Pond Algae : How To Remove Nuisance Pond Algae
Nuisance pond algae is something every pond owner has to deal with on a constant basis. Pond, aren’t cheap by any means, so are the required equipment that is vital to a healthy pond. After spending all that time and money on a pond, an algae bloom occurs.
Now you can barely see your fish. And it doesn’t seem like this problem is going to go away anytime soon.
There are 3 main types of nuisance algae that most pond owners deal with. They are phytoplankton (microscopic algae), attached-erect algae and filamentous algae.
Their spread through your pond can be attributed to just one word. Nutrients. We will be concerning ourselves with nitrates and phosphates.
The next time you find yourself in the gardening section of a departmental store, take a look at the fertilizers they sell. You will see the letters N P K stamped on all of them. N is short form for nitrogen, P short for phosphorus and K short for potassium. All commercial fertilizers are made up of these elements.
Nitrates and phosphates are the two nutrients that we are concerned with. These two nutrients are both used by nuisance algae and aquatic plants.
Success against nuisance algae only comes if we can keep nitrate and phosphate levels low.
In smaller ponds (and even aquariums), nitrates can be solved with a few water changes.
When dealing with larger ponds in the thousands of gallons range, water changes are a lot more difficult. Cleaning the pond should be the first thing you should do. Remove as much detritus, fish waste and sludge from the bottom. Clean up any dirty filter pads as well as your pumps.
Lower the amount you feed your fish as well as feeding frequency. Another undesirable source of nutrients is rotting debris and leaves so remove as much as you can.
Aquatic plants compete with algae for nutrients so introduce some to your pond. floating plants like water lilies are good choices as they prevent sunlight from fueling any plant-life beneath them. The general rule of thumb is with regard to shade is 50 to 70 percent via use of floating plants.
UV sterilizers are successfully used to destroy microscopic algae. Depending on the size of the pond, UV Sterilizers are a pricey option though.
Another method towards algae treatment employs the use of barley. First used in Europe for centuries, its has become a common item in the pond hobby.
After submerging the barley into the pond, it will eventually release natural chemicals that are harmful towards most nuisance algae. It is completely safe for your fishes.
Barley is sold in three forms, dried barley straws, barley pellets and barley extract. They are not completely effective but they are cheap enough to try out.
While algaecide usage is common in the hobby, i feel they should never be used. Since it is essentially copper sulfate, it is a poison and therefore, environmentally unfriendly to your pond ecosystem. It has even been frowned upon by the European Union.
If you’re looking for a long term solution to algae problems, they are not for you. Mainly because they do not address the root cause of the algae in the first place. The root cause of nuisance algae is elevated nutrients. Which takes us back to the beginning, nutrient control.
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