Beckett: Algaecure?

[Jason]

Hello again, I have a question for all. This past weekend I noticed I had little strings of algae running off my Fountain Tiers so I got a brush and scrub the Tiers and the rest of the rocks in the Pond (Even the Floor Pond Pebbles) with a NEW Toilet Bowl Scrubber lol and removed what I saw. The pond soon became hazy with all i just scrubbed off and stirred up. Now after Cleaning the Biological Pre-filter and the 100 Micron Screen Filter and a few hours later the Pond was clear but some "GREEN" slime was collecting on top of the surface of the Fountain Top that comes up off my Beckett Pump that is like a 360 Dome water Wall-fall since it is a solid wall of water and once something goes in it stays there (Usually a little Foam). I have to wait till February to buy the 9 watt UV clarifier I want, So I bought some Algaecide from Beckett at Home Depot called "Algaecure" and wanted to know if you would think I should put a little in or just wait it out? It was %50 off so I bought it :twisted: . Thanks :goldfish:

 

[Ruben Miranda]

Hello
I don't use chem of any kind (Well beside the declor I use)
But other then that I stay away from algae killers or water cliafiers and such.
To me a little algae on the liner or string algae makes the pond more natural so I don't worry about it.
It gets to long I pull it off.
Plus the fish like it.
If the water is real green then I use the UV and do a few water changes with declor to help clean up the algae bloom.

As I said I don't use it but I have read people using it and they always say make sure you measure right and not overdose it.

Ruben

 

[sissy]

peroxide does the same thing

 

[Jason]

Thanks for the fast response! I'm guessing Peroxide is safe for fish, and How do i measure it vs Gallons? I guess I will just keep it on hand for something

 

[sissy]

You don't add it to the pond all you do is turn off your pump spray the algae and wait about 15 minutes and scrub the heavy stuff off and then turn the pump back on and it turns white I put quilt batting in the top of the filter to catch all the fine stuff that comes out of the pond .

 

[Jason]

You don't add it to the pond all you do is turn off your pump spray the algae and wait about 15 minutes and scrub the heavy stuff off and then turn the pump back on and it turns white I put quilt batting in the top of the filter to catch all the fine stuff that comes out of the pond .

Oh! lol ok, well it isn't that bad yet, just getting a little, not enough to do that, but thanks! I guess I will just leave a little in the pond since the fish can nibble on it :razz:

 

[fishin4cars]

Jason, I would not add the algae curel. Very seldom do they do any good and in most cases just cause bigger problems. Algae on rocks and liner and such is natural, fish and insect life really benefit from it being in the pond. A UV light will only kill algae that is free floating in the water column, It will not kill algae that is growing on rocks. as Sissy stated you can remove the rocks you want to stay clean and spray with peroxide, but you can also bleach and rinse, or better yet just set out in the sun and let them bake and rinse them off. All will get the same results. Just be sure and rinse very well before returning to the pond. What causes algae? Sun light, nitrites, nitrates, high phosphates, accumulated leaf and fish waste. A small crowded pond is far more likely to have algae problems than a larger under stocked pond. But they both can grow it if left out of check. Finding what is causing the growth and finding the balance is key. You want enough plants and algae growth to help keep the water clear and healthy, but not enough to get pea soup green and cause depleted oxygen problems. Your pond looks good right now. Personally I wouldn't add any chemicals and if I did run a UV light it would only be in the spring during a algae bloom. After that, continuing water quality and checks are you best preventative measure.

 

[Jason]

Thank you Fishin4cars! I won't put it in, I have read mixed reviews from people swearing by it and others Claiming all their fish died from it so I will keep it natural for now lol. I was thinking last night that if the little Algae strings come back on the Fountain Tiers then I would leave them because it seems like they might be a mini Filter and collect some of the waste that flows by!? I am liking having a small pond and only 1 month ago i was complaining I had no algae and now I do . I rinse off my Irrigation Filter every night and clean my Bio material filter once a week (When it feels Heavy with gunk) and I am surprised how easy it is to maintain this pond! In the spring, I will pull EVERYTHING up and Use the rest of the Liner that is tucked under the Fountain to extend my pond by at least 100 Gallons, I have a Preformed 80 Gallon Pond on the other side of my Yard that will be used for the fish when i do my remodel :goldfish:

 

[sissy]

I leave some on mine also to help clean the water but if it gets heavy i clean it off .It can break loose and clog a pump up .In the summer I clean it off a little more because it can build up faster and cause problems with the water flow .

 

[crsublette]

I don't know anything about the beckett product ya mentioned, but using those products are an expensive endeavor. Ya will only knock the algae down a bit, never will kill it, so you will have to make repeat applications of the product.

If ya want to use something, then peroxide is probably the cheapest out there. Spray it on the fountain, let it set for a while, scrub it, and you're good to go. Read "part four" section in Emergency Koi Health. Another good read is Hydrogen peroxide or sodium percarbonate overdose comments. So, be careful with the stuff if ya want to treat an entire pond.

 

[Jason]

Ok Thanks guys, I will use peroxide when I get that pond ready again this spring!

 

[shakaho]

Jason, if you aren't eager to get some nice green water, let the surface-growing algae grow in your pond. If you want to scrape it off your fountain, fine. Feed it to your fish. If you want to get a healthy, stable ecosystem established, stock lightly, feed lightly, provide decent filtration, and don't put anything in the water but fish food and dechlor.

 

[Dave 54]

Over feeding is often the culprit here Jason that or direct sunlight.
The best way to get rid of algae is a U/V-C placed after your pond filter prior to its return to the pond wich is something all we koi keepers do.
A form of shade over the pond will help we use a Parasol but there are sails out there that are so cool looking and adds to the pond :-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001AZKB...de=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B001AZKBPI

Some algae gives the pond a realistic look and is cropped close to the sides and bottom by your fish its the string algae that we dont want.
Check out the link I think you'll like the overall beauty of a sail suspended by three posts cemented into the ground over the pond.

rgrds

Dave

 

[Jason]

Thanks Dave, My Algae didn't start until after i stopped feeding the fish for the winter, now Im feeding them again but they are in a smaller 60 gallon preformed as i am currently expanding my 250 gallon to 400 gallon. I think it was the sunlight after all the leaves fell off the trees above my pond, the sun shines more on it now lol. Could it have been my pond finally being established being it was only 5 months old when i drained it last week? I put two of those Algae Balls they sell at Petsmart in my smaller pond to see if they actually control the algae :goldfish:

 

[Dave 54]

OOP's Jason you know what that means koi keepers here in the UK start out small then go ever larger and larger ponds.
You better go see your doctor I'm affraid you have something that is highly addictive its called called pond builders itch lol.
It afflicts 1 in 10 fish keeper and is so highly addictive you wont stop a 400 gallons I'm affraid to tell you.
Why not just go up to 1,000 US instead......... its the only cure I'm affraid lol

rgrds

Dave