Does copper really work to kill algae?

[Jasonc]

I have a 3000 gallon pond with 15 young butterfly Koi. The string algae has gone crazy and is taking over. I read that placing copper in the pond will prohibit new algae growth. If that is true I will clean the pond and bury some copper.

Can anyone confirm that it works and won’t harm the koi.

Thank you.

 

[Tula]

I've heard about copper ionizers . I've also read they are NOT safe for your koi.

 

[Jasonc]

I've heard about copper ionizers . I've also read they are NOT safe for your koi.

I have read mixed reports both ways. Hoping this forum has someone that really knows.

Thank you for the reply.

 

[Stephen Noble]

I have not personally used it but believe treating the source rather than the symptom is always better.
What state do you live in?
Is your pond cycled? How long ago were the fish added? What type of filtration do you have?
Here is some reliable information from The University of Florida that may help:

FA-13/FA008: Use of Copper in Freshwater Aquaculture and Farm Ponds

University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension outreach is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public. The University of Florida (UF), together with Florida A&M University (FAMU)...

edis.ifas.ufl.edu

 

[GBBUDD]

I have read mixed reports both ways. Hoping this forum has someone that really knows.

Thank you for the reply.

Ii agree an Rogen works yes but at what costs. It needs to be closely monitored. As it can kill the fish and I know very few who would leave it running when left on vacation

 

[Jasonc]

I have not personally used it but believe treating the source rather than the symptom is always better.
What state do you live in?
Is your pond cycled? How long ago were the fish added? What type of filtration do you have?
Here is some reliable information from The University of Florida that may help:

FA-13/FA008: Use of Copper in Freshwater Aquaculture and Farm Ponds

University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension outreach is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public. The University of Florida (UF), together with Florida A&M University (FAMU)...

edis.ifas.ufl.edu

I am in Utah. The Koi here hibernate as soon as the water hits 40 degrees. The pond has a basic water filtration, fountains and oxygen. The water here is extremely hard with lots of calcium. I have a massive problem with the string algae. I have treated it with no success. I have read that a small amount of copper can help reduce the algae but can kill the koi with too much. Trying to find a solution to stop the algae.

Thank you for the info.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Okay, Utah. The reason I asked is we have a native fish here in Florida that 'gloms up' a tremendous quantity of string algae but it would never survive a Utah winter.
Is your pond new? And is this the first time you have had this problem?

I have treated it with no success.

What did you treat it with?
Here is what I would do:
1. Determine the source of the excessive nutrients. This is essential regardless if you use copper or any other band-aid method. Look for decaying leaves dropped by nearby trees, runoff water from your yard and anything else that could be adding nutrients such as a bird feeder. This is sort of gross, but you should drag the bottom of the pond to see if there is a dead animal in there.
2. Manually remove the algae. Yep, it takes time and effort. As they say, "Been there done it!" It is painful but works. Get the kids (if you have kids) some new toilet brushes and tell 'em to roll it up.
3. Aerate the water. This works well.
4. Tint the water...not my favorite but it does have benefits.
5. After removing the algae, consider using barley extract or barley straw. It works well in a clean pond but will not work if there is algae present.
6. Build a bog filter. Bog filters are sensational. However, they can't overcome (nor can any other method overcome) a situation where massive quantities of nutrients are introduced.
@Jasonc, you came to the right place for assistance. This forum rocks!

 

[Mmathis]

How big is your pond and how many koi do you have?

 

[hamstermann]

I am in Utah.

Me too, in Davis County. What part of Utah? st. George is a very different climate than Logan and climate may affect things too.

 

[Jhn]

Copper isn’t acutely toxic to fish, but is chronically toxic. Have seen multiple ponds that used the iongen and most of the m end up suffering from dinoflagellates after the algae is gone. Mean8ng it solves one problem but creates another.

Also, what type of pond do you have? Ie an eco pond, DK, etc. If eco pond, copper will kill all invertebrate life in your pond, ie snails, worms, plankton etc.

 

[hamstermann]

Copper isn’t acutely toxic to fish, but is chronically toxic. Have seen multiple ponds that used the iongen and most of the m end up suffering from dinoflagellates after the algae is gone. Mean8ng it solves one problem but creates another.

Also, what type of pond do you have? Ie an eco pond, DK, etc. If eco pond, copper will kill all invertebrate life in your pond, ie snails, worms, plankton etc.

What is DK? And what are dinoflagellates?

 

[Jhn]

What is DK? And what are dinoflagellates?

Meant DKP, dedicated koi pond. Dinoflagellates are a type of plankton, like alga, but can be toxic, it’s what we see in red tides in river systems causing fish kills etc. Not necessarily the same species found in garden ponds, though.