Algae and Your Pond

[crsublette]

People have to control the nutrients in their ponds if they want to control the algae...

ESPECIALLY if they are going to use algae chemical treatments in their pond.... this is very important... this may cost you more money in the long run by investing in more filtration and pond vacuuming to export the nutrient producers out of the pond, but the nutrient producers in the pond must be addressed.

This is what the pond stores do NOT want to tell you.... cause they WANT you to NOT control your pond's nutrient producers so that you will buy more algae treatments...

 

[EricV]

which is about the size
of the city of New Jersey and expanding;

I could have sworn New Jersey was a state. Or an expressway.

 

[sissy]

A state since I was raised there but highways ,turnpike and parkway make .Routes also

 

[Mucky_Waters]

My favorite algae is Water Net (hydrodictyon reticulatum). It has a unique structure and is a very dry algae (not slimy) and firm, so in areas where it got a little thick it was easy to clean out just by scooping it with your hands.
Problem is it only grew in my pond for couple years then disappeared. I wish I could get it growing again

 

[Meyer Jordan]

My favorite algae is Water Net (hydrodictyon reticulatum). It has a unique structure and is a very dry algae (not slimy) and firm, so in areas where it got a little thick it was easy to clean out just by scooping it with your hands.
Problem is it only grew in my pond for couple years then disappeared. I wish I could get it growing again

The first four (4) years that my pond was in operation iy had a different dominant algae specie each year. I find it really intriguing that just a slight change in water quality parameters and how they are combined can truly favor one specie over another.

I found this photo of Randy's favorite algae. Much clearer view of the amazing structure of this particular specie.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

The first four (4) years that my pond was in operation iy had a different dominant algae specie each year. I find it really intriguing that just a slight change in water quality parameters and how they are combined can truly favor one specie over another.

I've had the same thing going on in my pond. Every year the dominant algae species seems to change a little. This has been the worse year for some type of fragile string algae. In previous years I've had string algae I could pull out of the water like a rope, but this new stuff just breaks apart. In fact, even the rapid swimming of the fish past the algae causes it to tear apart into small fragments that cloud the water and eventually get sucked down the bottom drain and get caught in the filter system. Consequently I have been cleaning out the filters a lot more than normal.

As regards that Water Net algae (hydrodictyon reticulatum) , what I was attempting to show in that video was how the algae forms a tube like structure when it grows. It's difficult to see it in a 2D photo or video, but can easily be seen with the naked (3D) eyes.
This is the best picture I've found that helps to reveal the tube like structure. You can see the closest side of the tube has a tear in it. Some of the algae "tubes" that I had growing were over a foot long and about 2" in diameter.

 

[adavisus]

The ten water hyacinth I started in a full sun fertile pool became 104 plants in one month

Nice easy plant to control, compared to the brutes which lash themselves in with big tough rhizomes and roots

 

[KC Crook]

Time and time again, people have issues with algae. This thread should be at the top of the article page for quick reference. At the same time, it would be a shame to lose people new to the forums if they can find a quick answer. Call it selfishness! Lol great info!

 

[KC Crook]

ESPECIALLY if they are going to use algae chemical treatments in their pond.... this is very important... this may cost you more money in the long run by investing in more filtration and pond vacuuming to export the nutrient producers out of the pond, but the nutrient producers in the pond must be addressed.

This is what the pond stores do NOT want to tell you.... cause they WANT you to NOT control your pond's nutrient producers so that you will buy more algae treatments...

Omg! Sounds like big pharma! Thats sad

 

[Mucky_Waters]

The ten water hyacinth I started in a full sun fertile pool became 104 plants in one month
Nice easy plant to control, compared to the brutes which lash themselves in with big tough rhizomes and roots

They don't grow that fast in my pond.
The one water hyacinth I put in my pond a few weeks ago is still just one solitary plant. The water doesn't normally warm up enough here for them start growing significantly until mid June or later. However, I cheat a little and built myself a little mini heated greenhouse pond to start them earlier and get them to multiply.
I heat the pond with aquarium heaters, and use the stryrofoam to help hold in the heat in and block the sunlight so I don't get too much algae growth in the water or on the hyacinth roots.

 

[sissy]

Has anyone ever used the healthy ponds stuff in there ponds .I know a lot of the farm ponds use it and saw it on Northern tools online

 

[Nepen]

The first four (4) years that my pond was in operation iy had a different dominant algae specie each year. I find it really intriguing that just a slight change in water quality parameters and how they are combined can truly favor one specie over another.

I found this photo of Randy's favorite algae. Much clearer view of the amazing structure of this particular specie.
View attachment 91331

I've seen them before in my old nature water hole. I love them!!

 

[Nepen]

Arg... I cant do anything to my ever growing algae in my pond until the frog stop mating and the tadpole leave my pond. the mating dump lots of nutrient in my pond and if i use sodium percarbonate, the tads will die I saw lots of frog eggs on top of the algae so I couldnt just scoop them out either.

 

[Lisak1]

The first four (4) years that my pond was in operation iy had a different dominant algae specie each year.

We've noticed the same thing - it's a topic of conversation every spring. "I wonder which algae we will see this year?" This particular spring we've had the type that breaks up easily but likes to clog things up a bit before it dissolves completely. Not my favorite so far. The prettiest one is the one that forms itself into ruffles on the rocks - let me see if I can find a picture!

 

[cas]

I saw lots of frog eggs on top of the algae so I couldnt just scoop them out either.

Nepen, I am having the same problem. Lots of tadpoles among the algae. Guess I will be waiting to net the algae out.