Algae problem from too much Sun? Try bird balls...

[JohnHuff]

The internet is such a wonder. Today, I learned about bird balls. If you have a largish pond, don't have any cover or trees and the sunlight is giving you algae problems, you might consider bird balls!

These floating plastic balls can give some floating cover like lily pads. They're supposed to be only 40 cents per ball.

http://www.enquip.com/BirdBalls.html

 

[addy1]

Interesting item, telling everybody my pond is covered with bird balls!

 

[Sunshine]

Looks like you would never see your fish.

 

[Mmathis]

Huh, who comes up with these ideas? But how can you see your fish?

 

[capewind]

interesting concept, but I dont think I want to see all those balls in the pond ... at 40 cents a piece, they would add up ... when we were first trying to figure out what to do about our Heron friend, I was thinking of tossing a bunch of pool noodles ($1 each) and body/boggie boards (mini surf boards - $5 each) into the pond to give the fish things to hide under ... Next year, I will be SURE to get all my water hyacinths again ... I never got around to getting this year, and missed them ... those gave shade AND cleaned ...

 

[dieselplower]

What about gas exchange at the surface? Says right on the site that it prevents it.

 

[addy1]

Think they are more for water retention collections vs living ponds like we have.

Capewind, I float a 5x5 foot piece of liner during the winter, gives the fish a great place to hide under. Also when the sun hits the liner the water is a little warmer under the black liner. My ppl liner floats beautifully. I leave the piece of liner in until the lilies begin to grow.

 

[dieselplower]

Think they are more for water retention collections vs living ponds like we have.

Capewind, I float a 5x5 foot piece of liner during the winter, gives the fish a great place to hide under. Also when the sun hits the liner the water is a little warmer under the black liner. My ppl liner floats beautifully. I leave the piece of liner in until the lilies begin to grow.

I have been considering floating something on the top of the pond during winter like black liner or solar pool cover but I have been wondering if snow would sink it? Do u have any experience w that? Not sure how much it snows by you.

 

[Arey]

If ice and snow accumulate enough it can sink anything. Not pond related but after we had a very wet snow one year I saw a porch awning that the ice and snow had collapsed, and the weight had even been heavy enough to buckle the metal awning frame. This was in So. Jersey zone 7a.

 

[dieselplower]

Yeah that makes sense. I guess I was wondering if the water stayed warm enough to melt the snow as it fell.

 

[JohnHuff]

I wasn't thinking that people would cover the entire pond, maybe parts of it. Ya, municipalities use these to cover reservoirs and such.

 

[addy1]

I have been considering floating something on the top of the pond during winter like black liner or solar pool cover but I have been wondering if snow would sink it? Do u have any experience w that? Not sure how much it snows by you.

I have had it floating during snow storms, the liner stays at water level, the snow melts faster over the liner. It has never totally sank, with a heavy snow load (6 inches once) it sank about an inch. Once I put it in for the winter it stays until spring/late spring. The fish hang out under all winter, just float as a group

 

[j.w]

That's wild about all those balls!
Mine hide under this floating plant ring but lately nothing much to hide from as Mr Heron has not been to visit. Plant ring still staying tho as I have my Hornwort living nicely in it. Hornwort is not easily seen now as I think it is sinking down lower getting ready for winter. Anything that floats and gives cover would help keep the fish safe especially during the winter when all the floating plants go away. As long as it isn't strong enough for fishing birds to land on and use as a fishing dock!

 

[fishin4cars]

Wouldn't this put a reduction in the bird population if all the male birds had their balls removed? :cheerful:

 

[sissy]

lightens the load they can fly higher and faster :cheerful: