String algae everywhere

[Sushi Prohibited]

I think my pond has corona-algae.
The whole thing has that string, soft, light-green algae everywhere. Got it during the winter here in Oregon.
Now spring is here, fish are feeding and birds are singing.
I've put back the UV light 3 weeks ago, added hay to the top of the waterfall and am treating it with Algaefix by API.

Tests show PH at 7.0, NO2 at <.03, NH3/4 at 0, CO2 at 13.

Any suggestions what I can do?
Thanks much!

 

[GBBUDD]

I think my pond has corona-algae.
The whole thing has that string, soft, light-green algae everywhere. Got it during the winter here in Oregon.
Now spring is here, fish are feeding and birds are singing.
I've put back the UV light 3 weeks ago, added hay to the top of the waterfall and am treating it with Algaefix by API.

Tests show PH at 7.0, NO2 at <.03, NH3/4 at 0, CO2 at 13.

Any suggestions what I can do?
Thanks much!

First suggestion is remove the hay .... if anything it should be barely straw. its enzymes supposedly can help with string algae.
Secondly Uv does nothing but help string algae to grow. It kills any FLOATING algae. thus creating more food for the algae. Vacuum the pond clean out all leaves and dead plants you can plants some fast growing plants but keep in mind there roots grow just as fast and can become a problem. in a natural pond it takes time to balance the pond . Pictures of your system filters and pond can help us see what you may not .

 

[sissy]

just the same every year ,it is the pond waking up and starting over again .Time is the key and removing what you can in string algae helps .I buy cheap dollar store toilet brush's .Some I kill with a little peroxide and not feeding the fish means they will eat the rest of it .

 

[mrsclem]

Stop feeding your fish, they will make short work of it!

 

[Nevermore44]

Do you have a mild winter in Oregon too?

I had really bad string algae this winter in ohio. I usually get small amounts between seasons... but this was the worst by far. I assume it was because we just didn't have much of a winter. I don't feed at all in cold weather, and don't have plants that might be sloughing off junk into the water to add nutrients.... but it just kept growing.

I sent my boy out with an aluminum channel rod with some small nicks added in the sides. You just twist it around in the algae and you can wind up huge clods of it. Then he gets to wing the clod off the channel rod and see how far it goes. This kept it at bay for the winter at least.

Now that it's warming up... the fish are eating on it along with their normal daily feedings.... and the bio in the sand and gravel filter working... this type of algae just subsides from being an issue for the remainder of the season.

 

[Sushi Prohibited]

I have SUMMIT 135 Clear-Water Barley Straw Bale 15 oz.

Attached are the pictures of my pond and my Savio - Skimmer Filter 16000 filter (which I see needs cleaning, which I do every 3 days now).

Pond is approximately 6,000 gallons.

Thanks again!

 

[sissy]

you may need more filtering for that size pond .I use 2 filters that i made for my pond of over 5000 gallons

 

[poconojoe]

I like the cheapo toilet brush idea. You can always tape it to a pole or stick if you can't reach an area.

 

[Sushi Prohibited]

What about adding a pleco? Any algae-eaters you'd recommend?

 

[GBBUDD]

I used a metal rod with a hook put it in a cordless drill and squeeze the trigger watch it role right up. thankfully that was the first summer didn't have that problem last year

 

[Lisak1]

I'd suggest you ditch the AlgaeFix. Chemical algae treatments only keep you on the algae roller coaster - dead algae just feeds more algae.

I've learned to appreciate the early spring algae - it's doing the job of the pond plants before they start to grow. Like others have said - remove what you can by hand, let the fish eat their fill, and give it time. A balanced pond will take care of itself.

And all fish will eat algae. Plecos are tropical though and will die when the water gets too cold.

 

[mrsclem]

Get a child size plastic fan rake. Great for removing string algae

 

[poconojoe]

I've learned to appreciate the early spring algae - it's doing the job of the pond plants before they start to grow.

I never thought of it that way. It makes so much sense! I'm always anxious waiting for the plants to do their duty. Meanwhile, algae are plants anyway.

 

[cas]

The whole thing has that string, soft, light-green algae everywhere. Got it during the winter here in Oregon.

Most years my pond looks like yours. I use to worry about it, but have found once I start up the pump and let the plants start growing the algae goes away on its own. The years I don't have that nice coating of string algae, I end up with suspended algae (green water).
To make you feel better this was in March of one year:

This is in May of the same year (and all I did was wait):

 

[addy1]

Plants plants and more plants. I don't get string algae, my pretty big bog is full of plants they leave nothing for the algae to live on. Even with them just starting to grow, string as no chance in my pond. Or the green water, never get that either.
I took this picture soon after I started up the pond. Can't find the one I wanted of course lol. But you can see zero green and zero string.
Hornwort is at about 1/4 the amount it is at the end of summer I watch the fish eat it all winter.