Mark

Are Pond Algae Blooms Dangerous?

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AP Algae Bloom 658x372

It’s impossible these days to go through an entire summer without hearing of some warning about a pond with algae in it.  Often the title might say something like “Toxic Algae Found In Lake” or something similar.

Just this week two new articles came out, one from Kansas, and one from Long Island New York, with warnings that people, pets, and livestock should avoid ponds that are covered with green algae, or if the water is tinted green (blue-green, bown, and even red.)  In the New York case, a pet died after drinking from the pond.

So the question came up about just how dangerous any pond with algae might be and what to watch out for concerning the “toxic outbreaks” that always seem to make the news.

You might recall an article I wrote a year or two ago about this very subject.  You can read that one here.  My attempt in that installment was to try and ease concerns a little bit but in doing so, I don’t want to minimize this issue either.

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A Brand New Look For Our Old Pond Blog

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If you’re a long time reader of our Pond Blog here, you’ll likely notice that things a look a little different today.   Yes, it’s true, we’ve done a little revamping here and wanted to improve a few things on the site with the hope that it will be easier for you to find the … Read more

Can You Spot Treat Pond Algae?

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Filamentous algae06

Here’s another good question from the old Pond Q&A mailbag and I think it can be applied to just about any size of pond, even though in this particular case the question was about a 3 acre pond.

The gentleman described his situation as having some reasonably heavy string algae around the perimeter of the pond and wondered what he could do about it.  He wanted me to put all the options on the table so to speak and so I did that, and I admit, I hedged a bit on the fact that the pond was so big and that if costs where a consideration, I’d try to include some reasonably affordable options too.

After sending the email out however I began to realize that I may not have talked about this much on the blog and so today, it’s a good opportunity to cover it.

So, when is it a good idea to spot treat an algae bloom?  When does it makes sense, versus treating the entire pond? Or do you always have to treat all of the pond to get a good effect?

And my answer, definitive as it may be is…it depends.

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Nitrate Levels And Your Pond – One Example From Iowa

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7 5 11 flooded field

Whenever we talk about pond algae and pond algae control, there are a few things we almost always focus on.  One of those things is nutrients that feed the plant growth.  Of course, these same nutrients feed other plants too, but by and large, it’s the free-floating plants that get the most of it.  This includes algae of course, but also duckweed and watermeal too.

Interestingly, a recent MSN article out of Iowa discussed a current, state-wide situation there where one of these types of nutrients, nitrates to be precise, is affecting the drinking water in the state.  I’ll include a link at the bottom of this article to that one so you can look it over.

In a nutshell, it provides an interesting example of the way weather can affect our ponds and waterways, and how some of the things we do around these aquatic environments affect them as well.  

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Pond Aeration Using Solar Power

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Solarpanel

Can I use solar power to run my pond aerator?

It’s a question that’s coming up more and more often.  And I have to admit that I’d be asking the same question myself if I were in your shoes.  Solar just makes a lot of sense when it comes to running something like pond aeration, at least on paper.

There are small pond fountains, in particular, that are running off solar, but what we’re talking about here is the concept of powering a large pond aeration system.

I’m not intimately familiar with all things solar and I wouldn’t consider myself and expert on the technology at all but I do have a few tips to share with you on the subject here.

I’m very pro-solar and admire the people who end up powering part or all of their home appliances with help from the sun.  It’s a grand, eco-friendly idea and I hope that legislators and the powers that be will make this way of producing energy more affordable and accessible for everyone.

In terms of running a pond aerator with solar power, it’s certainly possible to do it.  But there are some challenges to it and I wanted to address those below.

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UV Clarifiers And Sterilizers For Your Green Water Problem

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Planktonic algae02

Green water in a pond is one stubborn critter sometimes.  

It’s not really unusual to have this type of pond algae crop up and bloom once the days get a little warmer and sun shines a bit brighter in the spring or summer.  And unfortunately for the small pond owner who’s plagued by it, their first reaction is often to drain all the water out of the pond, clean things up and then start over.  But that’s not usually a good idea because the green water usually comes back very quickly.

Green water is caused by many individual single cell algae of various species.  They tend be very quick to bloom and multiply and they respond very favorably to sun exposure.  The rays of light really ramp them up.  

So I guess the next question is, are there better options than draining the pond and starting over?  You bet there is, and we’ll cover a few good ways to deal with this type of algae right here.

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