Help Please!

Hi Folks,

I'm new to the group, and we've had our pond for 2 seasons now. Last
year, everything worked out very well after the initial break-in
period. This year, we have a very bad case of string algae (I think),
and I've drained the pond. Now that the pond is drained, what is the
best bet to get rid of the algae, so I don't have it in the spring. I
don't mind filling the pond, treating it, and draining it again, but it
will drain into a garden area, so we must be careful not to kill plants
in the process. We have 25 goldfish, 700 gallon pond (should be
enough), plenty of water movement, and a homemade bio filter. We had a
few plants to begin the season (no algae problem), but they rapidly
grew to quite a few. Any words of wisdom? Our pond is one with a rubber
liner. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

captain039-recponds wrote:

I'm new to the group, and we've had our pond for 2 seasons now. Last
year, everything worked out very well after the initial break-in
period. This year, we have a very bad case of string algae (I think),
and I've drained the pond. Now that the pond is drained, what is the
best bet to get rid of the algae, so I don't have it in the spring.

Just scrub it down (_without_ soap). But it will still come back in the
spring. imo, draining a pond to deal with algae is a bad idea. Algae
grows in the presence of sunlight and nitrates. The best solution then is
to grow enough other plants to shade the subsurface water and use up all

Meanwhile, string algae is fairly easily controlled with a stick - twirl
around, pull out, dump in compost...
--
derek

On 27 Sep 2005 06:00:27 -0700, "captain039-recponds" wrote:

I'm new to the group, and we've had our pond for 2 seasons now. Last
year, everything worked out very well after the initial break-in
period. This year, we have a very bad case of string algae (I think),
and I've drained the pond. Now that the pond is drained, what is the
best bet to get rid of the algae, so I don't have it in the spring. I
don't mind filling the pond, treating it, and draining it again, but it
will drain into a garden area, so we must be careful not to kill plants
in the process. We have 25 goldfish, 700 gallon pond (should be
enough), plenty of water movement, and a homemade bio filter. We had a
few plants to begin the season (no algae problem), but they rapidly
grew to quite a few. Any words of wisdom? Our pond is one with a rubber
liner. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Draining isn't the answer, unless you have a lot of muck build up at the
bottom and don't have a shop vac to suck it out. Why koi ponders recommend
frequent partial water changes (10%/week) over big changes, so as not to
upset the balance.

Don't want string algae? Get rid of 15 goldfish (maybe more), they're the
main reason you have it. All that rich fishy poo. Or build a bigger
out-of-the-pond filter. ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

Thank you very much for the replies. I should have added that our pond
is in our shade garden, which gets very little time with direct
sunlight (maybe 2 hours or so per day). The only difference between
last year and this year is that we have more fish this year. Maybe that
*is* the cause. Thanks again.

I would suggest you do not drain the pond totally again. This is a
quick fix but a temporary one as you will have wiped out a lot of the
biological filtration that was in the pond. Those great heterotrophic
bacteria are not limited to just our filters, they grow on the surface
of the liner, the rocks, ect.

You could get a UV sterilizer or clarifier for free floating algae.
Many people use barley pellets, or straw or hydrogen peroxide to
control string algae. It is also recommended that the pond has a 70%
surface coverage of plants, but I did read a research article that
showed in one study that there was very little difference in the rate
of algae growth in the shade and direct sunlight. Very interesting.
This article also stated that the nitrifying bacteria in an established
pond secretes an enzyme that interferes with the growth of algae.
Another reason to do partial water changes vs draining a pond.

Since I have been using barley hay the last two years I have not had
any string algae. When it breaks down it releases hydrogen peroxide.


Hope this helps- I am sure others will chime in with their
recommendations as well. Happy ponding.


--
Koitoy

I should have asked if below zero weather will kill the algae we now
have, or if it would be wise to use an algaecide or something else?

"captain039-recponds" wrote in message
ups.com...

I should have asked if below zero weather will kill the algae we now
have, or if it would be wise to use an algaecide or something else?
===============================
No, freezing wont kill it. It will come back in the spring if conditions are
the same. You may want to get rid of some of your goldfish. How about
overfeeding? No one's just tossing fish food in your pond an walking off I
hope (a mistake a friend of mine was making). All uneaten food will decay
and feed the algae. Water lettuce competes well with algae and thrives in
partial shade. It simply starves it out. Water lilies will shade it out
algae and live in partial shade although most wont bloom in such conditions.
Adding some hornwart and elodia will also help starve it out.
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

captain039-recponds wrote:

I should have asked if below zero weather will kill the algae we now
have, or if it would be wise to use an algaecide or something else?

Yes, it will - for the most part. It's _never_ wise to use an algaecide in
a fish pond. You aren't doing anything to solve the main problem -
nitrates - and you can only hurt the fish.
--
derek

Thank you very much for all the replies. It has been a real learning
experience. Now my only question is: What do I do with the algae I
still have on the liner? Should I refill the pond, and leave it as is
for spring, or refill and use a treatment of some kind, then drain and
refill one last time?

"captain039-recponds" wrote in message
ups.com...

Thank you very much for all the replies. It has been a real learning
experience. Now my only question is: What do I do with the algae I
still have on the liner? Should I refill the pond, and leave it as is
for spring, or refill and use a treatment of some kind, then drain and
refill one last time?
========================
If it's hair algae use a toilet or bottle brush to remove it as best you can
and add as many pond plants as possible including Hornwart and Elodea. In
the spring add water lettuce and water hyacinth, don't overfeed and maybe
cut back on the number of fish in your pond. More partial water changes
should be considered. All these things should help get rid of it.
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o
http://www.hyphenologist.co.uk/killf..._troll_faq.htm