Algae and Your Pond

crsublette

coyotes call me Charles
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Messages
2,678
Reaction score
1,100
Location
Dalhart Texas
Hardiness Zone
6a
People have to control the nutrients in their ponds if they want to control the algae...

ESPECIALLY if they are going to use algae chemical treatments in their pond.... this is very important... this may cost you more money in the long run by investing in more filtration and pond vacuuming to export the nutrient producers out of the pond, but the nutrient producers in the pond must be addressed.

This is what the pond stores do NOT want to tell you.... cause they WANT you to NOT control your pond's nutrient producers so that you will buy more algae treatments... :mad::(
 
Last edited:

sissy

sissy
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
33,086
Reaction score
15,702
Location
Axton virginia
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
7A
Country
United States
A state since I was raised there but highways ,turnpike and parkway make .Routes also
 
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
1,786
Location
BC Canada
My favorite algae is Water Net (hydrodictyon reticulatum). It has a unique structure and is a very dry algae (not slimy) and firm, so in areas where it got a little thick it was easy to clean out just by scooping it with your hands.
Problem is it only grew in my pond for couple years then disappeared. I wish I could get it growing again
 

Meyer Jordan

Tadpole
Joined
Oct 10, 2014
Messages
7,177
Reaction score
5,674
Location
Pensacola, Florida
Hardiness Zone
9a
Country
United States
My favorite algae is Water Net (hydrodictyon reticulatum). It has a unique structure and is a very dry algae (not slimy) and firm, so in areas where it got a little thick it was easy to clean out just by scooping it with your hands.
Problem is it only grew in my pond for couple years then disappeared. I wish I could get it growing again

The first four (4) years that my pond was in operation iy had a different dominant algae specie each year. I find it really intriguing that just a slight change in water quality parameters and how they are combined can truly favor one specie over another.

I found this photo of Randy's favorite algae. Much clearer view of the amazing structure of this particular specie.
hydrodictyon.jpg
 
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
1,786
Location
BC Canada
The first four (4) years that my pond was in operation iy had a different dominant algae specie each year. I find it really intriguing that just a slight change in water quality parameters and how they are combined can truly favor one specie over another.
I've had the same thing going on in my pond. Every year the dominant algae species seems to change a little. This has been the worse year for some type of fragile string algae. In previous years I've had string algae I could pull out of the water like a rope, but this new stuff just breaks apart. In fact, even the rapid swimming of the fish past the algae causes it to tear apart into small fragments that cloud the water and eventually get sucked down the bottom drain and get caught in the filter system. Consequently I have been cleaning out the filters a lot more than normal.

As regards that Water Net algae (hydrodictyon reticulatum) , what I was attempting to show in that video was how the algae forms a tube like structure when it grows. It's difficult to see it in a 2D photo or video, but can easily be seen with the naked (3D) eyes.
This is the best picture I've found that helps to reveal the tube like structure. You can see the closest side of the tube has a tear in it. Some of the algae "tubes" that I had growing were over a foot long and about 2" in diameter.
hydrodictyon2.jpg
 
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
467
Reaction score
247
Location
Upstate CA
Hardiness Zone
7
Time and time again, people have issues with algae. This thread should be at the top of the article page for quick reference. At the same time, it would be a shame to lose people new to the forums if they can find a quick answer. Call it selfishness! Lol great info!
 
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
467
Reaction score
247
Location
Upstate CA
Hardiness Zone
7
ESPECIALLY if they are going to use algae chemical treatments in their pond.... this is very important... this may cost you more money in the long run by investing in more filtration and pond vacuuming to export the nutrient producers out of the pond, but the nutrient producers in the pond must be addressed.

This is what the pond stores do NOT want to tell you.... cause they WANT you to NOT control your pond's nutrient producers so that you will buy more algae treatments... :mad::(
Omg! Sounds like big pharma! Thats sad
 
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
1,993
Reaction score
1,786
Location
BC Canada
The ten water hyacinth I started in a full sun fertile pool became 104 plants in one month
Nice easy plant to control, compared to the brutes which lash themselves in with big tough rhizomes and roots
They don't grow that fast in my pond.
The one water hyacinth I put in my pond a few weeks ago is still just one solitary plant. The water doesn't normally warm up enough here for them start growing significantly until mid June or later. However, I cheat a little and built myself a little mini heated greenhouse pond to start them earlier and get them to multiply.
I heat the pond with aquarium heaters, and use the stryrofoam to help hold in the heat in and block the sunlight so I don't get too much algae growth in the water or on the hyacinth roots.
20160521_1532361_zps1eeklffj.jpg


20160521_1532091_zpsn4wmfwwn.jpg
 
Last edited:

sissy

sissy
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
33,086
Reaction score
15,702
Location
Axton virginia
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
7A
Country
United States
Has anyone ever used the healthy ponds stuff in there ponds .I know a lot of the farm ponds use it and saw it on Northern tools online
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
2,189
Reaction score
1,327
Location
NC, US
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
7a
Country
United States
The first four (4) years that my pond was in operation iy had a different dominant algae specie each year. I find it really intriguing that just a slight change in water quality parameters and how they are combined can truly favor one specie over another.

I found this photo of Randy's favorite algae. Much clearer view of the amazing structure of this particular specie.
View attachment 91331
I've seen them before in my old nature water hole. I love them!!
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
2,189
Reaction score
1,327
Location
NC, US
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
7a
Country
United States
Arg... I cant do anything to my ever growing algae in my pond until the frog stop mating and the tadpole leave my pond. the mating dump lots of nutrient in my pond and if i use sodium percarbonate, the tads will die :( I saw lots of frog eggs on top of the algae so I couldnt just scoop them out either.
 
Joined
Oct 28, 2013
Messages
13,077
Reaction score
13,395
Location
Northern IL
Showcase(s):
1
The first four (4) years that my pond was in operation iy had a different dominant algae specie each year.

We've noticed the same thing - it's a topic of conversation every spring. "I wonder which algae we will see this year?" This particular spring we've had the type that breaks up easily but likes to clog things up a bit before it dissolves completely. Not my favorite so far. The prettiest one is the one that forms itself into ruffles on the rocks - let me see if I can find a picture!
 

cas

Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Messages
2,267
Reaction score
3,039
Location
NE Ohio
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6a
Country
United States
I saw lots of frog eggs on top of the algae so I couldnt just scoop them out either.
Nepen, I am having the same problem. Lots of tadpoles among the algae. Guess I will be waiting to net the algae out.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
30,785
Messages
508,606
Members
13,043
Latest member
cisifom

Latest Threads

Top