Hi bonedaddy,
I don't have time to work on your question, but I did do some research
for you. Hopefully, you'll find the information I provided helpful to
you.
What do I do about algae or green water or string algae?
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/ponds/2002051559024333.html
Green water is caused by the presence of phytoplankton or algae. There
are many species of algae, some are suspended, single-cell organisms
while others are filamentous or form "strings". Neither type is noted
for directly creating health problems for fish but cause problems with
water clarity and the overall appearance of the pond. As a result many
persons attempt to eliminate the algae by a variety of methods. A few
of the methods that have been used for both suspended algae and string
algae are listed below in no particular order of preference.
Regardless of the approach you may find that you ultimately must deal
with reducing the nutrients that fuel the algae growth cycle.
[edit]
1. Barley straw: Doses of barley straw (tied in a net bag and
suspended in the pool, waterfall, etc.) have been reported to be
successful for suspended algae when using 4-6 oz./1000 gallons. The
use of dosages that are double what is typically called for (around
1/2-1 pound per 1000 gallons) is supposedly adequate for string algae.
This may take a week to several weeks to work depending on the water
temperature.
2. Some people add one pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 1000 gallons.
This is said to not have any significant impact on plants or fish and
is reported to work well on both suspended and string algae. The only
potential problem is that if you have massive amounts of string algae
you may create a very large oxygen demand so physically remove as much
as possible before trying this method - this caution cannot be over
emphasized. It may be necessary to have an aerator ready to put in the
water or, for small ponds, it might be better to remove some of the
water and the fish to a temporary holding tank until the dissolved
oxygen returns to safe levels. Adding hydrogen peroxide, while
effective in removing algae, will essentially result in re-dissolving
the nutrients which contributed to the algae growth in the first
place.
3. Provide 60% or greater coverage to minimize light availability.
While this has been one of the recommended approaches for some years
there is some evidence (see algae web-article by Norm Meck) that
indicates that this might not work effectively.
4. Upgrade your filtration system to help remove nutrients. Several
people on this and other sites have commented that Trickling Towers
(TT) seem to eliminate algae (both suspended and string varieties).
5. Physical removal for string algae. Get a toilet bowl brush,
straighten it out and strap it onto a pole. Then wind the string algae
up like spaghetti. This is an effective method for small amounts of
string algae and for small to moderate sized ponds. The removal of the
algae from the pond will also serve to remove the nutrients that
originally created the algae growth.
[edit]
7. An additional help to control the growth of algae is to add snails
to your pond although if you have large fish they may eat the snails.
Depending on your climate and whether you plan to take your fish in
for the winter you can also add algae-eating fish. Tadpoles are very
effective algae-consumers so do not remove any frog or toad egg masses
from you pond - they will produce thousands of little scavengers.
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http://www.fishpondinfo.com/barley.htm
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/algae2.htm#quick
[Hair or string algae]
Hair algae is a slimy, bright green, filamentous algae that grows up
to a few feet in length. It typically is about an inch long but tends
to grow up to a few feet long in moving water. Hair algae is also
called string algae and filamentous algae. It clings to the sides of
the pond, pots, and any other surfaces. It can smother plants and clog
filters. On the up side, it removes nutrients from the water and thus
reduces the concentration of suspended algae so that you can see
through the water better. Hair algae seems to do best in the winter in
my ponds and likes moving water. It is unaffected by UV sterilizers
because it does not pass through them. It is best to physically remove
it by whirling it around fingers or sticks.
String algae does best in late winter when it provides an additional
source of food for animals in the pond. Normally, fish would not eat
it in the summer but in the late winter, not much else is available.
The hair algae also, being a plant, provides some filtration of the
water, helping to keep the rest of the pond clearer. When the pond
warms up in spring, the hair algae usually dies back and the suspended
algae begins to grow as well as the higher plants. If hair algae
appears to take over the pond in the late winter, there is no need to
panic. Simply physically remove any that interferes with filters, etc.
and wait it out.]
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http://www.sfbakc.org/koienews/algae.html
Rid the Pond of the Current Excess Algae
Removing String Algae is like removing the guts from your Halloween
Pumpkin before you carve it, but it is much, much worse! It needs to
be done, so buck-up and jump in.
When the string algae has been removed, it is time to begin treatment.
The least invasive method is to treat the pond with coarse salt. You
will need to measure your current salinity level, so test the water
before adding any salt. Make sure that the salt added does not
contain iodine or conditioners. (For under $5.00, many of the major
'Home' depots carry 50 lb. sacks of coarse rock salt that is used in
water softeners - make sure that there are no conditioners added!)
Gradually raise the saline level of the pond, by .1% a day, to a level
of .5% and keep it at .5% for 2 weeks. Spread the coarse salt evenly
throughout the pond, making sure that it is not poured onto the fish.
If your pond is shallow, it is a good idea to dilute the salt with hot
water, then disperse it evenly into the pond.
Salt Calculation (Thanks to Mr. Norm Meck!)
[read rest of article on that page]
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http://www.vcnet.com/koi_net/GRENH2O.html
=========
Good luck to you!
tlspiegel |
