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Pond Algae

The Power Of Pond Aeration Against Algae

By Mark 6 Comments

There are days I can probably sound like a broken record. If you’ve watched any of our videos or read through my articles here, you’ll no doubt remember that I have often said that pond aeration can help with algae problems. In fact, aeration is the first place we often look when we’re trying to improve a pond’s condition.

The other main point I often make is that chemicals, and particularly algaecides should be reserved as a last resort sort of thing. They are often not needed or required to turn a pond around and end an algae bloom.

And the story I’m about to share is a good case in point.

One of our customers, Rod Abbott, lives in Kansas. He ordered an aerator for his pond after watching algae finally cover the surface from end to end. Rod had never treated the pond with any kind of chemical and so there was a hope that by adding aeration, some naturally occurring bacteria might be stimulated and start to lower nutrients that are feeding this algae bloom.

As I’ve noted before, one of the problems with using a copper based algaecide in a pond is that copper not only kills algae, but it also destroys a lot of good bacteria in the process too. These little microbes can be the key to keeping a pond in great shape, and they need to be abundant and healthy. Since they’re mostly aerobic, they need good dissolved oxygen levels to function well.

And sometimes, when oxygen levels rise, these tiny little things can do some miraculous work.

Rod was kind enough to keep track of his pond’s progress and below you’ll see how bad the pond was to begin with. It’s covered with some pretty dense and heavy filamentous algae. Keep scrolling down the page and you’ll see what happened within 10 days of adding the aerator.

Before The Aerator Installation

0 days

Day #1 With The Aerator In Operation

1 day

10 Days After Adding The Aerator

10 days

Nice huh? But this shouldn’t come has a huge surprise. Of course this may not happen in every pond right away, but biologically it makes sense. Give the microbes what they need and if they are present in enough volume, they can begin working to clean up a pond almost immediately.

This is why we always start with pond aeration. If it’s present already, that’s great. But if it’s not, it’s usually one of the main tools that will help turn a pond around. It will help with water quality and pond health, as well as fish health and vitality. And there are few things that can do so much for a pond so quickly!

Thank you Rod for sending along the pictures and sharing your experience! Keep up the great work!

Filed Under: Pond Algae Tagged With: pond aeration, Pond Algae

Serious Algae Problems On Lake Erie

By Mark Leave a Comment

This has been an interesting story to follow. It seems that due to high levels of phosphorus and other nutrients, some toxic algae blooms are now affecting the drinking water of millions of people in Northwest Ohio.

Over the years, we’ve talked about algae blooms that can affect drinking water and usually, ever once in awhile, you hear about a toxic bloom that has killed livestock or pets. Sometimes even wildlife.

But in truth, it’s been rare to hear of an algae issue affecting so many people. But today, millions of folks are now being impacted by the problems on Lake Erie.

This is a serious issue because we all know how important clean drinking water is, and when that get’s fouled up, well, what other options do you have?

Right now, water is being brought in for folks in Toledo and other locations. And it will probably be an issue until the weather cools off.

You see, this kind of algae, is just like any other type that you might run into in your pond or water garden. Granted, most of these aren’t toxic but when blue green algae get’s dense enough, you can run into some toxicity issues. Algae is always present in these waters, but what spikes the growth and really makes them potentially dangerous is the nutrients that feed them.

And in the case of Lake Erie, the sources of those nutrients are numerous.

Fertilizers used by farmers is one catalyst.

Researchers largely blame the algae’s resurgence on manure and chemical fertilizer from farms that wash into the lake along with sewage treatment plants. Leaky septic tanks and stormwater drains have contributed, too. Combined, they flush huge amounts of phosphorus into the lake.

Environmental groups and water researchers have been calling on Ohio and other states in the Great Lakes region to drastically reduce the amount of phosphorus flowing into the lake. Ohio lawmakers this past spring took a step toward tackling the algae problem when they enacted a law requiring most farmers to undergo training before they use commercial fertilizers on their fields.But they have stopped short of mandating restrictions on farmers.

