Green Algae on the Water Surface?

[Onyxlinkia]

Hi, I recently noticed some green algaes floating on the water surface in the afternoon. But when I look at the pond in the next morning, the water surface is clear. I'm not sure what's causing this and is there a way to prevent it from happening?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

All algae produces Oxygen through photosynthesis. On sunny days when the pond water is warm certain species of filamentous algae will accumulate this Oxygen within the algae mass (you can actually see the bubbles). When enough Oxygen bubbles accumulate, the buoyancy of the Oxygen causes portions of the algae mass to break loose, floating to the pond's surface. At night no oxygen is produced, the trapped gas bubbles dissipate and the algae sinks only to refloat the next day.
Netting the floating mats from the pond is the only means of removing it, short of disrupting the pond's eco-system. In all likelihood this algae will not return next year, but will be replaced by a different specie.
What size pond do you have? How many fish? Plants? How often do you feed the fish? How old is the pond?

 

[Onyxlinkia]

Hi Meyer,

You are correct, they have bubbles with them.

I don't have the exact size of the pond, my estimate is about 300-350 gallon. I started it in Jan. 2016, have 7 fish in it now, the largest is 6". I feed them daily. Have 4 pots of waterlilies, a pot of iris and horsetail reeds. some floating water hyacinth but not growing much.

Thanks.

All algae produces Oxygen through photosynthesis. On sunny days when the pond water is warm certain species of filamentous algae will accumulate this Oxygen within the algae mass (you can actually see the bubbles). When enough Oxygen bubbles accumulate, the buoyancy of the Oxygen causes portions of the algae mass to break loose, floating to the pond's surface. At night no oxygen is produced, the trapped gas bubbles dissipate and the algae sinks only to refloat the next day.
Netting the floating mats from the pond is the only means of removing it, short of disrupting the pond's eco-system. In all likelihood this algae will not return next year, but will be replaced by a different specie.
What size pond do you have? How many fish? Plants? How often do you feed the fish? How old is the pond?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Hi Meyer,

You are correct, they have bubbles with them.

I don't have the exact size of the pond, my estimate is about 300-350 gallon. I started it in Jan. 2016, have 7 fish in it now, the largest is 6". I feed them daily. Have 4 pots of waterlilies, a pot of iris and horsetail reeds. some floating water hyacinth but not growing much.

Thanks.

I suspected that your pond was fairly new. These species of algae is common to new ponds. As the pond gets older, more dominant species of algae will appear that are less troublesome.

 

[Onyxlinkia]

Thanks. I will be patient

I suspected that your pond was fairly new. These species of algae is common to new ponds. As the pond gets older, more dominant species of algae will appear that are less troublesome.

 

[Onyxlinkia]

Oh I forgot to mention that I also have 20-30 trapdoor snails in the pond as well.