Our ponds are developing string algae on the plant roots. I
bought some barley pads today but it said it was for ponds about 700 gallons. Ours is MUCH smaller 52 & about 70. Can I cut these pads & use just part of them or is it OK to use them in the ponds as is? The 70 is 4 muck buckets & the store said to put the pad in the top bucket only. Any advise is appreciated.
Sugar
Barley straw in small pond.
Sugar, Use the barley....... Just put it in the top bucket , it will take several weeks to kill the algae but from then on no more string algae. If you are in a hurry to get rid of the algae. There is a product called AlgaeFix,
it works quickly and then the barley takes over from there. The Barley and the water make some kind of chemical reaction that kills the algae. We have used it for three years and it works great.
We belong to a pond Club. Go to www.backyardponderingsociety.com. we have many links and pictures of our ponds posted there. Mine is the first one, just go to site, click on photo gallery ,then on ponds.
Hope this helps
Have you ever noticed a difference in how the barley straw works from year to year? The first year I used it, I only bought a couple of pads (I've got roughly a 1800-2000 gal pond), of course it didn't remove all the algae, but it helped.
The next year I couldn't find a bale, so I used the pellets, and they worked pretty well but sunk to the bottom in their net bag - I couldn't keep them up where the water would circulate through them.
This year I bought my barley straw - a lb bale through a pet site. It was awful, just like I didn't have anything in there. I had thick ropy masses of algae all over the bottom of the pond (and yes, we try to keep it cleaned out); and there was a lot of green scum around the edges. Could the barley straw have been poor quality? I'm trying to figure this out because I need to get an early start next year -- like as soon as the pond thaws.
This website may give you some additional information as well as help explain a little bit of the variability http://www.btny.purdue.edu/Pubs/APM/APM-1-W.pdf The only potential problem you may have if you put in too much barley straw is that it may - in warm weather - use up too much oxygen. Shouldn't be much of a problem at this time of year though.
This message was edited Oct 24, 2004 12:20 AM
Thanks for the link! Do people use barley straw over the winter when the pond will be frozen over? I don't have a lot of fish, but there are possibly 8 or 10 small ones, plus who knows how many trapdoor snails. I do use a pond warmer to keep a hole open.
I do not use barley straw over the winter. Given the 14"+ of ice that I get there's not a lot of light to help the algae grow. Once things thaw in the spring I put it in then.
Our pond (only about 28" deep) usually only gets about 2"-4" of ice over it because it's spring fed - the water that filters in year round stays at roughly 55 degrees, so only the exposed surface freezes. I'm not sure if that's why we get algae starting so early or not. This year was worse than most - not sure why.
Thanks DRH2, for that link. I tried barley straw this year with no result, but it was rather fresh-cut straw, and from what I've read it should be cured straw to work well. I saved the rest of the bale and will try again in March. I'll post to let you all know if it had an effect.
That's what I was wondering - if perhaps the straw I used was of poor quality for some reason. Cant' understand why it would work for a couple of years, and then not.
It's late October and I still have a ton of filamentous algae on the bottom of the pond. I poured a pint of hydrogen peroxide in, but need to go down today and get another (they swear by it in another pond thread) . I would really like to get as much out as possible before the pond freezes over for the winter and it's too cold now to jump in with a brush.
Imelling, one of the concerns I always have with the barley straw business is how do we know that we are in fact getting barley straw? I suspect that if we knew what to look for (plant taxonomy, etc.) then it would be an easy thing to pick out. Another factor is that it's almost impossible to find any studies where someone has actually made measurements to show real, quantitative data on what is happening. We read the anecdotal stories supporting one concept or another (it makes small amounts of hydrogen peroxide; it doesn't make hydrogen peroxide it releases lignins, etc.) but no data of side by side tests of pond A with and pond B without; same size ponds, fish load, feeding, and so on.
As to too cold for getting in the pond?? I have a pair of 1. insulated chest waders (take a look at Cabella's) - I was in just a couple of days ago and it was “refreshing” LOL!! 2. mount a toilet bowl brush on a long stick to twirl it up like spaghetti. I’ve got mine mounted on a six foot long cedar stake. A friend used a red-white-blue (very patriotic!!) toilet bowl brush mounted on one of those six foot green plastic stakes. Then you may not even have to get in the pond.
I think I'll have to opt for the brush on a stick. I've been fighting something for the last month - twice on antibiotics and I just can't get rid of it completely - guess it's just going to have to run it's course. I'm not going to risk getting in the pond now, I might not be around for next spring!!! We have a set of waders but they fit my husband - and they leak! I've gotten him shoe goo to fix them with (about 2 years ago) that should tell you how anxious he is to use them again...LOL!!!
I did put another pint of peroxide in the pond today. I'm starting to see a lot of "strings" floating up to the top of the pond. If it stops raining tomorrow, I'll get out there and try some brushing.
I use Barley straw extract and a product called "Algae Fix". Both are available on the net and both claim to be safe for birds, fish, etc.. I have a Lotus and it's happy. The pond is Copper so I don't even have any fish in it. If you can't find it let me know. The straw itself never dissolved enough in my large fountain to do any good. So I use these two products once a week plus a mosquito product and I never have any trouble. And it's hot here so we can get algae easily. The extract looks a little pricy but you only use a little bit. And you don't have to deal with barley floating around in your pond!
I've seen both and wondered about them. I'm not sure of the Algae fix - I do have fish, frogs and newts and don't want to disturb the ecosystem too much - it's a pretty healthy pond, really. I put another quart of peroxide in the other day when it was 60, my husband skimmed and I brushed, but the amount of algae on the mud bottom seems to resist all efforts to get it all. Last night a front came through and we're supposed to get 2"-5" of snow tonight. I think I may just have to put the pond warmer in and forget about it until spring.
I know that frogs and newts are fragile. Maybe the manufacturer can help you with the question. I will go read the bottle again and get back to you. Do try the barley extract though. Barley has to sit at least 6 weeks before it decomposes enough to begin to help.
I think I will, just as soon as the ice disappears in March next year. The straw will definitely need a boost. Thanks for checking your instructions!