It's the bane of backyard ponds all over the country: sometimes called "green water", "blanket weed", or "pond scum", it's known to scientists as thallophytes and to water gardeners (who have stopped the name calling) as green algae.
Algae live just about anywhere you have light and water: in puddles, soil, even in your bathroom shower. It should come as no surprise that algae can grow like crazy in water gardens. Algae spores can enter your pond by wind, rain, on the sides of fish and on water plants you introduce into the pond. Single-celled green algae may form "pea soup" blooms, taking over your pond and overwhelming fish and submerged plants.
Green algae can not be completely eradicated from your pond -- and it shouldn't. Algae is a vital part of the natural ecology in all backyard ponds, keeping it in "balance" and helping to maintain a healthy environment for fish and other pond creatures. So a little algae is a good thing. But there's another reason why it's not sensible to to wipe algae out completely - it's simply not possible.
Why so? All backyard ponds have too many fish and plants for the amount of water they contain. While it's common for us to think our water gardens are "natural," they are very artificial when it comes to biological processes and chemical properties. That's because of the imbalance of fish and plants to the space they're in, which make them a perfect home for algae.
So what's the answer for the average backyard water gardener who is dealing with this 'green monster?'
1. Don't put too many fish in the pond. More fish means more waste released into the water. As fish waste breaks down, it releases nutrients like phosphates and nitrates for algae to feast upon.
2. Put a good number of aquatic plants in your pond. Aquatic plants soak up nutrients that otherwise would be eaten by algae. Cover half your pond with floating plants like water lilies, hyacinths and underwater plants like Cabomba.
3. Snails and tadpoles eat "pond scum" algae. Add a few Japanese trapdoor snails and tadpoles.
If these "natural" solutions don't seem to work, or you don't have enough time before your big backyard party, you can use an algaecide can be your answer. Bio-filters can also work; they're designed to take out harmful ammonia put out by fish, rotting plants and algae, and excess fish food.
Once again, the ideal way to get rid of excess algae in a natural way is to lower the amount of nitrates and phosphates in your water garden. You can accomplish this by limiting fish, their food and maximizing the number of water plants.
Algae live just about anywhere you have light and water: in puddles, soil, even in your bathroom shower. It should come as no surprise that algae can grow like crazy in water gardens. Algae spores can enter your pond by wind, rain, on the sides of fish and on water plants you introduce into the pond. Single-celled green algae may form "pea soup" blooms, taking over your pond and overwhelming fish and submerged plants.
Green algae can not be completely eradicated from your pond -- and it shouldn't. Algae is a vital part of the natural ecology in all backyard ponds, keeping it in "balance" and helping to maintain a healthy environment for fish and other pond creatures. So a little algae is a good thing. But there's another reason why it's not sensible to to wipe algae out completely - it's simply not possible.
Why so? All backyard ponds have too many fish and plants for the amount of water they contain. While it's common for us to think our water gardens are "natural," they are very artificial when it comes to biological processes and chemical properties. That's because of the imbalance of fish and plants to the space they're in, which make them a perfect home for algae.
So what's the answer for the average backyard water gardener who is dealing with this 'green monster?'
1. Don't put too many fish in the pond. More fish means more waste released into the water. As fish waste breaks down, it releases nutrients like phosphates and nitrates for algae to feast upon.
2. Put a good number of aquatic plants in your pond. Aquatic plants soak up nutrients that otherwise would be eaten by algae. Cover half your pond with floating plants like water lilies, hyacinths and underwater plants like Cabomba.
3. Snails and tadpoles eat "pond scum" algae. Add a few Japanese trapdoor snails and tadpoles.
If these "natural" solutions don't seem to work, or you don't have enough time before your big backyard party, you can use an algaecide can be your answer. Bio-filters can also work; they're designed to take out harmful ammonia put out by fish, rotting plants and algae, and excess fish food.
Once again, the ideal way to get rid of excess algae in a natural way is to lower the amount of nitrates and phosphates in your water garden. You can accomplish this by limiting fish, their food and maximizing the number of water plants.
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