Algea in Ponds - A Problem You Can Prevent
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Algea in Ponds - A Problem You Can Prevent
Algae growth is perfectly normal in ponds and a suitable amount of algae will even be beneficial for a lot of the creatures that inhabits your pond. Algae can for instance provide animals and offspring with hiding spots, algae can be devoured as food, and algae can help you keep the levels of organic waste down. There are however situations where the algae growth gets out of hand and needs to be combated. Too much algae can lead to low levels of oxygen in the water, it can look unsightly, it can entangle animals, and it can cause problems for filters and pumps.
Fantastic Fish Ponds. Have The Fish Pond You Have Always Dreamed Of... Find Out More Here
Fantastic Fish Ponds. Have The Fish Pond You Have Always Dreamed Of... Find Out More Here
Algea in Ponds - A Problem You Can Prevent
Since algae need light to carry out photosynthesis, it is a good idea to plan ahead before you construct a pond. Ideally pick a spot in your garden where you can limit the amount of light that reaches the pond, but avoid locating it directly under trees and bushes because the falling leaves and other debris can harm the water quality. If you already have a pond, you can still limit the amount of light that reaches the water without having to build a gigantic sunscreen. You can for instance introduce plant species that floats on the water, e.g. water hyacinths and water lettuce (provided of course that they are legal in your area).
Another way of controlling algae growth is to include all sorts of live plants - not only floating ones - in the pond, because algae and higher plants are actually very similar and will compete for nutrients and sunlight with each other. A thriving population of higher plants will therefore make the pond less hospitable for algae.
Last but not least, it is best to minimize the amount of nutrients that reaches your pond. Surface water after heavy rains can be packed with nutrients (and pollutants) and it is therefore best to make sure that small streams and similar will not empty themselves into your pond. You can for instance create an earth mound around your pond. Keeping the surrounding area heavily planted is also a good idea, because the plants will absorb water and nutrients. If you use fertilizers in your garden, avoid using them close to the pond area.
If you have fish or other creatures in your pond, it is very important not to over-feed them. Left over food will be turned into nutrients for the algae and can even cause sudden algal blooms. Also keep in mind that fish that are given a lot of food will produce a lot of waste, and the waste will be used as food by the algae. The fact that the fish comes up and begs for food doesn't automatically mean that it is starving; many fishes will actually eat and eat and eat until they almost explode. In the wild, they are not used to such an abundance of food and they wish to eat as much as possible when they have the chance.
If the tips above aren't enough to handle the algae problem in your pond, you may wish to consider purchasing an UV-sterilizer. Ultraviolet rays breaks down the cell walls of algae, causing them to die. An 80 watt UV-sterilizer is typically enough for a 1500-2500 gallon pond.
You can learn more about algea and algae control by visiting the authors blog.
Fantastic Fish Ponds. Have The Fish Pond You Have Always Dreamed Of... Find Out More Here
Another way of controlling algae growth is to include all sorts of live plants - not only floating ones - in the pond, because algae and higher plants are actually very similar and will compete for nutrients and sunlight with each other. A thriving population of higher plants will therefore make the pond less hospitable for algae.
Last but not least, it is best to minimize the amount of nutrients that reaches your pond. Surface water after heavy rains can be packed with nutrients (and pollutants) and it is therefore best to make sure that small streams and similar will not empty themselves into your pond. You can for instance create an earth mound around your pond. Keeping the surrounding area heavily planted is also a good idea, because the plants will absorb water and nutrients. If you use fertilizers in your garden, avoid using them close to the pond area.
If you have fish or other creatures in your pond, it is very important not to over-feed them. Left over food will be turned into nutrients for the algae and can even cause sudden algal blooms. Also keep in mind that fish that are given a lot of food will produce a lot of waste, and the waste will be used as food by the algae. The fact that the fish comes up and begs for food doesn't automatically mean that it is starving; many fishes will actually eat and eat and eat until they almost explode. In the wild, they are not used to such an abundance of food and they wish to eat as much as possible when they have the chance.
If the tips above aren't enough to handle the algae problem in your pond, you may wish to consider purchasing an UV-sterilizer. Ultraviolet rays breaks down the cell walls of algae, causing them to die. An 80 watt UV-sterilizer is typically enough for a 1500-2500 gallon pond.
You can learn more about algea and algae control by visiting the authors blog.
Fantastic Fish Ponds. Have The Fish Pond You Have Always Dreamed Of... Find Out More Here
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