How To Get Rid Of Pond Algae - By: Aldrin

It's very hard to prevent your pond from developing algae eventually. Algae are in fact plants. An interesting fact is that they consist of one cell only. They only become a problem when these cells cluster together to form a colony. In such a case the water will very soon become an ugly green colour. To complicate things further, you don't only get bad algae - you get good ones as well. The challenge comes when you try to get rid of bad Pond algae while not disturbing the good ones.

Using their natural enemies against them

As all other plants and animals, algae also require oxygen, light and food to remain living. Introducing more plants to the pond will normally cause these plants to compete with the algae for the natural resources in the water. If they are stronger than the algae, algae growth will be severely inhibited. A brilliant idea in this regard is to bring in some floating water plants. Both Duckweed and Hyacinth will be great choices to push out the bad algae. They'll block out light without which the algae won't be able to flourish. On top of that plants such as these will also provide shelter to the fish in the water. Their roots will furthermore provide a great breeding place for fish.

How water circulation can help

Algae love to grow in standing water. One way of inhibiting their growth is therefore to provide some form of circulation for the water. A water pump is an excellent way to keep the water moving. Other options are waterfalls and fountains. As a general rule the total volume of water should be circulated during every two hour period. In the case of a Koi pond it has to take place once every hour.

How water filters can help

All types of water filters will to some or other extent help to inhibit algae growth. The 2 most popular types of filters are UV filters and biological filters. Let's briefly look at the difference between the two.

UV Filters

The way UV filters work is that they utilize ultraviolet rays to suppress the growth of algae. Water passing through the filter is continuously subjected to strong UV rays. These rays in effect kill the DNA of the algae, thereby destroying it completely. Luckily it cannot do any harm to humans. A further positive feature of UV filters is that they have no negative effect on the so-called good type of algae that usually grow on the liner of a pond.

Biological Filters

This type of filter utilizes single-cell bacteria to get rid of algae in the water. Although the process is not as quick as that used by UV filters (it can in effect take a few months to work), it is also highly effective in the end. The filters need to be cleaned regularly and you also have to replenish the bacteria used in the treatment process. The manufacturer's directions should assist you in this regard.

Removing algae physically

It's fairly easy to get rid of the algae that you normally find growing like a mat on the surface of a pond. All you need is a net or some similar object to skim them off. Those growing on waterfalls and fountains can normally also easily be removed by scrubbing or simply pulling them off. Just be careful not to remove the furry looking Pond algae normally growing on the pond liner - these are not harmful at all. In fact they are very good for the pond's ecosystem as a whole.

About the Author

The presence of Pond Algae indicates the imbalance of nutrients and too much heat or sun penetration. Those nutrients come from decomposing matter, fertilizer run-off, and debris.

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