Barley! Does it really work?

Hey there! This is my first post. Yea, I'm as green as they get!

Anyway, do these Barley Straw things really work? I don't have any free floating algae in my pond yet, but I may down the road and they say these things take 6 to 8 weeks to start working. Should I go ahead and order one now to be on the safe side?

Also, are the Barley Planters like the one below practical and a good idea?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...23926&catid=31

Thanks, Jimbo

While I'm waiting for replies, I came across this stuff:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...23922&catid=31

So which is better................the Barley Straw OR just dumping the Barley Straw EXTRACT in your pond?

Keep us posted on the Barley straw planters if you get them. It looks like a good thing to keep the root ball contained without dirt.

Sure thing. I'll let you know how the Barley straw planter works out, but can anyone give me advice on whether this stuff really works and am I better off going with the Extract (rather than the Barley bundles)???

It is quite possible that no one here knows anything about this stuff. In my 40 years of ponds, I have not heard of it before.

Well, I guess I'm going to give it a go then. It's not too terribly expensive or anything, and I'm sure to end up with pea soup if I don't try something, so I'll be the guinea pig and see how it works.

I'll report back mid to late summer and let you know

Hey Jimbo,
I did try the barley pellets last year. I guess they helped but I wasn't overly impressed. I have some left so I will put them in again this year but I won't spend money on them again. I just keep adding more plants. It seems to do the trick and it looks better too! Good Luck!
Meekaboo

Barley extract goes to work faster than the straw does. The reason straw takes longer is because it has to break down in the water before it starts to release the compounds that help clear the water. The extract is just that, extracted compounds from fermented barley straw. Here is a link to a product that actually combines the extract and beneficial pond bacteria into one product ...barley straw extract

The other advantage the extract can pose over the straw is that you done end up with loose straw floating on the water, which can be an eyesore to some.

Thanks for the replies guys!

Casey, that Barley Straw Extract you suggested looks like a much better product than what I was originally looking at! Thanks for the recommendation!

The straw has to decompose and get some sunlight to produce the algae inhibiting effect. You can submerge it in a mesh bag so it does not look unsightly. You can buy bails fairly cheap if you have larger ponds or the extract is probably better for smaller ponds. I used this and it worked in my ponds but i have read of it only being useful on certain algae types.