Algae and Your Pond

[crsublette]

Algae causes so much stress for people. I hope this thread helps to relieve some of that stress... through EDUCATION....


What is floating green water algae? It is ...Phytoplankton...

Algae, Phytoplankton and Chlorophyll
http://www.fondriest.com/environmen...ater-quality/algae-phytoplankton-chlorophyll/


What induces algae spores to germinate and grow into the plant we know as algae?

Low phosphates actually induce SOME species of algae spores to germinate and grow.

High phosphates actually hinders SOME species of algae spores to germinate and grow.

There are MANY reasons....


Various microorganisms, fish, and plant allelopathic chemicals actually do control SOME algae, except NOT ALL.


Does algae phytoplankton algae prefer ammonia or nitrate?

The interaction between ammonium and nitrate uptake in phytoplankton
http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/61/m061p183.pdf



Algae, plants, and the uptake of ammonium and nitrate
http://www.barrreport.com/forum/bar...-uptake-of-ammonium-and-biological-filtration

Barr Report is about the planted aquarium hobby, but the fundementals being talked about apply just the same to our ponds.

I have been member there since 2013. It is just a $13 per year subscription for The Barr Report. Definitely worth reading and then extracting what can so apply to our context.


Who is Tom Barr?

"For the past 5 years (since 2001) I [Tom Barr] have done substantial lake management as part of my environmental consulting business. Current projects include larger Koi ponds, fungi control, lakes, and wetland creation."
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/library/15098-get-know-tom-barr.html

An official, professional researcher in all things involving microphytes (generally algae) and macrophytes (plants and seaweeds) as of 2013.
http://www.barrreport.com/forum/barr-report/aquatic-clubs-events-and-announcements/12031-dr-tom-barr

 

[crsublette]

@Meyer Jordan , a member here in this forum, actively and graciously helping many members and he has also written some very interesting articles about "Algae and Your Pond".

The Impressive Power of Periphyton
http://www.pondtrademag.com/author/meyer-jordan/


He has been kind of enough to also post some of his articles
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/articles/

Periphyton - Part 1
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/articles/periphyton-part-1.9/

Periphyton - Part 2 Aufwuchs
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/articles/periphyton-part-2-aufwuchs.10/


His blog website also has some other very interesting articles to read...
http://ripplesinc.blogspot.com/?m=1


Quite appreciative for his contributions here helping folk in this forum.

 

[crsublette]

Phosphate is one of the primary reason why people have so many algae occurrences.

As relates to the relationship of Phosphate and Algae... here is an excellent post by @Meyer Jordan ... post#93 in thread Question about pH....


Surface waters that are maintained at .01 to .03 mg/l of total phosphorus TEND to remain uncontaminated by algal blooms.

FYI-Phosphorus levels
The EPA water quality criteria state that phosphates should not exceed .05 mg/l if streams discharge into lakes or reservoirs, .025 mg/l within a lake or reservoir, and .1 mg/l in streams or flowing waters not discharging into lakes or reservoirs to control algal growth (USEPA, 1986). Surface waters that are maintained at .01 to .03 mg/l of total phosphorus tend to remain uncontaminated by algal blooms.

 

[crsublette]

The mission of this thread is so to create a space for everyone to talk about "Algae and Your Pond" ...

...so that pond owners know there are OPTIONS.... 1) What to do; 2) how to react; 3) what to expect...

There are MANY solutions available. ... Natural solutions and synthetic solutions...


Algae causes so much stress for people. I hope this thread helps to relieve some of that stress...

 

[crsublette]

I encourage everyone to chime in...


What did you do to resolve your algae problems?

 

[crsublette]

There are also plants that release allelopathic chemicals to help slow the growth or prevent the occurrence of some algae...

What plants can you grow that helps to slow or prevent the occurrence of some algaes?

 

[crsublette]

There are also many reasons why algae outbreaks occur each year...

What are the causes for algae outbreaks? How do you resolve to remove these causes?

 

[crsublette]

This thread will be for EVERYONE.... irrelevant of your level of understanding...


If there is an explanation too complex that you do not understand... then just ask questions...


