October 27th 04, 02:30 PM
Well the only problen I have with my tiny pond is string algae. The
water is pretty clear. I have lots of plants and a biofilter. I guess
that goldfish aren't algae hungry as koi. I was told that mosquito
fish
are good at eating algae and can survive zone 5 indiana winters.
Keith
wrote:
> Algae is a part of nature just like the other parts of the
eco-system.
> The main goal in keeping clean water is not to attempt to completely
rid
>
> your pond of algae, but to keep it in balance with nature.
>
> Nothing is more frustrating to a pond owner than battling algae.
> Green water and long, ugly string algae cause headaches not only for
the
>
> homeowner, but also for the landscape contractor building ponds.
There
> are many factors and causes that are responsible for algae growth,
and
> stopping the growth of algae can sometimes seem like a losing battle
to
> the novice pond keeper. Fighting green water is not fun for anyone,
and
> it does not allow homeowners to enjoy the pond as much as they would
> like to. Simply put, no one likes a pond with an algae problem.
> Thankfully, prevention and control of algae is easier than one might
> think. In this article you will learn how to apply a simple, time
tested
>
> formula to ensure clear, healthy water.
>
> There are two main types of algae that afflict the pond. The
first
> type is suspended algae, and this is the algae responsible for
turning
> the water green. The second type is filamentous algae, otherwise
known
> as string algae. String algae forms in hair-like chains, and attaches
> itself to rocks, plants, or any available surface it can locate in
the
> pond. Although both are a real nuisance to the pond keeper, and are
two
> distinctly different types of algae, it helps to understand the
causes
> for each of them.
>
> Suspended algae blooms occur typically in the springtime. This is
> because the pond is first waking up from the winter slumber. As the
> temperatures first begin to rise, plants and fish in the pond are not
> active yet. Algae are the only organism actively contributing to the
> pond's eco-system. And, since the algae has no competition for a food
> source, everything is perfectly set for a bloom of suspended algae.
> Typically, this condition clears up in a week or two, as soon as the
> temperatures rise enough for the biological filter to start
generating
> beneficial bacteria. Spiking the pond with an application of bacteria
is
>
> a good idea at this time of the year, since it gives the Biofalls a
huge
>
> dose of bacteria. The rising temperatures will not only start the
> production of bacteria in the biological filter, but it also breaks
the
> plant's dormancy. All of the plants systems start up again for
another
> year in the pond. With the pond in balance, suspended algae does not
> stand a chance.
>
> String algae is a major pest, especially this time of the year.
> There are many different factors that encourage the growth of string
> algae. Sunlight, a heavy fish load, and not having enough plants can
> contribute to blooms of string algae. String algae consumes excess
> nutrients in the pond, such as phosphates and nitrates. Having a
> sufficient number of plants in the pond will help remove nutrients
from
> the water. By having plenty of plants in the pond, you can, in
effect,
> starve out string algae. Also, last year we had great success with
our
> String Algae Buster, which forces the strands of string algae to take
in
>
> excess calcium from the surrounding water. When the algae absorbs
this
> calcium, the strands break off, floating to the surface.
>
> Once they separate, they will either go into the skimmer, or be
> easily weeded out by hand. Although it doesn't completely eradicate
> string algae, it reduces it down to a manageable level. After all,
some
> string algae is healthy for a pond, however, it becomes a problem
when
> string algae is prevalent.
>
> The prevention of algae is made much simpler by reducing the
amount
> of nutrients available for algae to feed on. This is accomplished by
> having a balanced pond and also with proper filtration. Having a
> well-balanced pond makes it much easier to avoid having algae
problems.
> There are five factors that are necessary to have a balanced
eco-system.
>
> Removing any one of these items will make it much more difficult to
keep
>
> a pond with clean, clear water.
>
> THESE FIVE FACTORS ARE VITAL IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF
> NUTRIENTS IN A POND, AND IN TURN, KEEP YOUR POND FREE OF ALGAE.
>
> 1. PLANTS. Plants have a variety of benefits in and around the
pond.
