UV clarifier vs sterilizer

[MitchM]

... For string algae you can also use an ionizer that releases copper into the water. One of our members has also been successful in suppressing floating algae by turning up the power on his ionizer to the highest setting. The copper pole has to be replaced annually and costs about the same as a UV.

....

Copper ionizers are not recommended for a pond trying to achieve a balanced ecosystem.
Copper ions are effective are eliminating algae, but are also lethal to invertebrate creatures and in sufficient quantities, harmful to vertebrates (fish).
Excess plant nutrients will still be available and if there is no algae available to uptake these nutrients thereby protecting the the pond's inhabitants, dinoflagellates will take up the nutrients, smother all submerged plants and substrates which will result a pond that has a orange/brown layer covering everything, devoid of life.
Dinoflagellates are even more difficult to get rid of than nuisance algae.

It is more advisable to address the source of the excess nutrients in the first place.

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[Lisak1]

It is more advisable to address the source of the excess nutrients in the first place.

It reminds me of how some people deal with health issues - feeling sick? Take a pill. Pills make you sicker? Take another one. And so on. And so on. Instead of saying "hmmm... I have a symptom. Let me see if I can figure out the CAUSE and correct it. Maybe I need to change my diet, or give up a bad habit, or get more exercise... ". Correct the cause and the symptom will go away.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

It is more advisable to address the source of the excess nutrients in the first place.

There is more to it than just having excessive nutrients in the water, granted that can certainly be a factor although you can have green water algae bloom in a pond, pool or a tub of water without fish or adding any kind of nutrients, and yet you can also have clear water that is rich in nutrients.
I have UV unit plumbed into my pond circuit although it's rarely plugged in. I can and will use it if I notice the water starting to get kind of hazy or take on a green tint, I'll run it for a few days the water will get crystal clear and then I'll turn it off. Generally, that happens about once in the spring but after that, the will water stay clear for the rest of the year, and yet, I have the same amount of nutrients in the pond as I did before, or perhaps even more. Still feeding the fish and they keep on pooping but the water stays clear after the UV treatment, so there's more too it than just excess nutrients in the water.

 

[MitchM]

I might be missing your point.
How can you have an algae bloom without excess nutrients?
I think there's a fine line between us being able to detect the excess nutrients and planktonic algae consuming them as soon as they are available.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

How can you have an algae bloom without excess nutrients?

The more pertinent and interesting question is how can you have clear water with excess nutrients?
I'm not answering the "how", I'm just stating an observation.
This is an observation that good ole Waterbug use to rag on about but I think most people missed his point too. He had a theory about why it often works like that (something about other types of algae producing a chemical that controlled the planktonic algae) but after listening to what he was saying and years of having ponds and observing containers of water it's clear to me that there is more to planktonic algae blooms than just the amount nutrients in the water or even the amount of sunlight a pond receives. Clearly, you need some sunlight and some nutrients, but there are other factors at play, otherwise, why wouldn't I get another algae bloom soon after turning off my UV light if it was just excess nutrients causing the bloom?

 

[MitchM]

I think the missing component is the rate of water temperature change.
A sudden warming of the water temperature will allow bacteria to process detritus faster than complex plants can uptake the nutrients. Algae population will increase as a result.
Waterbug was referring to allelopathy (chemical warfare) between plants that our test kits are unable to detect.

 

[MitchM]

I've observed the same effect on algae with my use of things that put humic substances in my aquariums. Almond leaves, various seed pods, etc. Barley straw has the same effect. Humic substances have anti algal properties, like allelopathy.

 

[Tara]

My opinion on algae blooms, is that a lot of factors come in to play. I have a pond for the first time, and I'm looking forward to watching it change, and the issue's that may come up. For plants of an aquatic nature, my opinion is that dissolved gases play an important role, in how they thrive vs just living. I plan in the future to plant species that are adapted to low levels of Co2 vs plants that need a lot of Co2 . I have to think nutrients along with, sun, gases all play an important role. Not to mention how each individual, plants and manages their pond.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Waterbug was referring to allelopathy (chemical warfare) between plants that our test kits are unable to detect.

Uh yes, that was his theory. However, even he admits it was just a theory.
And yes, water temperature obviously is a factor too, probably more than anything in the case of my pond.
Point is I plug in my UV for a few days or a week when I notice the pond water starting to get a little hazy and after it clears up I unplug it and it stays clear, usually for the rest of the year. So it's not like "taking pills to treat a symptom" as Lisa puts it, if anything it's more like a yearly flu shot. LOL My pond doesn't get sicker from it and there's no need to change the diet of my fish (frogs, turtle, etc...)

 

[MitchM]

Allelopathy is not a theory, it's been documented in corals, aquatic and terrestrial plants.
Your pond is a great example of a well balanced system. You have complex plants and mechanical filtration plus the ability to temporarily turn on a UV unit when you want, for aesthetic purposes.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Allelopathy is not a theory

Of course, but it was Waterbug's theory that other types of algae in the pond use allelopathy to inhibit the growth of platonic algae. That was "his" theory.

 

[MitchM]

It's been documented in algae as well, but I do remember his interest in it.