Algaefix

[Lisaebetten]

KEEP THE POND!!!! It is beautiful, you can still have a hot tub, I have both! The most important thing is the pump running 24/7, just like in a fish tank inside, to keep good oxygen and water movement, especially at night when the oxygen is low. You will have to read up on the aspects of a healthy pond, it is technical but not difficult. Please don't freak out it is just a learning curve but once you know your fine.

Does it have inches of sludge on the bottom? IF SO, that will need to come out. There are gasses trapped in the inches of muck that will kill the fish once it's all stirred up so you will have to take them out for the removal, or hire someone!

You need the API liquid test kit to know what your waters parameters are: I check mine daily as my pond is new, but will do weekly soon.

If it is a thin layer of muck you can net it out yourself or hire someone who does it for a living and knows how a pond eco-system works.
You don't want a total water change as you will mess up your eco system and beneficial bacteria.

Some will say to take the rocks out but you don't have to if you like them. Rocks don't produce the muck they just sit there, actually mine have the beneficial bacteria on them that eats up all the bad stuff. Months of not doing a general cleaning with a net lets junk settle on the bottom and decay. Looks like you have a skimmer, you should clean that out as you don't want derbies decaying in there, algae thrives on that stuff. I clean mine out every 2 days when I check to see if any frogs or plants are stuck in there.

It is o.k. to hire the work out, make SURE THEY KNOW ABOUT PONDS!!! Or you may have dead fish and a bigger mess then what you started out with.

This is a great place to ask questions and learn everyone here cares and wants the best for your pond!

 

[dieselplower]

actually mine have the beneficial bacteria on them that eats up all the bad stuff. !

How do you know that? You wont find much if any of the bacteria that process ammonia and nitrite in the debris at the bottom of the pond. Nitrobacter and nitrosomonas need a clean environment with a high oxygen content in order to thrive.

 

[Lisaebetten]

@LittlestWinslow I have an air stone in my filter box that runs 24/7 and one that only runs at night in my pond. I also have a very small pump in the deepest part of my pond for circulation. I don't know if it's over kill but I wanted the best for my pond as I love it! Once again don't get overwhelmed it's just fixes and adjustments but nothing back breaking or impossible.

 

[Priscilla]

I ALMOST turned to using peroxide, was having a fair amount of string algae in my pond, attached to the sides and to my plant pots, choking my plants. I was blaming the hot sun down here. A few weeks back I added what I would say is a smallish aerator in a week I thought is the algae going away? In two weeks it almost gone and in three its gone. My only regret is not ordering a larger stone with multiple outlets.

 

[morewater]

I have an algae problem that hasn't gone away yet. Lots of string algae and the fish aren't eating it down. Has anyone used API Pondcare Algaefix? Is this a good product to use? http://www.amazon.com/Pondcare-Alga...-Ounce/dp/B000HCKVGE/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Also I don't know the size of my pond.....any suggestions for safely applying the Algaefix if I'm uncertain?

I'd like to get the problem fixed before winterizing the pond.

Use D-Solv 9. Apply weekly.

 

[Lisaebetten]

I ALMOST turned to using peroxide, was having a fair amount of string algae in my pond, attached to the sides and to my plant pots, choking my plants. I was blaming the hot sun down here. A few weeks back I added what I would say is a smallish aerator in a week I thought is the algae going away? In two weeks it almost gone and in three its gone. My only regret is not ordering a larger stone with multiple outlets.

Thats great to know. I have read and learned sooo much stuff on here. Sometimes I can't remember why I do things other then I made note of it's importance and a must for the pond!!! I know the beneficial bacteria need good O2 and the pond needs it at night and thats why I aired my pond up. How does it take care of excess alage, I know it does but I can't remember the science of it.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Thats great to know. I have read and learned sooo much stuff on here. Sometimes I can't remember why I do things other then I made note of it's importance and a must for the pond!!! I know the beneficial bacteria need good O2 and the pond needs it at night and thats why I aired my pond up. How does it take care of excess alage, I know it does but I can't remember the science of it.

It is an oxygen stripper.

 

[Lisaebetten]

It is an oxygen stripper.

Are you referring to the Peroxide as the O2 stripper? I'm just asking because I'm blonde and really hoping your not going to say your referring to my air stones.

 

[Lisaebetten]

How does the air stone help with the greenies?

 

[dieselplower]

It is an oxygen stripper.

Actually it is quite the opposite.

 

[dieselplower]

How does the air stone help with the greenies?

It doesn't. You need it to keep that dissolved oxygen level in the pond up, since the dying algae will be sucking the oxygen out of the pond. The products themselves do not lower the oxygen levels. The resulting die off does.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Actually it is quite the opposite.

Ok then it is an oxygen hibiter. You put it in the system and you don't even need a pump.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

It doesn't. You need it to keep that dissolved oxygen level in the pond up, since the dying algae will be sucking the oxygen out of the pond. The products themselves do not lower the oxygen levels. The resulting die off does.

Like when your fish dies it sucks the oxygen out of the water? Good point, this is why I don't play in leaves (no oxygen)

 

[Lisaebetten]

Like when your fish dies it sucks the oxygen out of the water? Good point, this is why I don't play in leaves (no oxygen)

O.K. help me out here, remember I'm blonde and new to ponding, peroxide is the oxygen stripper/hibitar correct? The air stone is good correct?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

O.K. help me out here, remember I'm blonde and new to ponding, peroxide is the oxygen stripper/hibitar correct? The air stone is good correct?

The air stone is good, you need lots of water movement. The algae dies off so fast that you have a ' mini cycle.' Ammonia spikes and so does the rest of nitrogen cycle. the pond is trying to re balance itself. This takes away dissolved oxygen from the water to create the bacteria, oxygen stripper.