> In addition to beautifying the pond and its surrounding area, plants
> help control algae. They do this by taking nutrients out of the water
> that algae would normally consume. Also, there are many oxygenating
> plants that add oxygen to the pond, helping maintain a healthy
> eco-system. Some plants, such as water lilies, will shade the pond,
thus
>
> reducing the amount of sunlight available for algae growth.
>
> 2. FISH. Large fish, especially koi, will eat a tremendous amount
of
> algae. Fish will constantly forage for food amongst the rocks and
gravel
>
> in the pond, picking them clean of any algae they might come across.
Koi
>
> over nine inches are a definite asset to have in the pond, as they
love
> to eat string algae.
>
> 3. ROCKS AND GRAVEL. When rocks and gravel are added to a pond,
> bacteria will actually colonize in the gaps and crevices between the
> rocks. The rocks and gravel provide huge amounts of surface area for
the
>
> bacteria to colonize and multiply. Once the bacteria colonizes the
> rocks, it is just like having an additional biological filter in the
> pond.
>
> 4. SKIMMER. A pond skimmer acts as a mechanical filter by removing
> leaves and other nutrients from the surface of the pond before they
can
> sink to the bottom. This way, the leaves and other debris will not
> decompose in the pond and thus provide nutrients for another algae
> bloom.
>
> 5. BIOFALLS. Having a properly sized biological filter is
essential
> if you want clean, clear water. Without a biological filter, you are
> facing a losing battle against green water. The Biofalls provides a
huge
>
> area for bacteria and enzymes to colonize. These bacteria and enzymes
> consume nutrients and help break down organic debris and fish waste
that
>
> would otherwise contribute to water quality problems.
>
> Even when you have a balanced pond, there are still some factors
> that will contribute to having an excess amount of algae in a pond.
> Things such as overfeeding of fish, not having enough plants, or
having
> too heavy a fish load can all contribute to having algae problems.
> Thankfully these are easily avoidable with some foresight. Another
> important thing to safeguard against is the addition of any chemicals
or
>
> nutrients entering the pond from an outside source. There are several
> ways that nutrients find their way into the pond, with the two most
> common being from drainage runoff, and also from lawn fertilizer.
> Rainwater runoff that is allowed to enter into the pond will quickly
add
>
> loads of new nutrients into the eco-system. Lawn fertilizers
> accidentally sprayed into the pond can quickly turn the clearest pond
> water green. We advise our customers not to have any adjacent lawns
> chemically sprayed or treated, as this more often than not creates
> problems in the pond.
>
> Algae is often controlled by adding additional bacteria to the
pond.
>
> Bacteria feeds on the same nutrients that algae does, and adding
> nitrifying bacteria such as our Aquaclearer will help win the fight
> against green water. Nitrifying bacteria converts harmful fish wastes
> into nitrite, and eventually into nitrates, which plants take in as a
> fertilizer. The bacteria colonizes the filter mats and lava rock in
the
> Biofalls, as well as the rocks and gravel in the pond. As soon as
this
> bacterium has taken over the rocks and gravel along with your
Biofalls,
> your entire pond has, in essence, become a biological filter. This,
in
> itself, will help your water stay clear.
>
> Thankfully, taking the proper measures can drastically reduce the
> occurrence of algae. It is important, however, to remember that algae
is
>
> a part of nature, and an important part of your pond's eco-system. A
> pond is an eco-system that supports fish, plants, frogs, tadpoles,
> birds, dragonflies, and other wildlife. Algae is a part of nature
just
> like the other parts of the eco-system. The main goal in keeping
clean
> water is not to attempt to completely rid your pond of algae, but to
> keep it in balance with nature.
>
> Happy Ponding
> Bullfrog-ed
>
>
> http://www.pondguys.com
> The Aquascape Design Ecosystem
> Complete Pro Pond Kits
>
> "HELPING TO CHANGE THE WAY THE WORLD BUILDS PONDS.
>
>
>
>
> Sir Itchy wrote:
>
> > Help!
> >
> > I've finally given into my wife's pestering for a pond.
> >
> > Spent 3 weeks digging/landscaping/filling...
> >
> > Filled it with a coupla-hundred-quids worth of plants...
> >
> > Pond's turned green!
> >
> > What to do...
> >
> > --
> > Itchy
> >
> > There are lovely people in this world.