It’s really hard to tell at this point whether these meager steps will be enough to curb the seasonal problems that the algae blooms might create. Time will tell on all of that.

In the meantime, you can use this example as further evidence and inspiration. If you think there is a better way to keep algae at bay, over and above nutrient control, you’re mistaken. It is the best way possible. And it’s the first method that should be employed before chemicals are even considered.

The approach is simple. Clean up the water. Clean up the pond. Reduce the nutrients (primarily with beneficial bacteria )that go into the water and more often than not, the algae will reduce too!

Filed Under: Pond Algae

The Common Mistake That Almost Never Helps Clear Green Water

By Mark Leave a Comment

stock-footage-garden-hose-water-comes-out-of-a-garden-hose

If you’ve got some green water showing up in your pond and you’re kind of feeling freaked out about, you’re not alone. In fact that’s a common response.

For many pond owners, the next logical thing to do would be to think that something is going way out of kilter with the pond and that they did something wrong when they added water to it. After all, just a few days ago things looked pretty good and now it’s a green swamp.

So what seems to make the most sense would be to start over. Drain the water out and add some fresh stuff and see if this time, things will go better.

But alas, this is not the right thinking at all.

You Can’t Keep Changing All The Water Out And Expect A Different Result

In fact, in almost every case, you’ll find that in a few days, your pristine, freshly filled pond, will be turning green again!

No matter how many times you drain and fill it, the results will usually be the same.

You see, green water isn’t all that unusual in a pond, and in a newly started pond, it’s quite common. The reason this little single cell algae can grow so well and so quickly is that the basic biological processes that help keep a pond cleaner and clearer, aren’t really evolved enough yet.

Here’s What You Should Do For Green Water…Be Patient!

In fact, after we fill a new pond, or refill an old one, we always add some beneficial bacteria to the water as soon as possible. We might also get some plants going in the pond, and then we give it some time. The good microbes will start to build up, and if you have a biofilter, they’ll begin to colonize inside it. And often, within about 6 to 8 weeks, you’ll most likely have much clearer water.

If beyond that point you still have a problem with greenish water, there are other things you can do (such as consider a UV light) but this initial startup process will work a lot of the time.

I would caution anyone to not do two things. Don’t change out all the water as this whole process is getting established (or you’ll have to start all over again). And secondly, don’t add an algaecide to the water just to keep it looking better. Some of these will harm good bacteria and set you back in that way too.

One simple little trick, ad you’re going through this patient “wait and see” start up, is that you can do some partial water changes and not hurt a thing. Try changing out something like 10% of the water with some fresh stuff every few days, just to see if it will help lighten the green goblin. Quite often you’ll find this to be helpful.

Just remember to leave most of that good, established water in the pond where it will eventually do you a lot of good!

Filed Under: Pond Algae

How To Kill Algae In A Large Pond

By Mark Leave a Comment

Algaecide spraying

Pond algae is just one of those things that most people want to get rid of.  If you’ve had it show up you probably know what I mean.  First there’s the shock of a once pretty pond turning into a green and slimy mess.  Maybe it will even smell bad which leads to even more frustration.

So really, who could blame you for wanting to learn how to kill algae that you find in a large pond?

Certainly not me.

But as I always do, I want to pass along a warning of sorts that sometimes killing things isn’t always the best option and it’s no different when it comes to pond algae.

[Read more…] about How To Kill Algae In A Large Pond

Filed Under: Pond Algae Tagged With: kill algae, large pond

Are Pond Algae Blooms Dangerous?

By Mark Leave a Comment

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.

[Read more…] about Are Pond Algae Blooms Dangerous?

Filed Under: Pond Algae Tagged With: cyanobacteria, green water, Pond Algae

Can You Spot Treat Pond Algae?

By Mark Leave a Comment

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.

[Read more…] about Can You Spot Treat Pond Algae?

Filed Under: Large Ponds, Pond Algae, Small Ponds Tagged With: Pond Algae

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