String Algea - and my first pond

Hello All,

I am Jeff, and this is my first pond.
I have added a picture and would have added 2 but not sure how to do that in here.

I have a UV Clarifier (submersble 40 watt)
and the green water has disappeared, but I have sting algea. Not sure what to do about it. I remove it by hand and wire, but this is becoming an everyday chore. I have to Plecosomous? it it, with 4 12" Koi and several goldfish.

I am using a filter falls fall unit, with lava rock as the medium.
The pond is in full sun, but the waterfall area is shaded.

It has been running for about 6 months now, and I have been using Benzonite Clay weekly, as a growth regulator for the string algea, it does make my water crystal clear, but I still have massive amounts of sting algea....

Anyone have any Ideas?

Thanks

Jeff

More coverage on your pond will help keep down the string algae. I tend to have problems with it in the spring before my water lilies cover the pond. Once I get good coverage, the string algae is a lot less.

I've learned to accept that I will always have some and set one evening aside, once a week, for climbing in my large pond and manually removing the horrid stuff.

Awwwww......

I was hoping that the lillies I have planted would help by covering more surface area...

One of them has pads that just broke the surface.....YEAH!

apprecciate the advice......

Welcome to DG, Jeff! Your pond is beautiful...And that waterfall's great. I have BAD string algae, too. :S I plan to buy a toilet brush and mount it to a pole for cleaning the pond of that nasty stuff; if not that, I might try one of those ceiling fan cleaning brushes, something like here at http://www.farreys.com/ceiling_fans/westinghouse/fan_accessories.html#brushes . Wonder which would work best. Stiffer bristles would be a plus, I'd think.

gw, I've used a toilet brush (round type) for years and it works great.

I love your waterfall. That is incredible. I also keep a toilet brush hidden behind my waterfall within easy reach. Then I toss the algae under a plant. I figure it makes good fertilizer.

Your pond is very pretty!

If you want to get rid of the string algae, buy Hydrogen peroxide and put it in your pond. You will have to experiment with how much to use depending on the size of your pond, It will not harm your fish and once you have gotten rid of the algae, a little added to your water each month should keep it clean. Give it a try. I usually use 1 oz to a gallon of water. Good luck.

What's the diff between algae and string algae? Any pics of it?
Nice pond!

The peroxide doesnt hurt any other plants?

Strings algae literally is like strings that will grow especially around plants and on waterfall rocks. If left go it will eventually strangle a plant & kill it because it keeps it from getting oxygen. Other algae will float or grow along the sides of your pots in the water, rocks in the water, and on the sides of your pond. That's not saying that you can't have string algae on all those also.

Thanx! I don't have anything that looks like string (yet). Just the green slimey stuff. Hope the barley pellets work.

This gal's page is amazing, and she's got a good page about algae here: http://www.fishpondinfo.com/algae2.htm

A Hello back to all of you : ) What a kind groupd of people.

Thanks for the toilet brush idea.....
Can't wait to buy one to try.... 99cent store here I come.
Thanks for the kind words about my new pond. I love it.

Will also try the hydrogen peroxide trick..... The benzonite clay is suppose to do that as well, keeps the water very clear, but doesn't control the string algea

I will snap some shots of the stuff for you Celia....

Here's my algae - this doesn't show how bad it is, LOL. There's also a waterlily, some parrot feather and some duckweed on the surface - I like them, though!

This message was edited May 28, 2004 9:08 PM

Yuck! Gardenwife......

I have pretty much the same thing....
I just let it grow for a bit, then remove it by hand.......

I guess from what I am hearing, once the weather warms up, the string algea won't be such a problem.....

I also had parriots feather and I love the look of it, but my Koi won't allow me to grow it. They are 12" now, and they uproot it. I tried plant protectors, but then they just bite off the stems that they can get to.... I have just given up. I am hoping my lillies will continue to grow quickly, before the Koi take a liking to them......