> > Life is about getting to know them.
water is pretty clear. I have lots of plants and a biofilter. I guess
that goldfish aren't algae hungry as koi. I was told that mosquito
fish
are good at eating algae and can survive zone 5 indiana winters.
Keith
wrote:
> Algae is a part of nature just like the other parts of the
eco-system.
> The main goal in keeping clean water is not to attempt to completely
rid
>
> your pond of algae, but to keep it in balance with nature.
>
> Nothing is more frustrating to a pond owner than battling algae.
> Green water and long, ugly string algae cause headaches not only for
the
>
> homeowner, but also for the landscape contractor building ponds.
There
> are many factors and causes that are responsible for algae growth,
and
> stopping the growth of algae can sometimes seem like a losing battle
to
> the novice pond keeper. Fighting green water is not fun for anyone,
and
> it does not allow homeowners to enjoy the pond as much as they would
> like to. Simply put, no one likes a pond with an algae problem.
> Thankfully, prevention and control of algae is easier than one might
> think. In this article you will learn how to apply a simple, time
tested
>
> formula to ensure clear, healthy water.
>
> There are two main types of algae that afflict the pond. The
first
> type is suspended algae, and this is the algae responsible for
turning
> the water green. The second type is filamentous algae, otherwise
known
> as string algae. String algae forms in hair-like chains, and attaches
> itself to rocks, plants, or any available surface it can locate in
the
> pond. Although both are a real nuisance to the pond keeper, and are
two
> distinctly different types of algae, it helps to understand the
causes
> for each of them.
>
> Suspended algae blooms occur typically in the springtime. This is
> because the pond is first waking up from the winter slumber. As the
> temperatures first begin to rise, plants and fish in the pond are not
> active yet. Algae are the only organism actively contributing to the
> pond's eco-system. And, since the algae has no competition for a food
> source, everything is perfectly set for a bloom of suspended algae.
> Typically, this condition clears up in a week or two, as soon as the
> temperatures rise enough for the biological filter to start
generating
> beneficial bacteria. Spiking the pond with an application of bacteria
is
>
> a good idea at this time of the year, since it gives the Biofalls a
huge
>
> dose of bacteria. The rising temperatures will not only start the
> production of bacteria in the biological filter, but it also breaks
the
> plant's dormancy. All of the plants systems start up again for
another
> year in the pond. With the pond in balance, suspended algae does not
> stand a chance.
>
> String algae is a major pest, especially this time of the year.
> There are many different factors that encourage the growth of string
> algae. Sunlight, a heavy fish load, and not having enough plants can
> contribute to blooms of string algae. String algae consumes excess
> nutrients in the pond, such as phosphates and nitrates. Having a
> sufficient number of plants in the pond will help remove nutrients
from
> the water. By having plenty of plants in the pond, you can, in
effect,
> starve out string algae. Also, last year we had great success with
our
> String Algae Buster, which forces the strands of string algae to take
in
>
> excess calcium from the surrounding water. When the algae absorbs
this
> calcium, the strands break off, floating to the surface.
>
> Once they separate, they will either go into the skimmer, or be
> easily weeded out by hand. Although it doesn't completely eradicate
> string algae, it reduces it down to a manageable level. After all,
some
> string algae is healthy for a pond, however, it becomes a problem
when
> string algae is prevalent.
>
> The prevention of algae is made much simpler by reducing the
amount
> of nutrients available for algae to feed on. This is accomplished by
> having a balanced pond and also with proper filtration. Having a
> well-balanced pond makes it much easier to avoid having algae
problems.
> There are five factors that are necessary to have a balanced
eco-system.
>
> Removing any one of these items will make it much more difficult to
keep
>
> a pond with clean, clear water.
>
> THESE FIVE FACTORS ARE VITAL IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF
> NUTRIENTS IN A POND, AND IN TURN, KEEP YOUR POND FREE OF ALGAE.
>
> 1. PLANTS. Plants have a variety of benefits in and around the
pond.
> In addition to beautifying the pond and its surrounding area, plants
> help control algae. They do this by taking nutrients out of the water
> that algae would normally consume. Also, there are many oxygenating
> plants that add oxygen to the pond, helping maintain a healthy
> eco-system. Some plants, such as water lilies, will shade the pond,
thus
>
> reducing the amount of sunlight available for algae growth.
