Algae removal

[SharonA]

An alternative to hydrogen peroxide for algae is sodium percarbonate. It's in a powdered form - sold commercially as things like EcoBlast for cleaning waterfalls. If you buy it unlabeled, it's way way cheaper and very simple to use. I use it on my waterfall a couple of times a season, but I also sprinkle it over the entire pond in spring and it works like magic, pulling debris up from the bottom of the pond. Perfectly safe - upon contact with water it breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and soda ash. I also use it in the shallower areas of the pond to clean up the algae that can collect there.

how do you know how much to use

 

[adscft]

Thank you all for the input.

Since I asked for help here, there have been more string algae grown in the pond. We decided to drain the pond and pressure wash it. Learned online an easy way to siphon out most of the water without having to use a pump, pressure washed the bottom, used a pond vac to remove the remaining water and refilled the pond. Now it looks much better.

I think it'll take a while for the pond to establish a nitrogen balance before I can add fish and plants. Well I did find three tiny fish there and have taken them out. Now I think I shall follow suggestions here and keep the pond clean in a less aggressive way...

 

[addy1]

how do you know how much to use

I used to use 1 liter per 1000 gallons of water. The sodium percarbonate I would just grab handfuls and toss in, have the net ready it makes everything float to the surface. debris wise.

I have not used since I built this pond, no string, no huge algae growth, the bog plants keep the nutrients to low for it to grow.

 

[mgmine]

I haven't read the whole thread but I did get to the part where you said that you didn't have fish. To me that algae on the bottom makes the pond look natural and covers the liner. But if you don't like it then drain the pond and power wash it as you suggested. You have nothing to lose except the algae and you will have a nice clean clear pond. As mentioned it will most likely return. But you can treat it like a swimming pool and brush it daily. Another option would be to give it a heavy dose of sodium percarbonate which can be found on eBay it is very effective for string algae. That should kill it but you'll still have to remove it. One thing about string algae is that it actually keeps the pond cleaner. Push it around a little and see how much dirt comes out of it.