Fishkeeping - String Algae

On Fri, 1 Aug 2003 13:59:48 -0400, "Heather"
wrote:

The string algae is getting very thick in my stream. I am almost daily
pulling it out. I do have an UV filter but obviously the string algae does
not go thru it as it is attached to rocks going down the stream.

Short of daily pulling it out does anyone have any better suggestions?

Use some 30-10-10 soluble fertilizer and encourage another algae to
take over the pond. soluble nitrate (not ammonium nitrate)
fertilizer will do the trick, but the 30-10-10 flower fertilizer is
much easier to find. Takes a couple months to get the water clear
again and that may not be a great idea for you, but it worked for me
in Zone 8.

Aluminum Sulfate 2.66 ounces per 1000 gal. 4 oz per 1500 gal. It's
20 ppm, which is the dose recommended by the USDA. Reduces KH
removes, phosphates causes particles to coagulate. Will kill string
algae, but unless you clean the dead algae out of the pond it decays
and can cause an ammonia problem. The dead algae breaks loose from
the sides and bottom and can plug your drain and pump if it is heavy
enough. After going through this kill and vacuum routine several
times I turned the UV off and went with the fertilizer. The water
turned black for about a month and then I turned the UV back on and
the water cleared up in a couple weeks.

If you have string algae in such small amounts you can scoop it out
daily that might be the easy way out.

Regards,

Hal