Share whatever you like... illustrations... threads... posts... literature... personal experience...

 

[crsublette]

If anything... Personally... I am going to use this as a reference guide and anyone else can as well... Interesting info all referenced in one place about Algae...


As time goes on... I will submit interesting posts from other threads or forums in this thread that I find applicable to the issue of Algae..


My plan is for me to continue this thread... as I have done with my aquaponics thread... and there is still a tremendous amount of more info that I have not yet shared in that thread....
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/thr...ing-truly-viable-on-a-commercial-scale.13572/

 

[Troutredds]

The mission of this thread is so to create a space for everyone to talk about "Algae and Your Pond" ...

...so that pond owners know there are OPTIONS.... 1) What to do; 2) how to react; 3) what to expect...

There are MANY solutions available. ... Natural solutions and synthetic solutions...


Algae causes so much stress for people. I hope this thread helps to relieve some of that stress...

Great idea, Charles!

 

[Nepen]

I dont have green water. I have lots and lots of string algae.

I have 2 kind of string algae. 1 is very fine and silky and quite pretty and when i toched it, it melt away
2. those coarse string algae that i can scoop up and most of them would just come up with me.

I have a bog, about 1/3 size of the pond, still in its early stage of it 2nd year, but seems that I have more nutrient than my bog can handle. Which I dont really understand. I have 10 fish (all goldfish, not too big)!!! My total water volume is about 2800 gallon. I have like 8 water lilies and 30 feet stream, but I still have string algae so much my whole stream turn green and the water clogged in places.

I have a theory that the frogs (when they spawn) caused all these algae, so i'm waiting for the day when there's no frog to do another pond cleaning. BUT in winter i do have algae too, but i thought it's just because my bog's not working so much during that time.

I used the Phosphate binding, but that didn't work either.

Not the worse thing in the word but when it diverted my water out of the pond, it became a problem. (the side of the stream's not tall, when algae clogged the stream, water level got higher and ran out)

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I used the Phosphate binding, but that didn't work either.

When you used the Phosphorus binder did you test the phosphorus level before and after application? Do you remember what the numeric value of the last test result was? If Phosphorus levels are not lowered to <0.05 mg/L there will be no positive results.
For clarification, reduction of Phosphorus levels will only affect filamentous algae. Some other algae resemble this type of algae but is, in reality, not filamentous algae. Filamentous algae only occurs in moving waters such as streams and waterfalls. It does not occur in relatively calm water.

 

[Nepen]

When you used the Phosphorus binder did you test the phosphorus level before and after application? Do you remember what the numeric value of the last test result was? If Phosphorus levels are not lowered to <0.05 mg/L there will be no positive results.
For clarification, reduction of Phosphorus levels will only affect filamentous algae. Some other algae resemble this type of algae but is, in reality, not filamentous algae. Filamentous algae only occurs in moving waters such as streams and waterfalls. It does not occur in relatively calm water.

I dont remember but I can do the test tonight.

All of my algae occurs in part of the bog where water's above gravel, and in my stream, none in the pond itself (unless some came lose from the stream)

when doing the binding, do I have to do water change afterward? I also use the sodium percarbonate to kill the algae, and I have to do water change then, to try to reduce the nutrient the dead algae caused. Then I used the binding. But it didnt last long.. I got algae back in a week.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Then I used the binding. But it didnt last long.. I got algae back in a week.

If the the use of the Phosphorus binder only produced temporary results then Phosphorus is being introduced into your pond by what appears to be an on-going event. Phosphorus sources are leaf litter, pollen, twigs, of course dead algae, fish food, fish poop, etc. Leaf litter and twigs being the greatest source in a garden pond.
I would recommend re-testing. Phosphorus binders are used world-wide with proven results.

 

[sissy]

I added 10 air stones and one in each filter and 3 spitters that move the water and have yet to have green water .I get some algae on the waterfall rocks and also keep my plants over the winter in the basement and get them back in the pond as fast as I can .This year I had to take them out 4 times do to frost but it did not cause any major problems .Does this help well not sure but it has worked for me .plus only 16 fish and no over feeding