly Barley Straw that will control it. You can either can get compressed pieces of this, submerge some small bales of it or use an organic extract of Barley Straw, added as a liquid: these are all natural control mechanisms, and are not artificial chemical treatments. Interpet make a liquid Barley Straw extract that I've used with good effects.
Always manually remove as much Blanket weed as you can, before adding a treatment. You can use canes that you can immerse and wrap this weed around it. Then treat the pond as soon as it is clearer of this stuff. Extreme cases may need prolonged clearance and treatments to bring it under control. Just keep working against it.
As i stated, all Algae needs light, nutrients and wamer water to grow and thrive. If you restrict these, you will also hamper its chances of taking over. By covering the water surface with large leaved plants, or other objects, you are cutting off the vital sunlight that it needs to grow. Aim for a good coverage with plants such as water lillies: my ponds are now about 80% covered, though Algae do start developing earlier in the year than most water lillies. Think of other ways that you can shade the water surface too. I've got a floating hippo that does her/his best to keep Algae at bay. OK, some may consider it may be tacky, but it does a good job.
The nutrient availability can be reduced by never letting debris get into the pond and decaying. Remove dieing stems / leaves and watch out for autumn leaf falls from trees. Natural water systems have millions of bacteria in the water that convert the nutrients to less available forms of nitrogen etc. thus restricting growth. This will reduce it for other plant forms too though - but if you plant any lillies etc. in pots that have pots covered with stones etc, the plants will get their nutrients from their soil and not the water.
It's useful to plant other submerged plants too, that will compete with the Algae for any dissolved nutrients. These release Oxygen into the water, helping animal life, including fishes.
The other factor with nutrients is to ensure that your water is as natural as possible - try not to just add fresh tap water. You can treat tap water with de-chorinators etc, that will stop the added chemicals in tap water affecting the natural balance of micro-organisms that you'll rely on to reduce the available nutrients, as mentioned earlier. You can boost these micro-organisms by adding some from other mature water sources or adding purchased natural boosts of them, available from water plant / fishery stockists. Natural is always best.
You can get pond filters with UV treatment that will filter the water and kill Algae. These are good as they don't add anything unnatural to the water, they also increase oxygen levels in the water, good for wildlife.
Finally, you can add chemical products that are safe for natural life, fish etc. though try to do this as a last resort, if at all. We've had a warm winter and spring where I live, with lots of sunlight and this has given Algae a major start to the year.
Once you have a good level of surface coverage, have fought against the Algae which is a natural living organism in light damp places, and ensure that you've removed as much manually as is practical, your pond will become more balanced and Algae will diminish. Couple this with removal of any natural debris, and you'll see alot less Algae around. Some of this depends on your budget - such as the UV filters, as well as the amount of time that you've got available. But it is manageable, and my ponds now don't take more than a handful of hours per year to keep them under control.
Quick thoughts to help you along. Good luck! Rob
get some barley straw from a pond shop, or use a fountain to keep the water running with a filter and light box.
I have always used Bionetix Aquaclean (www.bionetix.co.uk). Its a bacteria and takes a about 2 weeks go remove the algae. Its worth looking at some chemical treatments, they can have long term effects on your pond.
Oxygenating plants.
Ours was really green, bought some plants and as if by magic . perfectly clear now!
If you want to do it the natural way, the Time Online Gardening recommends putting a bundle of barley straw in the pond. I think it is because the straw needs nitrogen to decompose, and the algae are a cause of excess nitrogen in the water. So, absorb the nitrogen with the straw, and starve the algae..
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