Small Ponds

Advice for small pond owners

How Mother Nature Affects Your Pond Algae Problem

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There’s no question about it. A pond is not a static creature by any means. When you have fish and plants, the pond literally comes noticeably alive.

These notable critters, and even many that you can’t see create a dynamic in a pond that’s ever changing.

We’ve had an odd summer here in Iowa with very moderate and comfortable temperatures in the 70’s and low 80’s interspersed with some really hot and humid days. And we’ve had some nice sunny days, mixed with some heavy rains. Ya gotta love the variety!

And as they say, if you don’t like the weather in Iowa, just wait a minute, it will change.

Mother Nature can add another dimension to the equation as well and she’s the topic of this week’s video.

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A Good Resource With Some Bad Advice

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I wanted to share a part of an email I received from a pond owner recently. He passed along some suggestions he received from an extension service in his area. Many of you probably know that overall I’m very fond of and highly recommend the use of your local extension since they often are a very good source of “local knowledge”.

In Steve’s case…uh, maybe not so much.

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Green Water And The Sun

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Green water problems are just another form of algae that can plague many ponds. Our approach to dealing with green water is much like it is with any other form of pond algae. If you can limit the things that help it grow, that’s a great start.

In the video below we’ll address a couple of things that any pond owner can do to make it harder for green water or planktonic algae to prosper in your pond.

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Pond Plant Identification 101

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Over the years we’ve talked to a lot of pond owners and one of the keys to passing on a good “diagnosis” and treatment is to figure out just what the pond owner is seeing in their pond. To put it simply, it’s of basic importance to identify what your problem is, so you can treat it appropriately.

In the video below we talk about some of the more common “problem” plants that you’ll find in most ponds. In many cases of the of the pond weeds are more commonly found in larger ponds, but the algae we talk about can show up in any size of pond.

Along with an explanation and photos of the plants, we also talk about how to deal with them effectively.

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The Truth About Algaecides

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For quite some time now, those of us at Pond Algae Solutions have believed that there were often better alternatives to using chemical algaecides for treating pond algae problems.

From the looks of things, others are starting to embrace that philosophy too, such as the city of Naples Florida. In the fall of 2008, Naples banned the use of copper based algaecides for treating municipal ponds and waterways.

Other cities are sure to follow suit in time and for good reason. Algaecides simply are not the best way to treat an algae problem!

I’ve put together a video that explains “The Problem With Algaecides” and although it’s a bit long at 11 minutes or so, it’s well worth watching. Hopefully this will explain in simple terms why algaecides cause more problems than they solve, and in particular if you still choose to use an algaecide down the road, you’ll learn some important tips for keeping your fish safe and sound when you do.

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Do It Yourself Pond Filter

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In recent weeks we’ve talked a lot about pond filters and how they can be very important to helping keep a pond clean, clear, and free of algae.

There is no question that one of the best types of filters for this task is the biological filter, which uses beneficial bacteria to break down and assimilate all organic elements found in the pond. This includes pond algae of course but other materials like small leaf debris, fish waste, and pretty much any other “organic” material that makes it’s way into the pond in one way or another.

A well running bio-filter can do wonders for a pond and it can help keep algae under control as well as so many other things. Namely…your sanity…as a true bio-filter is not meant to be cleaned. The type of filter discussed in the video below actually ran for a number of years before the owner decided maybe it was time to clean it out. And they admitted it was a mistake to do so since it had worked well throughout that time, after the initial period of adjustment after the installation.

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