Aeration:
Oxygen in the water allows
aerobic bacteria to thrive, and they eat up the nutrients that algae eat.
Koenders Pond Aeration Windmills | Electric Aerators |
Brad Kerr | Fishery Biologist:
You have some good info on this Algae Control page -- along with some links to some useless information.Your windmills along with a few modifications that a qualified biologist can make to a pond are the most cost effective methods to deal with algae.
Basically, all those sites where people are selling commercial bacteria and barley straw are useless. There are SO many people in that small pond business who have no idea what they are doing. I mean nearly ALL of them have no clue - EVEN the ones who are the known “experts”!
Just tell your customers to Aerate the water first -- and Windmills are THE way to go in our climate of rising energy costs.
Also tell them they are inviting another set of problems in the form of rooted aquatic vegetation if they clear their water in most ponds. The conditions are usually conducive for rooted vegetation to choke the pond soon after it is cleared. That is usually where a Fishery Biologist comes into the picture.
Here is a GOOD article: water gardens |
describing what happens when people think ponds are so simple:
| http://www.homes.wsj.com/housegarden/outdoorliving/20010711-read.html |
It suggests that people think before they dig. I tend to agree.
Brad Kerr
Fishery Biologist
Spring Creek Aquatic Concepts
Planning, design and management of lakes, ponds and streams
| http://www.AquaHabitat.com |
Tel: (503) 313 6355
Talipia: fish farming in Arizona |
Talipia are an excellent tool in controlling filamentous and chemically resistant nuisance algae such as lyngbya. In the Southwest it is usually necessary to restock Talipia each year due to winter water temperatures that drop below their survival limits. The cost to restock still undercuts the cost of chemical treatments producing similar results.
Talipia: http://www.ag.arizona.edu/aes/mac/tilapia.htm |
Grass Carp: White Amur |
Algae Blooms: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/fish/Pond/ |
Golden Algae TX
See: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/news/news/010910c.htm |
See: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/news/news/algae/index.htm |
Green Ways UK: http://www.green-ways.co.uk |
Founded in 1992 to make straw based matting to control algae in water, following the world leading research at the Center for Aquatic Plant Management at Sonning in Berkshire, Green Ways has pioneered the use of barley straw to control all types of algae, including green water and blanket weed, in garden ponds. The product range includes treatments for ponds and lakes of all sizes, they are fully biodegradable and pose no hazards to wild life and plants.
Algae are much like any garden weeds and flourish in warm bright conditions. They are fed by nutrients provided by over rich soil used in the planting of aquatic plants and by nitrates in tap water.There are three main groups of algae:
Monocellular 'green water' algae - which make the water look like pea soup, and of which the poisonous blue/green algae are members.All forms can cause serious problems in ponds if not controlled.Filamentous algae - which form long filaments and floating mats of 'blanketweed'.
Stoneworts - which can be mistaken for plants but are a more highly developed form of algae and can be quite fragile to handle.
Algae produce large quantities of oxygen during the day but the decay of dying algae demand oxygen in considerable quantities also, resulting in severe oxygen depletion overnight. In conditions of heavy algal infestation aquatic plants become vulnerable to pests and diseases and fish become distressed.
Maintaining a good stock of oxygenating plants will provide competition for the nutrients and shade against the sun, they will also help to maintain healthy oxygen levels in the pond.
However, where more than a few fish are to be kept, a pump and biological filter will be required to deal with their waste products.It is generally easier to keep weeds under control than to eliminate them once they are well established. This is the case particularly with algae, particularly with blanketweeds.
Persistent strains are more easily brought under control in the cooler months when they are less active. Do not think that because they have died back in the winter that blanket weeds are dead. Their spores will be alive, just waiting for a little warmth and sunshine to bring them to full activity again. To prevent recurrence of algal problems, continuous treatment with Pond Pads should be maintained.Pond Pads are frequently praised for creating a beautiful clear pond from a choked, green, slimy hollow. The best results are generally obtained, however, if they are used continuously as part of good pond care. Treatment may be started at any time and today is always the best time to start. The benefits of autumn and winter treatments may not be seen immediately but they will be appreciated the following spring.
