Mark

Working Against String Or Hair Algae In A Small Pond

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String algae and hair algae are common problems in small ponds and water gardens. In the video included below, we cover the step by step process of trying to turn a pond around and clear the algae in a safe manner. A couple of things to note. When we talk about beneficial bacteria in the … Read more

Stacking For A Small Pond With Green Water Algae

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The video below will take you through the steps that we would try to remedy the problem of green water algae in a small pond or water garden. There are a couple of additional things we should mention here too. You won’t find barley or barley straw noted in the video but that’s a viable … Read more

How To Get The Most Out Of Pond Bacteria

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This is a rather lengthy article that talks in depth about how to get the best results when using a beneficial bacteria product in your pond or water garden. It’s worth taking the time to read but if you want a condensed version of the main points please watch the video below.

Of all the possible remedies that exist for restoring a pond to a better condition, there are few if any that have the power and benefits that beneficial bacteria can offer. These helpful little microbes that have existed in ponds, well, since the beginning of time or shortly thereafter, are little cleaning powerhouses.

The term “cleaning” is fairly accurate because beneficial bacteria help to reduce or clear up a number of things. Ammonia, which is deadly to fish, is broken down into harmless substances by bacteria. So are nitrites, which have their own degree of toxicity. Then there’s the nitrates and phosphates. These two types of nutrients are prime feeders of algae, and while they’re not necessarily bad, if they are high in number, your chance of having an algae bloom is pretty good.

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Does Green Water Hurt Fish?

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One of the most common questions we get about algae of any kind, concerns green water and whether this very common problem is actually harmful to fish.

It would make sense to say that this issue of clarity in any size of pond is really annoying to the pond’s owner. What may have once been a pristine and clear body of water, sometimes turns into a pea green soup overnight.

Green water in ponds, in case you don’t know, is actually created by very small, single cell algae that multiply out to the point where the water may become tinted slightly to the other end of the spectrum where you can’t see an inch down into the pond.

Like algae algae, these little fellow love sunlight and they derive a lot of energy from photosynthesis. Some of them even rise and fall during a 24 hour cycle. In the morning and throughout the day, they rise to the surface to soak in some rays, and at night they fall back down to the lower parts of the pond.

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Pond Shading Options For Limiting Green Water Algae

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I have to admit, sunny days make me happier.

But everything comes with a price they say, and sometimes the price you pay for ample sunlight is pond algae.

In the case of green water, which is caused by numerous single cell algae, the sun can play a major role in it’s growth.

After visiting with many pond owners over the years, when we get calls about green water, one of the common questions we’ll ask is, “does the pond get a lot of sun exposure?” The inevitable answer is almost always, “yes”. Other pond owners that had several ponds were often quick to point out that the ponds in some shade, were often clearer, and the pond’s in the sun were quite green.

Now don’t get me wrong, you want your pond to be exposed to a bit of sun…that’s just a good thing for desirable plants and your fish too, but too much of a good thing can often cause some problems.

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