String algae

[sissy]

mrteach that sight has some really neat stuff love the paw print stepping stone molds and can't believe the neat molds they have for concrete

 

[mrteach3]

They sure do sissy. I ran across the site a couple of years ago and since I haven't found anywhere cheaper, I have never gone anywhere else. Like I said, they are very quick with customer service and shipping orders.

 

[bsr8129]

Kitty litter didn't work I have added barly and peat extract. I think that's what it's called been one week and still lots of string algae. Will wait a week or two and add more extract and see what happens

 

[addy1]

hydrogen peroxide killed the string algae in my arizona pond over night. Had to scope it out after wards, but it was gone until the next year.

(just goldfish/shubunkins in the pond)

 

[bsr8129]

Added barley extract again and now my pond is almost pea soup green

 

[DrDave]

Just like clockwork, my string algae has gone away without any intervention. Water is clear. String algae has a lifespan of about 4 months and will come back every year.
It also goes away by itself every year.

 

[shakaho]

Dr. Dave, do you think it would go away if you fed it all sorts of organic material, such as that sold at pond stores?

 

[DrDave]

First of all, the only thing I put into my water is dechlor. The string algae, other than being a pain for few months is actually beneficial to my ponds eco system. My koi spawn in it and the string algae provides a safe haven until I can harvest the eggs. Those fry that hatch in the pond use it for food and refuge.

This time of the year is when the spawn occurs and the string algae's life ends. A perfect world for me. I would not try to stop it for the aformentioned reasons.

Many here, who do not raise Koi are using barley and peroxide. Some are a little more sophisticated and are using other products that you may want to study a little chemistry before using. As for the snake oil sold by fish stores, I wouldn't use it if they gave it to me.

 

[fishin4cars]

my pond now is down to about one or two small hand fulls a week in the plant area. Just enough to take some out and feed my whiptail cats in the house. oh how I wish they would breed, I would like to try some in my pond and see how they would do. But I'm afraid they wouldn't survive the winter and I already have a huge pleco to bring in every year.
The UV light is off and I am using barley bales. None in the stream this year and none in the main pond, just a little in the plant pond and like Dr. Case what's growing now is more of a benefit than a nuisance.