small pond algae control

RobertN · May 13, 2002

My wife and I put in a 4'x5' pond in the front yard. It is 1-2' deep, with a plastic liner. It has a little pump with a hose that goes to a big frog, that squirts back in the pond.

We put a few water plants, and a few goldfish in there.

All is generally good, except with the warmer weather we have got algae, and it smells(not terribly bad, but smells). The algae growth is clogging the little pump too.

What can we do to keep the fish, but cut down on the algae growth?

TWINKLE_TOES · May 13, 2002

Robert,

As usual , I don't have a clue /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif but fishman posted a response to my post on <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=rural&Number=35762&Search=true&Forum=All_Forums&Words=algea&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=0&Limit=50&Old=allposts&Main=35660>Pond Scum</A> that may help.
Al

dummy · May 14, 2002

Best option is to install a UV light kit. Does the pond have a bio filter also? Bio filters help remove solids and UV filters destroy algae growth.

dsulli · May 14, 2002

I have seen recommendations for algae control in larger ponds where you put a mesh bag, filled with barley straw, into the pond. There is some reaction with the straw that controls algae growth. If you pick up a water garden or pond magazine, you'll see advertisers for it. I assume it would work fine for a small pond, but you obviously wouldn't use as much.

rf33 · May 14, 2002

I have seen some algae control products which are nothing more than blue dye, which absorbs some of the light that algae needs to grow. I think that this stuff was not harmful to fish, but I do not know for sure. Perhaps your local Soil and Water conservation officer might have some more info on products in your area which control algae, but do not kill your fish? Or you might just try a larger pet store, as some of these have and sell pond equipment.

fishman · May 14, 2002

RobertN,

For larger ponds most recommend Cutrine Plus for algae control. Suggested treatment rates range from 1-2 gallons/surface acre, and I have found that 1 gallon/acre usually works great when the sun is out. This chemical is preferred over copper sulfate because the amount of elemental copper is greatly reduced. Price generally ranges from $30-$50/gallon retail.

Dilute the chemical 10 to 1 with water and don't kill the whole lake at once if the infestation is severe and/or it's mid-late summer. Treat a max of 50% of the pond's surface.

Because you pond is so small (0.00046 acres!) I wouldn't have a clue how much to use. The best advice might be to try one of the many websites that specialize in outdoor ornamental pools

TonyC · May 14, 2002

Hold the phone...don't kill your fish!!!!/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

I've been around the horn on that with a pond your size. Fish and plants help so you should have a balance of those. You should have 50-70% of the ponds surface shaded by plant life by summer. I found a product called "Back-up". It is a naturally occuring bacteria you buy in powdered form that you mix into the pond (1 tsps per 60 gallons), every week for the first month then monthly or so after that. It will keep you pond's water from turning green.

There is another form of algae known as string algae. It is easy to tell as it is stringy and adheres to the pond sides and plant life. This type of algae is controlled well by barley straw. A small amount in a net bag suspended under water will keep you clean. Take note: the barley straw works during the process of it's decomposition. So don't keep putting "fresh" stuff in!/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Leave the straw in all winter. String algae is worse then than in the summer. You can stop the back-up treatments when it gets cold. This method works. There is pletny of stuff you can buy such as UV filters which do work great but they are expensive and overkill for your size pond.

You may also want to add some filtration on your frog pump to help clean up suspended particles. Good luck!

fcpnorman · May 15, 2002

I live in Grass Valley, and have two ponds, one large and one small. They are both natural, fed by a stream and a spring. What I have found in the smaller pond is that shade keeps the water cool, and eliminates algae bloom. Also, keeping the water moving helps keep the algae from forming. I don't have much experience with the liners, so none of this may apply. In the spring on my large pond I get surface blooms of algae, from all the pollen landing on the surface and the sunlight. I keep a sprinkler going on it, and it chops it up , and it moves out from the cove and down to the release point, where I release it all down the creek. Once June rolls around the problem is over.
Just my two cents.

Alan L. · May 15, 2002

I just ordered 2 gallons of the Cutrine Plus from Barnyardhealth.com for about $24 a gallon for my 1.5 acre tank (pond). This was the lowest price I found - I'm presuming its the same dilution as the others I looked at. This will be my first time to use it on my algae.

RobertN · May 15, 2002

My wife will like this; she likes planting things/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif The pond receives a lot of sun, so that probably explains a lot. There is very little shade there. I will look in to the "back-up" this weekend.

Thanks!