Cheapest way to clear algae?

[j.w]

@Marion777
Something about it rotting and turning into hydrogen peroxide or something. I have a whole garbage can full of the stuff. Used it awhile but maybe should have done it longer? Not sure about if it works or not!

 

[Jhn]

My UV clarifier works perfectly to keep my water crystal clear and zero algae. I have both the Tetra 5v and I also bought an all in one pond filter that has a 9v built into it. My pond is small (300 gallons). My pond pump is for up to 900 gallons, but I wanted to make sure my pond was clear for my fish and plants.

Your uv sterilizer will help with free floating algae ie green water, doesn’t do anything for algae that grows on rocks, the liner, etc. Those are two different forms of algae.

 

[Rthomson]

Algae fix and barley wouldn't clear my pond. The only thing that worked for me was the UV light, but my pond was in full direct sun all day and mid 90's every day. In the end, I figured the UV light was cheaper anyways. full disclosure I am new to the pond ownership thing.

 

[Rthomson]

Your uv sterilizer will help with free floating algae ie green water, doesn’t do anything for algae that grows on rocks, the liner, etc. Those are two different forms of algae.

ah, good point. I do use granules on the rocks on my water fall. but it is killing all the algae that was on the sides of the pond. It is all brown now. however, the waterfall is a different story.

 

[Jhn]

ah, good point. I do use granules on the rocks on my water fall. but it is killing all the algae that was on the sides of the pond. It is all brown now. however, the waterfall is a different story.

How the uv‘s work is anything it is killing needs to pass through the sterilizer, so forms of algae that aren’t free floating it won’t kill. There are many ways to go about getting rid of alga, and you can treat the symptom, or treat the cause. Like everything in life, everyone has to do what they enjoy or works for them. We usually just try to inform, so others know why they are doing what they are doing and how it does and does not work.

 

[Marion777]

The Pond Guy SimplyClear Pressurized Filtration System

3 in 1 pressurized filter system ideal for ponds up to 1,250 gallons. Clears water and fish waste using biological, mechanical and UV. Get it at The Pond Guy.

www.thepondguy.com

This works great & easy to use & clean. 5 minutes a day!

For clearing out algae on a budget, you might want to try using barley straw. It’s a natural way to control algae and pretty affordable. Just toss a small bale into the pond, and as it breaks down, it helps prevent algae growth. Another option is to add some aquatic plants like lilies, which can shade the water and reduce algae by competing for nutrients.

I’ll have to try barley straw. Never heard of that

 

[Rick42wood]

Hi! We have an old garden pond that is green with slimy algae all summer. I posted about it years ago when we had thoughts of rehabbing it — you can check out photos in my old posts if you wish — but now we just want to get rid of the algae to clear the water and MAYBE plant a few lily pad flowers.We use mosquito dunks to control bugs. What’s the cheapest way to do this? Thanks!!

 

[Rick42wood]

Cover the pond so that no light can get in and the algae will die. When you rehab it plant lily pads so that 60 % of the surface is covered,

 

[Rick42wood]

Hi! We have an old garden pond that is green with slimy algae all summer. I posted about it years ago when we had thoughts of rehabbing it — you can check out photos in my old posts if you wish — but now we just want to get rid of the algae to clear the water and MAYBE plant a few lily pad flowers.We use mosquito dunks to control bugs. What’s the cheapest way to do this? Thanks!!

Potassium permanganate will kill it off completely and it is not expensive.

 

[Lisak1]

Oooooookay. Lots of really interesting "info" on this thread. Let's just address a few of the biggest misconceptions:

1. Sun does NOT cause algae. Algae is nature's way of creating balance - too many nutrients, not enough plants, algae to the rescue. Sunshine makes it nice and green, and yes if you COMPLETELY COVER the pond it will die... but then, so would any other green living thing.
2. Emptying and refilling a pond repeatedly is exactly what you DON'T want to do. Every time you do that, you start alllllll over with a pond that now needs to re-seek balance. (And yes I do realize I just posted about completely emptying and cleaning my pond - but that's the first time in 14 years folks. And I do expect to get an algae bloom at any minute.) You need to let your pond mature - that "aged" pond water is like a fine wine. The older it gets, the better it gets.
3. UV works to kill one type of algae - single cell floating algae. In order for it to be eliminated it needs to pass by the UV light somehow in the filtration process. UV does nothing for string algae or carpet algae or even that nice gloopy floating algae that we've never really named. And UV also kills every other single celled creature in your pond.
4. Chemicals WILL kill algae, but what else are you killing? AND when you kill the algae in your pond, you're left with a pond full of dead algae. Guess what algae loves more than anything? Rotting organic material in your pond. Potassium permangate? Gee. That's like using a flame thrower on a mosquito. You're medicating your whole pond population at that point. Not a good idea.
5. Barley straw is an old pond idea which is fine to try, but remember it works by rotting in your pond and releasing hydrogen peroxide. Why not just go right to an easier route and buy some H2O2 at the drug store? Or buy (or make) barley straw extract.

NO POND WITH LIVING PLANTS OR ANIMALS SHOUDL BE ALGAE FREE. If you have a water FEATURE and want to keep it free from algae, go ahead. Use bleach if you want. Just be aware of the creatures that might avail themselves of the water - birds, bees, butterflies, chipmunks, squirrels, etc all use my water features as a spot to get a drink - and keep the level low enough to not be killing anyone.

If you want to control the NUISANCE algae in your pond (mainly string algae) address the source. Maybe it's spring and your plants haven't started growing yet - then just wait. But if it's full on summer and your established (more than three years old) pond is still teeming with string algae, you need to recognize that you have too many nutrients in your pond. You fix that by:
1. Add more plants
2. Reduce your fish load
3. Feed your fish less, or not at all
4. Remove rotting organic material from the pond - and stop adding more organic material by killing off the algae with chemicals and UV.

This forum is a great source of information for current pond owners as well as people who will come here years from now seeking advice. It's just very hard to read misinformation, knowing others will keep repeating the same because they read it here.

 

[dadrab]

I will admit to not reading this entire thread, but my pond is about 3500 gallons with a waterfall. I put a UV light in the falls reservoir. Nothing expensive. About $30 from Amazon (13 watt watertight with timer) and it does an admirable job. Run it 24 hours a day until the water is clear then cut back to three hours a day. You’ll probably have to replace it every other year.
I can count the leaves on the bottom of the pond at a four-foot depth. Clear enough for me without harming any wild or plant life. Moreover, I can see the fish.
Just make sure you seclude that light from anything you want to live and you’ll be fine.

 

[Marion777]

Agreed. My pump has the same algae killing light in it & it works great!

 

[Jhn]

To answer the OP‘s question, If you are truly looking for the cheapest method to control algae it’s not any gadget you can buy, it is taking the time to construct a well thought out pond, ie proper circulation, biological and mechanical filtration, appropriate stock8ng of fish type and number, and then adding plants (alooot of plants) be it in a bog or just in the pond proper itself.
Doesn’t get any cheaper than 0 dollars spent, because there is no algae problem and never will be.

 

[Marion777]

I use AlgaeFix. A gallon is expensive but comaptible with fish and plants. I add it to my 1900 gal pond every week. I also use barley. I put it in big hamster plastic balls and drop in the pond. Decaying barley helps a lot with algae. You can put it in a mesh bag.

Just barely or barely straw?

 

[Eira Makepeace]

How do we keep algae from coming back?

I find duckweed blocks the sunlight so not allowing algae to thrive, or water lettuce in the summer, or dye the water a dark colour to deter sunlight.