Barley Straw | Still Pond Farm |
Since barley straw is an algae preventative, it is best to start putting it in the pond before algae starts growing rapidly... and after the ice has melted enough to get it in there. Barley straw is non-toxic, inexpensive, has beneficial side effects, and best of all, it really works.
Barley Straw: http://www.linkny.com/barleystraw/
Barley Straw: http://www.linkny.com/barleystraw |
Barley straw:
| http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/rosiedawg/myhomepage/collection.html |
Pond Solutions: http://www.pondsolutions.com/barleystraw.htm |
Coastal Pond: http://www.coastalpond.com/ |
As far back as the Middle Ages, it was known that adding straw to a pond or well helped ensure the quality of the water by eliminating algae growth! Coastal's 1/2 lb. Barley Bales from Scotland, U.K., come packaged in a mesh bag. One bale is sufficient to treat a 1,000 gallon pond for a whole year! Barley Bales are completely biodegradable and can be a natural food for your fish! This is an all natural algaecide!
Aquatic Systems:
Weed Control:Aquatic vegetation falls into two categories.
1. Vascular rooted vegetation (weeds) and
2. Algae.Weeds are broken down into three categories,
1. submersed (those that grow beneath the water),
2. emersed (those that grow out of the water) and
3. floating ( those that float on the surface of the water).A good balance of rooted aquatic vegetation is very beneficial to ponds & lakes, providing oxygen for the fish, spawning grounds, cover for the smaller fish and the tieing up of nutrients that would otherwise be utilized by less desirable vegetation like Algae.
Algae is also broken down into three categories.
1. Filamentous algae
-- what most people refer to as pond scum, looks much like green cotton candy, grows from the bottom and when oxygen gets trapped in the filaments comes to the top and floats around).2. Planktonic algae
-- billions of tiny single celled algae, can make your pond or lake look like a bowl of pea soup; and3. Attached Erect algae
-- looks like a weed, is attached to the bottom, is gritty to the touch and when removed from the pond or lake and let to dry on the shore turns pure white and falls apart easily, the most common of this type is Chara.Visible algae for the most part has very little value to your pond or lake, the filamentous & planktonic forms can reproduce at phenomenal rates and sudden die offs can cause oxygen depletion. The Attached Erect forms (Chara & Nitella) can have the same benefits that the vascular rooted vegetation has.
Excessive weed & algae growths can interfere with the use of your pond or lake. We do not recommend eliminating all of the weeds in any body of water, weeds can be selectively controlled in the areas you wish to use for recreation and let to flourish in areas that are not in use. With algae however, with the exception of the Chara, it is usually necessary to control it before it gets out of hand.
If weeds are your problem, it is very important to know what type of weed you have, if you do not know the type of weed, you can send us a weed sample and we will identify it for you. You also can look at our Water Plant Identification section which gives pictures and descriptions of the common aquatic weeds and the area of the United States where they are commonly found.
Aquaguide: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/manag/aqgalgae.html |
Missouri: Algae problems are usually caused by an overabundance of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) in the pond. From the moment a pond is built, it becomes a settling basin for nutrients washing in from the land that drains into it (the pond's watershed). The older a pond gets, the more nutrients it has accumulated and the more susceptible it is to algae problems.Runoff from fertilized fields, lawns and pastures, or from feedlots, septic tanks and leach fields accelerates nutrient loading and algae growth in the pond. If the pond is old and has become shallow due to accumulation of black muck on the bottom, it may be necessary to drain, dry and deepen the pond. Excavated material should be removed from the pond's watershed.
More tips: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/manag/tips.html |
Muddy Ponds: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/manag/clearpon/index.htm |
Marine Biochemists: http://www.marinebiochemists.com/ |
Algae Control: http://www.marinebiochemists.com/algae.html |
Pond Market: http://www.pondmarket.com |
Coastal Pond Builders: http://www.coastalpondbuilders.com |
Algae Control: http://www.coastalpondbuilders.com/algae_control.htm |
Advanced Biotech: http://www.adbio.com/site_maps/algae.htm |
Van Ness Water Garden: http://www.vnwg.com/algaectrl.htm |
Bio Filter: http://www.biofilter.com/algae_ctl.htm |
One of the most difficult challenges facing commercial fish producers is the constant balancing act required to maintain a stable relationship among the water, fish, and microscopic flora and fauna in their pond systems.
