Crappy water = Water Hyacinth blooms?!

[JenH]

Well, after my pump shut off the other night my water isn't looking so good anymore. My waterfall is covered in string algae and i can also see the stuff taking over along the bottom of the pond too. But, my water hyacinth finally decided to bloom. I'm assuming this has to be the reason since nothing else has changed. Dang, such pretty flowers, I hate to sacrifice them to get rid of the algae. Speaking of which, how exactly do I get rid of string algae? I haven't ever had to deal with it before. The pictures are from 2 days ago, first day of blooms, since then the algae has grown, had another bloom yesterday, but there aren't any today.

 

[ComputerGuy]

Water Hyacinth blooming will NOT cause string algae. You got string algae because the hyacinth is doing it's job and eating the nutrients that cause the "pea soup" algae. String algae can be taken out by hand with a toilet bowl brush OR you can put a barley bale ball in and it will kill the string algae. Barley emits a natural hydrogen peroxide when it decomposes that inhibits the growth of string algae. The easiest way to do the barley ball is to get a cheap hamster ball from the pet store and fill it with barley straw. Then drop it in your pond. It will float for up to a couple of days and then will sink to the bottom. Depending on the size of your pond, you may have to do a couple or get a bigger ball.

 

[koiguy1969]

string algaes just as single cell (green water) feed on nitrates. your plants also feed on nitrates...the final product of a bio filter is nitrates..so it feeds all of them. the string algae in your filter and falls is gobbling up nitrates. the hyacinths will use even more of them. as long as its not ubstructing flow, leave it.. it will help minimize the string alge in the pond. i let mine go in the top of my filter and on my falls as long as it doesnt impede flow and i have none to speak of in my pond. if you want to go with barley start off with an extract..bales can take 6 - 8 weeks to start any real peroxide production. the barley has to break down, decompose and first produce humic acids which further breakdown into hydrogen peroxide...its probably alittle late in the season to enjoy any real benefits from bales....to be at its best, barley bales should be put in when you open the pond in spring. and best if placed in a steady movement of water.

 

[JenH]

I never had any algae before my pump stopped the other night. The green water algae had been there but once everything started to balance it was gone and everything was clear. Still no green water, but the string algae and blooms came at the same time. So I figured it must mean that something changed when my pump/biofilter stopped the other night. I tried the toilet brush, but the algae just seemed to go through it. I don't know. If the result from barley I want is hydrogen peroxide, can't I just add hydrogen peroxide then? I have some of that already around the house. If not where do you get the extract?

There is a lot of muck at the bottom of the pond too, I was thinking it may help to get some of that out of there. But I am not sure how. I don't have a vac and can't afford to buy one right now Is there another way to clean that out without a vac and without stirring it up into all the water again?

 

[koiguy1969]

you can remove alot of the muck on the bottom with a simple skimmer net (like for pools) . move it slow as not to stir up everything else down there. or a shop vac will work but you may have to empty it a few times...and replacing the water is a water change which is a good thing in itself.

 

[taherrmann4]

I order the barley extract online, just depends who has the cheapest price. The last time it was amazon.

 

[ComputerGuy]

You can get barley extract at most pet stores.

 

[sissy]

Your plants look healthy and must love you and yes I agree with the rest string algae should be no concern and can be removed by hand and is probably helping you from getting green algae .You can get a brush like the rest said but make sure you turn your pump off while you are cleaning it .But what ever breaks loose your fish may eat anyway .Just a food source to them

 

[sissy]

barley you can also buy at some garden centers cheaper or you can get it from some farms .I use the liquid barley but have found out in the end all it is is hydrogen peroxide and you can buy that at dollar stores or walmart cheap .Just turn off your pump put the peroxide in a spray bottle ,spray the string algae wait about 10 or 15 minutes and just take a brush to it and throw it in the yarden it does great on plants as a fertilizer . The string algae will turn a little white after a few minutes .Turn your pump back on .

 

[addy1]

peroxide works great jen, you just don't want to add too much to your pond. I used to use 1 liter per 1000 gallons, and have a lot of air going on.

 

[DrDave]

I never had any algae before my pump stopped the other night. The green water algae had been there but once everything started to balance it was gone and everything was clear. Still no green water, but the string algae and blooms came at the same time. So I figured it must mean that something changed when my pump/biofilter stopped the other night. I tried the toilet brush, but the algae just seemed to go through it. I don't know. If the result from barley I want is hydrogen peroxide, can't I just add hydrogen peroxide then? I have some of that already around the house. If not where do you get the extract?

There is a lot of muck at the bottom of the pond too, I was thinking it may help to get some of that out of there. But I am not sure how. I don't have a vac and can't afford to buy one right now Is there another way to clean that out without a vac and without stirring it up into all the water again?

Use a net to get the bulk of the mulm out then a shop vac works great, followed by some fines filtering. Floating plants will keep the water clear.

 

[addy1]

buy a cheap pool net they have a nicely sloped front for sweeping up junk.

 

[j.w]

That's what I use..........pool net w/ long handle...........works great!

 

[addy1]

I picked one up, here we are having summer stuff being sold cheap lol. It works great.

 

[DrDave]

Works great!