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I have a pond in my backyard! It is 6 feet wide and 2-3 feet deep. There are no fishes in the pond. For some reason Algei (green) is taking over the pond. The pond water is totally green. I tried many Algei killers but none of them seems to be working. I cleaned the pond back in Jan-Feb 2011 and just after 2-3 weeks it become green.
Is there anyway to kill Algei and make my pond crystal clear again!
Yes, the pond has a motor which circulates the water. I am not sure what kind of algae it is. All I can say it is green and it seems like soft tissue paper or something.
I believe Algae is bacteria and I understand it thrives under certain conditions:
1. Ample sunlight
2. Ample nutrients
In lieu of using chemicals, maybe you can make sure your pond gets a little less direct sunlight by shading it a little on the South/east by some evergreens. You can also see what's causing the excess nutrients in the water:
1. Leaves or Debris? - Additional skimming and filtration may help.
2. Runoff from surrounding area? A little wall or some plantings around the pond may help eliminate runoff into the pond or filter the water before it runs into the pond.
3. Needing Beneficial Bacteria - I have a little plastique/fauxstone "pond" and I had some "slime" in it. Adding the beneficial bacteria really helped. The water's clear even though I don't have a filter.
I also have a little waterfall, so maybe the aeration helps, too.
I haven't heard that "algae killers" can produce "drug-resistant algae" but you never know. Maybe making other changes will make the water more clear. But I also believe that a bit of algae in suspension can be normal.
I am planning to build a biopool/"swimming pond" on my field, so I've been doing a lot of research about pond filtration, bacterial levels etc.
Thanks! You are right! The pond is in direct sunlight. I thought of buying lilies but where do you even buy lilies. I have gone to all the garden stores and none of them carry lilies. I bought Koi fishes but they are a pain if I want to clean the pond.
My pond also has a fountain. The filters for my pond are nothing more than a thick netting!
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Lowe's sells algae control chemicals, and also sells lillies a little later in spring. You can also get them at any pond supply store (two in our area) or online. My pond is about the size of yours, and has a dozen goldfish and a waterfall. We never have algae in it. I have some potted water iris, and in the summer also grow water lettuce in it. You can start with 1-2 plants and it will cover the entire surface by late August. I scoop them out and discard in October, as the freeze would kill them and leave a mess. The fish have survived 3" of ice on top. Unfortunately the lillies don't survive winter here so I gave up on them. Here's one source I have used for things:
I have a pond in my backyard! It is 6 feet wide and 2-3 feet deep. There are no fishes in the pond. For some reason Algei (green) is taking over the pond. The pond water is totally green. I tried many Algei killers but none of them seems to be working. I cleaned the pond back in Jan-Feb 2011 and just after 2-3 weeks it become green.
Is there anyway to kill Algei and make my pond crystal clear again!
You might check with the County Extension Office and ask them for advice. There is usually a pretty delicate balance between nutrients, sunlight, etc., as the other posters mentioned. You might need to have a water sample taken.
I don't know what you "cleaned" your pond with, but if you are using chemicals it will certainly cause an imbalance. You might also try checking the online archives of the Mother Earth News for some advice.
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