|
Pond Supply Help?
215-525-1440
|
|
| |
|
Pond Algae
While a beautiful pond is an attractive addition to any garden, it becomes much less attractive if it is overgrown with algae. Pond algae blooms are a result of neglect and poor conditions. However, you don't have to just let the green or brown slime take your pond over. Here are a few tips on how to make your pond water less hospitable to algae.
Like any other plant, algae need sunlight and will grow faster in warmer temperatures. Of course, this can be hard to control. Short of planting shade trees near the pond, you can't do anything about how much sunlight your pond receives. However, a pond dye will keep sunlight from penetrating too deeply into the water so it can't feed algae or weeds. Pond dyes are harmless, and do not contain chlorine or toxic chemicals, so they don't pose a danger to people or animals. One treatment of pond dye is usually enough to keep your pond safe from algae for two to three months. The draw back in pond dye is that you wont see your fish very well.
You can also starve algae out by making sure there aren't enough nutrients in the water to feed an algae bloom. Algae draw their nutrients from left over koi food, rotting plant matter, fertilizer and fish waste. So, all you need to do is keep your pond clean. Regularly skim out the leaves and other debris that fall into the pond from surrounding plants. Having a pond skimmer can make it less work. A little bit of muck and debris on the bottom is fine, but don't allow it to build up more than a quarter inch deep.
Algae also prefer stagnant water that's low in oxygen. So an important part of pond algae control is getting more oxygen in the water, and you can do that by getting the water moving. A pond aerator, or even a fountain, will keep your water oxygenated. You may also want to install a pond filter. A variety of filters are available. Some use ultraviolet light to kill algae, while others deploy beneficial bacteria to eat the stuff.
If you need a quick solution, you can dose your pond with algaecide. However, algaecide must be applied carefully to avoid killing other plants and fish that live in the water; destroying them all will leave you with a dead, oxygen-starved pond. Using algaecide is only a short-term answer. If you do not correct the factors that led to the initial algae bloom, following the tips suggested above, or then algae will be back once the algaecide has been washed from the water.
Pond algae can be frustrating to deal with, but with a little knowledge and science, and the right equipment, you'll be ready to correct the base causes of the algae and assure yourself of a clean, shining pond. |
|
|
