Help With Floating Algae

[mrteach3]

Been a long while since I posted. Hoping someone can help.

I have always had string algae and have easily taken care of that each year. But this year, I have something new that I have never seen before. Pic included. Not sure what caused this to occur this year. I have skimmed the pond multiple times and it just comes back in an hour or so.

I am in need of changing my filters, so I am going to do that, but any other treatment advice would be helpful? Thanks.

 

[mrsclem]

That's not algae, its foam. Have you used any treatments on the pond?

 

[mrteach3]

That's not algae, its foam. Have you used any treatments on the pond?

Just the normal Green Clean in the beginning of the season, as well as pond balance like I always do.

I know that doesn't look like algae, but when I skim the pond, it definitely is. The bubbles around it are from the water coming off the bottom waterfall.

If you don't think it is algae, what would you think it is?

 

[Lisak1]

Well it kind of looks like foamy algae... some kind of mash up!

 

[mrteach3]

Well it kind of looks like foamy algae... some kind of mash up!

So strange. I have never seen this before. This is what it looks like when I pick it up.

 

[poconojoe]

I suspect that "green clean" stuff is some type of algecide. If you have fish in there you are taking a big chance of killing them. We see it all the time. People post they added algaecide and all their fish are dead.

When I add algecide to my pool, it foams like that.
That foam doesn't look like something natural.
Yeah, maybe the algae is in the foam so it looks green, but I think the foam is from something you added.

I don't know what "pond balance" is either, probably some type of beneficial bacteria. A waste of money in my opinion. Beneficial bacteria will colonize naturally. No need for that store bought stuff.

Stop adding chemicals and add lots of plants. The plants will starve out the algae. It's the natural way to balance things.

 

[mrteach3]

I suspect that "green clean" stuff is some type of algecide. If you have fish in there you are taking a big chance of killing them. We see it all the time. People post they added algaecide and all their fish are dead.

When I add algecide to my pool, it foams like that.
That foam doesn't look like something natural.
Yeah, maybe the algae is in the foam so it looks green, but I think the foam is from something you added.

I don't know what "pond balance" is either, probably some type of beneficial bacteria. A waste of money in my opinion. Beneficial bacteria will colonize naturally. No need for that store bought stuff.

Stop adding chemicals and add lots of plants. The plants will starve out the algae. It's the natural way to balance things.

Thanks. Appreciate the reply. Just strange it hasn't happened before and I use the same stuff every year.

Good news is I haven't killed a fish yet. Yet.

Pond Balance is helpful for water clarity, but I am not positive it works either.

Again, thanks. Any ideas to help get rid of this stuff. Partial water change? Definitely going to change the filters to see if that helps.

 

[Lisak1]

Green Clean is a pricey form of sodium percarbonate. Perfectly safe and won't hurt your fish at all. I use it in our pond a couple of times a year. Great for cleaning waterfall rocks and it works like microbe-lift to pull debris off the pond bottom. HOWEVER when you use it, you need to be prepared to pull or scoop the algae and other organic material by hand or it just stays in the pond.

As for beneficial bacteria... not a fan. But neither of those products on their own would cause what you're seeing. I'd say clean your filters and give it some time to clear up.

 

[GBBUDD]

I don't know about beneficial bacteria but there is a product called NUALGAE that i can say changed the algae from string to clumpy to stated to develop air bubbles that then lifted the algae up to the surface. nualgae is a higher life form then is bacteria there biotopes and such microscopic photo plankton

 

[poconojoe]

Green Clean is a pricey form of sodium percarbonate. Perfectly safe and won't hurt your fish at all. I use it in our pond a couple of times a year. Great for cleaning waterfall rocks and it works like microbe-lift to pull debris off the pond bottom. HOWEVER when you use it, you need to be prepared to pull or scoop the algae and other organic material by hand or it just stays in the pond.

As for beneficial bacteria... not a fan. But neither of those products on their own would cause what you're seeing. I'd say clean your filters and give it some time to clear up.

Ah!
Good explanation!
I had no idea what that was.
Glad it's not harmful.
With the foam present, I thought it might be algaecide. I guess I was judging a book by it's cover.

 

[Lisak1]

I just ordered another 40 lbs today - we like to keep a supply on hand. It's great stuff!

 

[bagsmom]

I'm not sure what your weather and temps were like this spring but I had a real roller coaster. Very warm spells and then back to very cold! I had plants in the pond AND in the garden have multiple false starts. The extended cool time this year was very welcome in the hot south - but it really affected the normal growing pattern of all my plants. Lots of things were different and slow to get going. If your temps were wonky this year, too, I wonder if that could have an affect on how your seasonal pond cycles are going?

 

[gimpy]

Where I live, we had a couple of below freezing overnight temps that caused some of my trees and other plants turn brown. Fortunately they are starting to green up again, slowly.

 

[mrteach3]

Thanks everyone. It rained yesterday and it is a little better at this point. Just going to change the filters and keep skimming. Hopefully it takes care of the issue. Appreciate it.

 

[poconojoe]

Yep, even up here in Pennsylvania, the weather has been "wonky".

We just have to be patient and let nature take its course.