String Algae

[Sally]

Thanks for all the interest!

JohnHuff - Got a grabber yesterday! Cheers for that, as soon as the rain stops I’ll get out there. (Or I’ll send the old man, he’s working nights!)

Telkwa - The unattached floaty bits are annoying because they’re difficult to siphon out being so close to the surface. They had better start to worry when my electric drill pump comes.

CliffandJoanN - I have the one Koi in the pond who is about 8 inches long now, it’s all a bit much for him, maybe I should get him some mates! I'm bidding on a Blagdon Monsta but I'm not going in too high!

Sissy - I’ve just taken delivery of some fine wool filter media to catch all the dead single cell algae that the UV clarifier dumps into the filter box. The filter wool does a great job but needs rinsing every couple of days as it clogs so easily. Crushed oyster shells? I shall look into that.

Waterbug - The plan was to empty the pond, clean it up and chuck out all the plants and baskets. But that does seem drastic now! I’ll see if I can control it first.

Sally

 

[JohnHuff]

The unattached floaty bits are annoying because they’re difficult to siphon out being so close to the surface.

For that, get a pool net. When I priced nets a few years ago, I found that fish pond nets were $60(!) at a specialty store and swimming pool nets were $20 at a big box store, so I got a pool net and it works just as well. With a pool net you can easily skim off any floating stuff. Mine even has an extendable handle and I can net stuff off the tree if I want!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Used to get string algae many years ago, got big powerful sedges growing and they eat all the excess nutrients and starve out the algae. Also now my trees are larger and nature gives me more shade and caterpiller dung at the right time, when the sun is at its peat in June. The caterpiller dung will dye my water an all natural dark golden color, preventing the hottest spectrum of sunlight from shining in. Many people don't understand this concept, but after 20 years I can tell you it works like a charm every year! Caterpiller dung also lowers my PH quite nicely, water here in the Hat is quite hard, sometimes over 9! Thankful for the caterpillers, there coming....... very soon to a pond near me!

 

[blessedfamily]

Mad Hatter what are sedges? Curious.

 

[addy1]

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plant-identification/alphabetical-index/sedges/


There are many types of sedges (over100) and they are difficult to identify without using detailed botanical keys. In general, sedges are perennial plants that resemble grasses, grow in shallow water or moist soils, and can reach 4 feet in height. Sedges often grow in thick clusters or tussocks. Stems of sedges are usually triangular. Spikes occur on the upper sections of the plant and can be single or in groups.
Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates. Sedges are considered good wildlife plants. Sedges are grazed by muskrats, nutria, and rabbits, while the seeds are consumed by waterfowl and small birds.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Addy, well done, could'nt have said it better my self! I try to keep it simple so its easy to remember, all sedges have a "spear shaped leaf", like cat-tails, Iris, rushes, and grasses.

 

[Sally]

Used to get string algae many years ago, got big powerful sedges growing and they eat all the excess nutrients and starve out the algae.

That sound like a perfect solution! I must get my veg filter up and running. Would anyone know if Sedges are good for a veggie filter?

 

[riparks]

I had string algae last year and got a lot of it off with a toilet brush. Once the loose string algae floated to the surface, I used my shop vac (10 gallon) to suck out the rest. If you put the flat attachment on the shop vac, and barely put it in the water, it will suck the string algae out. Because I was just sucking out the string algae and not much of the water, it took a while for the shop vac to fill up. I am scared to put chemicals in my pond.

 

[sissy]

I put a hose on the outlet of my shop vac and put it in a basket in the water fall and what ever water i pick up comes out the other end and goes back into the pond .I usually put a basket with quilt batting at that end also gets the fine stuff ,but hard to do when you have snails and taddies .

 

[Waterbug]

That sound like a perfect solution! I must get my veg filter up and running. Would anyone know if Sedges are good for a veggie filter?

I currently grow a sedge in a "pond". My variety does well.

But if you think these are going to starve the algae you will be disappointed. It's a long time myth in water garden forums that algae can be starved. It does sound good though.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Humm, have you seen my pond sedges? Its only May and the yellow flag is 3 feet tall already! Waterbug, if you lived here in Medicine Hat, you could see how nice my ponds work with just powerful sedges and good filters. I have not had any pea green water for 20 years now, people still come over to ask for my help, they all would love a pond that cleans itself, like mine! Take a look at my thread (ponds in Canada) that I started, you will see what I mean. Never any problem here!

Oh those flower pedals that you see floating, get consumed by my big sedges, they reach out with long flowing feathery roots that grab on to the flower petals and use them to make more sod and roots!

 

[sissy]

I see that online one expert says one thing and another says it does not work .I guess the only really proven way is when you try it and if works well then some one is wrong .Just like experts say you should raise your children this way or that way ,there is really no real proven way for most things .I find if it works I stay with it .Just like my lava rock filters or maybe some one uses fencing and someone else use bio balls or scrubby pads .If it works stay with it a be happy you have clear water .With the heat we get here and the long months of it I am guessing we will get more algae than people farther north with shorter seasons and not long,long ,long , hot summers .I moved south for warmer weather and should have stayed a little farther north .oh well :razz: I guess you can take me out of the north but can't take the north out of me .

 

[addy1]

I currently grow a sedge in a "pond". My variety does well.

But if you think these are going to starve the algae you will be disappointed. It's a long time myth in water garden forums that algae can be starved. It does sound good though.

WB I have no green water algae i.e. single cell, no string algae, no slime algae (now that the plants have grown in the bog) so I think you are wrong in your statement. My plants starve the algae. i had none last year, none this year. I also have very little carpet algae, my pond is basically algae free.

 

[callingcolleen1]

So there you have it waterbug, Repent and join the all Natural movement, all your chemical sins against nature will be forgiven! And if you send a donation to "ducks unlimited" Mother Nature will hear your confessions ! Ha ha ha.

PS.... I really do like you waterbug, just not the chemicals!

 

[Waterbug]

Your logic is undeniable. You have clear ponds, you have plants in the pond, therefore as any pin head would know, it must be the plants. Seems like a total waste all those scientists spending time researching, publishing, reading, learning.

I know you guys haven't been suckered into all that science, studies or facts stuff . And I do appreciate that it's easier to just look at something and "know" the answer in your gut. But alas, I feel I'm just doomed to having to research, read, and learn, long and boring as it is. Once started down that path it seems impossible to go back to believing fairy tales, the dude behind me at the check-out who feels compelled to tell me some dumb as a post piece of logic as ever was pushed out of a goose's butt, or the millions of people now empowered by the internet to do the same on a massive scale. I wish I could go back. Life was so simple.

Ha ha ha.