Adding plants will help out a lot as well as cleaning your filters regularly. Also add some beneficial bacteria like Microbe-lift Pl or something like it. I also started using concentrated barley extract, and it works great! I have a 1000g prefilter on my koi pond, and it is so heavily planted that I don't even use my uv light anymore. the water stays clean and stable, and no string algae in over a year. Hope this helps.
Stabalizing pond, and controlling Algae
- Thread starter Kaze
- Start date
Have you tried adding a bacterial additive like Microbe-lift PL? Also add a lot of plants to eat up the nutrients that the algae like. I also use a barley straw extract that definitly helps with the algae. I've gone over a year with no string algae. with the combination of all these, I have even turned off my uv filter.
Kaze...Your problem sounds very similar to the problem i had with my pond several years ago. Like yours, my pond is shaded for part of the day (more so in winter) and partly exposed to the sun for several hours. Summertime it is intense sun and some extremely high temperatures (high 40 degree plus celcius). I have been through the algae problem big time...miles of string algae and the green slimey stuff. Up to my waste in water. hauling out yards of algae and crap every week...expensive chemical treatment and two ultra violet filters.It was a continual nightmare.
These days...not a problem, no chemical,no ultra violet filters and no algae.
There is a product called an i-tronic that is made by "Oasis" and "Velda" I installed one of these on advice from the aquarium store that i deal with in Perth (Aquotix) and now we have crystal clear water all year round. My pond has a heavy fish population and we have had no problem with any of the fish since the installation of the I-tronic. It has also taken care of a massive snail problem that we had at the time but has not affected the yabbies that breed in the pond.It has not affected the breeding of the guppies, rainbows, bristlenose and cichlids that are prolific in the pond.Check it out on the net and have a look at my pond ( backyard pond pics) in this forum a couple of weeks ago.I would be interested in your thoughts....Regards...Ray.
These days...not a problem, no chemical,no ultra violet filters and no algae.
There is a product called an i-tronic that is made by "Oasis" and "Velda" I installed one of these on advice from the aquarium store that i deal with in Perth (Aquotix) and now we have crystal clear water all year round. My pond has a heavy fish population and we have had no problem with any of the fish since the installation of the I-tronic. It has also taken care of a massive snail problem that we had at the time but has not affected the yabbies that breed in the pond.It has not affected the breeding of the guppies, rainbows, bristlenose and cichlids that are prolific in the pond.Check it out on the net and have a look at my pond ( backyard pond pics) in this forum a couple of weeks ago.I would be interested in your thoughts....Regards...Ray.
Thanks for the advice, from everyone. For short-term I guess I will try those chemicals, but more opinions on the better product would be good, but for long term I think I'll need a skimmer. Are there any affordable and good pond skimmer out there? Any opinions?
P.S I feed twice a day sometimes, and if I have free time I feed a third time.
P.S I feed twice a day sometimes, and if I have free time I feed a third time.
Adding Microbe Lift will not do anything for you in the long term, and may not do anything for you in the short term either. Remove the rocks and the debris first. If it still doesn't clear up enough, then consider upping filtration.
Thanks for all the replies. I've purchased more pumps and areators and my pond seems to be clearing up quite well. I also bought a product called "Eco Blast" I bought it a pond shop and they told me it will get rid of my string algea problem. However the problem is that I'm afraid this stuff will kill my fish. Once i sprinkled it into my pond my curious kois swim towards it. I'm afraid that they might swallow this stuff and end up killing themselves.
Does anyone have exeperience with "Eco Blast", and should i worry about my fish
Does anyone have exeperience with "Eco Blast", and should i worry about my fish
Eco-blast it an awesome spot treatment for string algae and organic debris. Totally fish/plant/invert. safe. Follow that with S.A.B extreme (same manufacture as the Eco-Blast)if the string algae persists.
I only use the S.A.B myself. Spring and Fall applications and once or twice throughout the summer. It contains BB and enzymes that breaks down the algae and organic debris. These products and a lot of areation will make your pond clean and clear.
I only use the S.A.B myself. Spring and Fall applications and once or twice throughout the summer. It contains BB and enzymes that breaks down the algae and organic debris. These products and a lot of areation will make your pond clean and clear.
