Barley! Does it really work?

[sammy85430]

I have an Ultra Falls Filter and Ultra Skim 6 Skimmer along with the clarifier.Seems to do the trick quite well as far as controlling green water etc.Im amazed DrDave that you havent experienced green water without a clarifier or barley...GOOD JOB dude! How many gallons is your pond and whats your secret to controlling green water? As far as the expense of UV light vs. barley..your probably right jetskiqueen but being the low maintenance kinda guy I am...its just easier to run the light and forget about it. On another note...any good frog stories? My frogs seem happy as can be and it amazes me where I always find them "hiding" etc. And yes they love gettin in the skimmer lol!

 

[DrDave]

I have 2 ponds, totalling 1300 gallons which are connected, an upper and a lower pond. Both share the same bio filter which I made from a 55 gallon drum. There are photos here on mine and DrCases bio filters. Within 48 hours, my pea soup became crystal clear after I put inline the bio filter. It gets better with time as the anerobic qualities add to the removal of algae.

40 years ago, 1968 to be exact, I used to make my own UV filters, they were not available commercially then. For salt water aquariums yes they are necessary for ponds, no. When I get time I'll post an article from Koi World, (2007-2008 Annual), which I just read, that says what I have been saying for many years.

 

[kirscp]

I don't believe the UV is necessary either, but I do have one. I"ll probably shut it off soon, as the plants and filter should keep the water clear.

A UV light will work to rid green water, and I've never used barley. I don't add chemicals to my pond. Natural lakes and ponds do just fine without additions of chemicals. I just feel adding chemicals can harm plants and animals, no matter how safe the label says they are.

A UV filter or good bio filter will clear up your water. A lot of people use both. If you want to get rid of algae on the lining of your pond, get snails and feed your fish less. Your fish will eat algae.

 

[jethro13]

Jimbo, I'm like you, I'm going to try barley straw this year too. This is what I have found out so far. It has to be added early in the spring before algae starts to grow. At my house I would think as soon as the ice melts. It takes about a week to ten days to start doing its thing. I see that most if not all of the pond supply web sites carry the stuff. I kind of thought the price for the stuff was kind of high so I asked one of my farmer friends if he knew of any farmers around our area that bailed their barley straw or even grew it for that matter. He asked what for? so I told him what I had been told about barley straw. He said that he buys burlap pouches full of stuff that he puts in his cattle watering troughs to keep algae out and what ever it is works good. The next time he went to the farm supply store he checked it out for me, Sure enough Barley straw! He picked me up four little round bails, enough to treat 4000 gallons each in their own mesh rap for 6 bucks!! I heard it works good on string algae that I have a hard time with in my stream. As for green water I,m not like Dr.Dave I,m Lazy I bought a UV clarifier that I installed in the water line after the pump, In 24hrs my 2000 gallons of water was clear. So, I sat down next to the pond cracked open a cold one, and enjoyed the moment. Life is good.

 

[koiguy1969]

you'll find barley/ peat extract a better solution than bales of barley straw...quicker !!
barley bales have to decompose to produce humic acids those hunic acids have to bodegrade further to become hydrogen peroxide which is actually what kills algea.. when the extract is used it already has humic acids present hence much shorter period before it starts working...bales can take a month even 2 months to start working. or atleast start off with extract for a good start.

 

[koikeepr]

I confess I tried the barley liquid for three weeks early this spring and I saw no effect with the water only getting greener by the day. Now granted, I had just turned on my filters the week before and had not build up my bio bugs yet.

Anyway, I did not buy a new UV bulb this year since my old UV would no longer be used on the new pump and didn't want to spend the money. I figured the old bulb just wouldn't have enough power in it to do anything. Well, I turned it on anyway to see what would happen and two days later the water was crystal clear.

I believe in the power (and speed) of UV.

 

[koiguy1969]

barley is more for string algea not green water...but a u.v wont do anything for string algaes.

 

[koikeepr]

well, the bottle of barley straw extract specifically said it would promote "clearer and cleaner water" and that it was natural way to "clear" water.

The original poster did not mention string algae, and I agree that a UV won't do anything for string algae.

As far as I'm concerned, I gave the barley extract three weeks to do something that my UV did in two days.

 

[DrDave]

well, the bottle of barley straw extract specifically said it would promote "clearer and cleaner water" and that it was natural way to "clear" water.

As far as I'm concerned, I gave the barley extract three weeks to do something that my UV did in two days.

Barley straw is for string algae, UV isn't'
UV is for single cell agae Barley straw isn't.
Your barley straw couldn't do what the UV did for you.

 

[koikeepr]

again, I don't see where the initial poster mentioned string algae. Said his water was not clear....green....

we are in agreement on the string algae and UV.

 

[DrDave]

Your statement, that I quoted, made no sense at all. That is why I posted it. please read again what you said. The Barley could not possibly helped, so why are you faulting it after 3 weeks then claiming the UV did the job?

You have sent mixed messages here...

 

[koiguy1969]

the initial posting was 2 years ago...the subject changed in the thread (page 2)..when you read the posts you know

 

[Mrshkoiluver]

well, the bottle of barley straw extract specifically said it would promote "clearer and cleaner water" and that it was natural way to "clear" water.

The original poster did not mention string algae, and I agree that a UV won't do anything for string algae.

As far as I'm concerned, I gave the barley extract three weeks to do something that my UV did in two days.

A UV bulb will last through 2 summers of use. After that I replace mine.

 

[koikeepr]

I usually do it every year, as I don't trust that it will have enough power, but I use mine 24/7 all pond season.

Koiguy has suggested you turn it off after it's done it's thing, and save the bulb a bit. Sure enough, that does work and you can get two seasons out of it then.

 

[Mrshkoiluver]

I do use mine 24/7 and so far no problem! Keep my fingers crossed. I guess I will just replace it if not.