Hi. I have "green" water and I was told by many that is due to algae. I have tried chlorine for up to one month without success. I was also told to completely cover the pond with tarp to starve algae from UV ray since without UV, algae will (also) die. If I do use tarp, how long should I keep the pond cover for this to be effective? Thank you in advance.
tarp cover to kill algae...
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peter hillman
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Not sure how long, or if it'll even work, but you'll want to remove the dead algae when it happens.
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Welcome Joseph 
I'm assuming you don't have fish , other living creatures, or plants, if you were told to use chlorine
I'm assuming you don't have fish , other living creatures, or plants, if you were told to use chlorine
You were given bad advice...not uncommon.
First of all, chlorine is absolutely 100% effective in killing all algae, and all life, in the water. That it didn't work just means some step was missed. Also, chlorine doesn't last a long time, so I'm not sure if you added some and waited a month or added some like every few days for a month. The best place to learn about algae and chlorine use is from swimming pool sites. Ponds don't use chlorine so not much help.
Yes, if you can eliminate all sunlight the algae will die. This can take more than a week. A tarp may not block enough light, so it can take even longer. Depends on the material. And after a few weeks you take the tarp off and a few days later the algae is back. To me that makes it bad advice.
Small unimportant point just because I'm a nerd...UV actually kills algae in the same way it damages our skin. It's other wave lengths the algae use to make food.
With no fish, plants or any living thing in the pond I suggest any copper sulfate algaecide. Much less expensive than chlorine and other oxidizers and easier to use. Copper kills an algae and as the cell decomposes the copper is released to kill again. So you don't have to add more very often. But you should read up on it because you don't want the copper to be getting into your garden.
So you could use what's called chlorine shock (just a lot of chlorine) and then when clear the copper sulfate and you should be good.
First of all, chlorine is absolutely 100% effective in killing all algae, and all life, in the water. That it didn't work just means some step was missed. Also, chlorine doesn't last a long time, so I'm not sure if you added some and waited a month or added some like every few days for a month. The best place to learn about algae and chlorine use is from swimming pool sites. Ponds don't use chlorine so not much help.
Yes, if you can eliminate all sunlight the algae will die. This can take more than a week. A tarp may not block enough light, so it can take even longer. Depends on the material. And after a few weeks you take the tarp off and a few days later the algae is back. To me that makes it bad advice.
Small unimportant point just because I'm a nerd...UV actually kills algae in the same way it damages our skin. It's other wave lengths the algae use to make food.
With no fish, plants or any living thing in the pond I suggest any copper sulfate algaecide. Much less expensive than chlorine and other oxidizers and easier to use. Copper kills an algae and as the cell decomposes the copper is released to kill again. So you don't have to add more very often. But you should read up on it because you don't want the copper to be getting into your garden.
So you could use what's called chlorine shock (just a lot of chlorine) and then when clear the copper sulfate and you should be good.
sissy
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peroxide works better .
What, the peroxide or the algaecide or the chlorine?
I'm pretty sure the swimming pool algaecide would be the cheapest long term solution. As for creatures venturing into swimming pools, happens all the time.
sissy
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Peroxide is the least dangerous .But I have seen frogs get burned by the stuff used by swimming pools
Any oxidizer used in a large enough amount will kill frogs, fish, etc. And all in low enough amount is considered safe.
Using peroxide to kill green water algae is very difficult because it kills on contact but breaks down very fast. To get enough to contact all the suspended algae cells takes a lot. And the algae is almost certain to be back the following week, so more peroxide. Peroxide in the amounts needed is very expensive. There are much better options imo.
Using peroxide to kill green water algae is very difficult because it kills on contact but breaks down very fast. To get enough to contact all the suspended algae cells takes a lot. And the algae is almost certain to be back the following week, so more peroxide. Peroxide in the amounts needed is very expensive. There are much better options imo.
sissy
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You can buy medical peroxide and it is safe but in a higher concentration .But to me the more aeration in a pond stops algae in it's tracks .Lots of nursing homes use it here because no fumes and safer for patients .
Certainly no harm dumping a few bottles of hydrogen peroxide into the pond. Let us know how it goes. HP kills on contact so you should see results very fast.