Stacking The Odds Against Pond Algae – The Introduction

Over the years, the use of beneficial bacteria in ponds has helped to clear up, clean up, and restore a number of ponds, and in doing so, algae has been reduced too. This has been one of the positive “side effects” of treating a pond naturally or organically.

Compared to even 10 years ago, the use of the good bugs has grown to the point where most pond owners have at least heard of some of the benefits, whether they may believe in it or not is another thing. Suffice it to say though that the commonly used chemical algaecides, so widely used in the past, are not as favorable as they once were.

There is a growing awareness (which is a good thing) that oftentimes chemicals are not the best solution to the problem, and that addressing some underlying causes may just make more sense. It’s not just in ponds where this is happening of course. Home owners are looking for more natural alternatives for lawn care, pest control, and many other things. Go to any WalMart today and you’ll find some organic produce too, which you never would have imagined seeing “back in the old days”. Sam Walton would probably be proud.

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Working Against Algae In A Large Pond

Large ponds have special challenges when you’re dealing with an algae problem. Compared to small ponds where you can remove some of the stuff pretty easily, a large body of water doesn’t always make this all that easy. Although there are similar reasons why algae might thrive in any pond, the fact is that large … Read more

Does Green Water Hurt Fish?

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

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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