Green pond water

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

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Life is about getting to know them.