Help Please!

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

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

On 27 Sep 2005 15:05:44 -0700, "captain039-recponds"
wrote:

What do I do with the algae I still have on the liner?

Leave it there. that's the good stuff that keeps suspend algae away.

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?

Refill. Put shade cloth over the pond to keep leaves and sun out over
winter, you will find the string algae all gone by spring. ~ jan

This is the first year ever that I have not had a coating of algae in
any of my half barrels or preforms......I just cleaned out the wifes
triple tier half barrel setup yesterday, and it was
spotless.........same for the other liner type containers here and
there. I was just getting things ready for the cooler months so if it
got really cold (fat chance of it really) there would be no mulm etc
decaying on the bottom to give problems later on.

I have at least one Pleco in each container some have 2 or more, as
well as 1 or 2 large snails........and some flying foxes. And each
and every outside preform has a couple of DOJO loaches, which do
remarkably well at cleaning up bottom junk.......All the roots on my
marginals that have poked through pots were spotless.......In my
opinion if you have a small preform or any pond in which you remove
your fish from in the winter and bring them indoors its worthwhile to
have a good clean up crew in them. You can't expect a ot out of a
clean up crew to do a fine job on an already infested with algae etc
pond, but if the crew is put in there at the start or after cleaning
it, then they can usually keep up with it....Previous years I was
inundated with algae, but this year it eas just about non-existent.

In the large pond I have still been aerating and usuing Baraclear and
it too has maintained a very good clarity and no string or other algae
blooms that interferred with water conditions. I do have a heap of
lilys and tons of floating plants, mainly sensitive vine/fern which
does a super job at pulling excessive nutrients from the water. My
parrots feather (what little I have left) does not do well once it
gets hot out here, but during the winter months when the other stuff
goes dormant the PF takes off and continues on with the nutrient
removal process, so come spring, until the other plants get going
again they are not inundated........Plants and aeration are important
in reducing algae, and of course excess feeding also does it part in
promooting algae growths.........I can't do much in regards to
sunlight / shade but I think I have the right balances in both the
natural ponds and the preforms etc. I'll do the same next year and see
what my reuslts are then and hopefully I have the combination of whats
needed to keep it right.

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 18:50:44 -0700, ~ jan jjspond
wrote:

===On 27 Sep 2005 15:05:44 -0700, "captain039-recponds"
wrote:
===
===What do I do with the algae I still have on the liner?
===
===Leave it there. that's the good stuff that keeps suspend algae away.
===
===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?
===
===Refill. Put shade cloth over the pond to keep leaves and sun out over
===winter, you will find the string algae all gone by spring. ~ jan


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
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