Bacteria: http://www.createapond.com/bacteria.htm |
Eagle Fountains: http://www.eaglefountains.com |
Algae is a plant, a low level type of plant, but nonetheless still a plant.
Hughes: http://www.waterplant.com |
Water Plant: http://www.waterplant.com/algae.htm |
The first thing to understand when dealing with algae is what it really is. Algae is a plant, a low level type of plant, but nonetheless still a plant. This means if you try to eliminate algae with chemicals there is a good chance you may harm the plants you want to keep in your pond. But algae is the one thing most pond keepers all hate to see in their ponds.
Alberta Canada: http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca |
Algae: http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdex/400/485_716-2.html |
Aeration systems | Aeration during hot, sunny periods will oxygenate, circulate and cool the pond water, decreasing the opportunity for blooms to occur. Aeration systems tend to inhibit algae growth by preventing the recycling of nutrients from bottom sediment.
Hydrated Lime: http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdex/700/16b37.html |
Do not treat dugouts stocked with fish. A hydrated lime treatment will kill fish.
Moss: http://www.mossproducts.com.au/Water%20Gardens/algaecontrol1.htm |
The more oxygen in the water, the more it will retard the growth of algae. The main nutrients consumed by algae are what are known as phosphates, nitrates and ammonia. All pond water has some nutrients present, the objective is to keep it in balance. Sources of nutrients include: decaying vegetation (leaves, twigs, flowers, seeds), fertilizers, dead organisms (insects, fish, snails etc.), fish droppings and excess fish food.
Paul L. Sears & Kevin C. Conlin:
Fish Links: http://www.netpets.com/fish/fishlink.html |
Control: http://www.netpets.com/fish/reference/freshref/algaepa.html |
Country Frog: http://www.countryfrog.com/algae_control.htm |
Algae, just like the rest of your ecosystem, is part of nature. Algae are beneficial. They help to remove fish wastes and toxins from the water. The key to maintaining your pond is not to try and eliminate algae, but to keep it in balance.
Missouri:
| http://outreach.missouri.edu/webster/webster/agric/algae-control.html |
Barley Straw | Apply barley straw to the water surface at a rate of 25-30 lbs. per acre-foot of water twice per year. Spread the straw over the areas of algae growth. The straw, when it decomposes, produces an anti-algae agent. The effective chemical compound is produced only when the straw decomposes in the presence of oxygen, so tightly-packed bales which can become anaerobic are not the best method for application. It may take about a month to begin control, which lasts up to six months depending on various factors such as temperature and initial algae concentration. The barley straw is less effective on ponds with high nutrient concentrations.
Clear-Flo: http://www.alken-murray.com/cleanlake.htm |
KY: http://www.parislanding.com/algae_control.htm |
Spring is the time of year ponds frequently experience algae problems, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). With the weather warming and days becoming longer conditions for algae growth and algae problems in small ponds are increasing. Fish diseases and chemical problems, especially low oxygen levels, often cause fish die-offs in small ponds.
Tips: http://www.elmersaquarium.com/h142algaecontrol.htm |
Plants are the best way to control algae. Live plants complete with the algae for nutrients and shade the pond from direct sunlight. Begin to plant in early May and algae will be reduced in June when the plants become better established. Add several groups of anachris to the pond in early spring. In the winter your pond will gradually accumulate nutrients. When the sun first begins to warm the pond in the spring you will often notice an algae bloom. It may look like soupy green water throughout the pond.
Pondscape:
| http://www.pondscape.com/products/plantfishpond/algae.asp |
Canada: http://www.quantumlynx.com/water/back/vol1no1/v11_st5.html |
Prairie Water News: | http://www.quantumlynx.com/water/back/vol1no1/pwn_v11.html |
Pond Systems: http://www.pondsystems.com/algae.html |
Fish Algae: http://www.kyagr.com/wdbcgi/wdbcgi.exe/kda/KDA.show_page(3367) |
Algae: http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae |
Living With Algae: http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae/algae-randall.html |