>
> 2. FISH. Large fish, especially koi, will eat a tremendous amount
of
> algae. Fish will constantly forage for food amongst the rocks and
gravel
>
> in the pond, picking them clean of any algae they might come across.
Koi
>
> over nine inches are a definite asset to have in the pond, as they
love
> to eat string algae.
>
> 3. ROCKS AND GRAVEL. When rocks and gravel are added to a pond,
> bacteria will actually colonize in the gaps and crevices between the
> rocks. The rocks and gravel provide huge amounts of surface area for
the
>
> bacteria to colonize and multiply. Once the bacteria colonizes the
> rocks, it is just like having an additional biological filter in the
> pond.
>
> 4. SKIMMER. A pond skimmer acts as a mechanical filter by removing
> leaves and other nutrients from the surface of the pond before they
can
> sink to the bottom. This way, the leaves and other debris will not
> decompose in the pond and thus provide nutrients for another algae
> bloom.
>
> 5. BIOFALLS. Having a properly sized biological filter is
essential
> if you want clean, clear water. Without a biological filter, you are
> facing a losing battle against green water. The Biofalls provides a
huge
>
> area for bacteria and enzymes to colonize. These bacteria and enzymes
> consume nutrients and help break down organic debris and fish waste
that
>
> would otherwise contribute to water quality problems.
>
> Even when you have a balanced pond, there are still some factors
> that will contribute to having an excess amount of algae in a pond.
> Things such as overfeeding of fish, not having enough plants, or
having
> too heavy a fish load can all contribute to having algae problems.
> Thankfully these are easily avoidable with some foresight. Another
> important thing to safeguard against is the addition of any chemicals
or
>
> nutrients entering the pond from an outside source. There are several
> ways that nutrients find their way into the pond, with the two most
> common being from drainage runoff, and also from lawn fertilizer.
> Rainwater runoff that is allowed to enter into the pond will quickly
add
>
> loads of new nutrients into the eco-system. Lawn fertilizers
> accidentally sprayed into the pond can quickly turn the clearest pond
> water green. We advise our customers not to have any adjacent lawns
> chemically sprayed or treated, as this more often than not creates
> problems in the pond.
>
> Algae is often controlled by adding additional bacteria to the
pond.
>
> Bacteria feeds on the same nutrients that algae does, and adding
> nitrifying bacteria such as our Aquaclearer will help win the fight
> against green water. Nitrifying bacteria converts harmful fish wastes
> into nitrite, and eventually into nitrates, which plants take in as a
> fertilizer. The bacteria colonizes the filter mats and lava rock in
the
> Biofalls, as well as the rocks and gravel in the pond. As soon as
this
> bacterium has taken over the rocks and gravel along with your
Biofalls,
> your entire pond has, in essence, become a biological filter. This,
in
> itself, will help your water stay clear.
>
> Thankfully, taking the proper measures can drastically reduce the
> occurrence of algae. It is important, however, to remember that algae
is
>
> a part of nature, and an important part of your pond's eco-system. A
> pond is an eco-system that supports fish, plants, frogs, tadpoles,
> birds, dragonflies, and other wildlife. Algae is a part of nature
just
> like the other parts of the eco-system. The main goal in keeping
clean
> water is not to attempt to completely rid your pond of algae, but to
> keep it in balance with nature.
>
> Happy Ponding
> Bullfrog-ed
>
>
> http://www.pondguys.com
> The Aquascape Design Ecosystem
> Complete Pro Pond Kits
>
> "HELPING TO CHANGE THE WAY THE WORLD BUILDS PONDS.
>
>
>
>
> Sir Itchy wrote:
>
> > Help!
> >
> > I've finally given into my wife's pestering for a pond.
> >
> > Spent 3 weeks digging/landscaping/filling...
> >
> > Filled it with a coupla-hundred-quids worth of plants...
> >
> > Pond's turned green!
> >
> > What to do...
> >
> > --
> > Itchy
> >
> > There are lovely people in this world.
> > Life is about getting to know them.