Does anyone use liquid Algacide in a pond with fish and plants?

[SEKCOBRA]

Hi all
I'm a new pond owner and when I had my pond built the builder gave me a bunch of liquids to put in the water as a maintenance plan. One was GreenClean Liquid Algaecide. I have string algae in my stream and the big rocks down my waterfall are getting greener and greener by the day. Rocks in the pond are getting covered with mat algae. I have Koi and plants in the pond so I'm hesitant to use this stuff. Builder said if you do maintenance doses every week it wont hurt the fish or plants and will keep the algae in check. Anyone used this stuff?
Thanks

 

[SouthernCross]

I have had my pond for only 4 years and have never used chemicals(although I did use a UV sterilizer to combat green water). Once your pond is established and that takes a couple of years, you should not have any problems. My first year was a challenge with string algae and green water, but now that my pond is established with plenty of plants and beneficial algae, I do not have algae issues.

Before using any algaecide, I would suggest buying a water test kit to test the water to see what is causing the issues of the algae and maybe find a non chemical solution to treating the problem. It would be cheaper to fix the issue than continually paying for chemicals that could cause your fish and plants health issues over time.

 

[2vettes]

yes

 

[Lisak1]

I am not a fan of algaecides of any kind in the pond, although many of the GreenClean products are actually just expensive repackaged hydrogen peroxide. I'm not familiar with the liquid form of GreenClean, but a brief google search looks like it does work through oxidizing.

Here's the thing with getting rid of algae by killing it - you're just creating more organic material in your pond which just feeds more algae growth. You will constantly be chasing the algae with more chemicals. Plus, while this product may be safe for the big aquatic creatures, how safe is it for the tiny little things that live in your pond that form part of the ecosystem, including the beneficial bacteria that will eventually help get the pond in balance?

It's far better - although it can be challenging - to wait it out and allow your pond to balance itself. Things are going to look really green and really scary but patience is your best friend right now.

 

[Mmathis]

I totally agree with @Lisak1! Sometimes you just have to be patient and let a “problem” run its course.

There is another current thread right now about algae/string algae. Can’t find it at the moment or I would include a link.

Pond builders are notorious for selling unnecessary products. Why? Not because they work, but because they make you believe that they work — so you’ll keep buying the product. That’s how they make money!

 

[Mmathis]

@SEKCOBRA Tell us again, how many gallons is your pond, and what kind of filtration do you have? I seem to recall somewhere that you have about 15 koi. How big are those babies and how much are you feeding them? Just occurred to me that your water might a little....nutrient rich. Spring is usually the time when we start off with an algae problem because our plants (if you have plants) are waking up and just beginning to actively participate in the nitrogen cycle. I seem to recall that you have a bog. Maybe cutting back on feedings might help for a little while — give the plants a chance to do their jobs. Just a thought.

 

[GBBUDD]

@SEKCOBRA Tell us again, how many gallons is your pond, and what kind of filtration do you have? I seem to recall somewhere that you have about 15 koi. How big are those babies and how much are you feeding them? Just occurred to me that your water might a little....nutrient rich. Spring is usually the time when we start off with an algae problem because our plants (if you have plants) are waking up and just beginning to actively participate in the nitrogen cycle. I seem to recall that you have a bog. Maybe cutting back on feedings might help for a little while — give the plants a chance to do their jobs. Just a thought.

Aquariums, ponds , vivariums, paldariums, water gardens or wetlands, They all have the same basic theory's and that is we are dealing with WILD LIFE... The is no time, there is no breakfast bell or lunch bell, Wild life eats when the opportunity arises. Heck the same fish, KOI in southern cal that eat all year round are the same brewd that in the east go without eating for as much as 5 months. In short cut back on the feedings, even if you are not over feeding your fish, when you cut back your fish will start looking for a second food source that they may not be as interested in being your algae. Instead of s[ending money or algaecides i'd spend it on making a prefilter a fine filter that can catch the finer partials in the water column. fix the problem as lisa and MM stated naturally and not just delay an issue

 

[SEKCOBRA]

I have had my pond for only 4 years and have never used chemicals(although I did use a UV sterilizer to combat green water). Once your pond is established and that takes a couple of years, you should not have any problems. My first year was a challenge with string algae and green water, but now that my pond is established with plenty of plants and beneficial algae, I do not have algae issues.

Before using any algaecide, I would suggest buying a water test kit to test the water to see what is causing the issues of the algae and maybe find a non chemical solution to treating the problem. It would be cheaper to fix the issue than continually paying for chemicals that could cause your fish and plants health issues over time.

I test my water every few days and it stable and all parameters are good. I'm thinking to wait it out. Thanks

 

[SEKCOBRA]

I am not a fan of algaecides of any kind in the pond, although many of the GreenClean products are actually just expensive repackaged hydrogen peroxide. I'm not familiar with the liquid form of GreenClean, but a brief google search looks like it does work through oxidizing.

Here's the thing with getting rid of algae by killing it - you're just creating more organic material in your pond which just feeds more algae growth. You will constantly be chasing the algae with more chemicals. Plus, while this product may be safe for the big aquatic creatures, how safe is it for the tiny little things that live in your pond that form part of the ecosystem, including the beneficial bacteria that will eventually help get the pond in balance?

It's far better - although it can be challenging - to wait it out and allow your pond to balance itself. Things are going to look really green and really scary but patience is your best friend right now.

Lisa
That's my thoughts also. I know when you kill algae your putting nutrients in the water for algae to feed on and it will most likely start over again. My water is clear and the pond itself has mat algae on the rocks but no string algae. I don't feed the fish very much and when I do its not everyday. I notice they feed on the algae at night. They are keeping the algae in the pond in check so far. I'm a firm believer in you should keep your animals hungry. I raised and bred all kinds of exotic snakes for 30+ years so I do have some knowledge on how nature works. I'm a less is more kind of guy. I'm not going to use it. Thanks

 

[SEKCOBRA]

@SEKCOBRA Tell us again, how many gallons is your pond, and what kind of filtration do you have? I seem to recall somewhere that you have about 15 koi. How big are those babies and how much are you feeding them? Just occurred to me that your water might a little....nutrient rich. Spring is usually the time when we start off with an algae problem because our plants (if you have plants) are waking up and just beginning to actively participate in the nitrogen cycle. I seem to recall that you have a bog. Maybe cutting back on feedings might help for a little while — give the plants a chance to do their jobs. Just a thought.

Hi
My pond is about 3500 gallons. 14 Koi (almost 13 since my dog found one of the larger ones on the ground yesterday just about dead. I put him in a bucket and held him upright pushing him through the water and it took a while but he made it) My water might be nutrient rich but its definetly not from food. I don't feed them everyday and even when I do they get very little food. I have a lot of trees and bushes in the neighborhood dropping petals and they have been landing in the pond. They eat some of them and some probably sink to the bottom. I don't have a skimmer. I will probably install one at some point. I have a 7000gph pump in a vault under a ton of gravel at one end of the pond whick pumps the water to the bio fall at the other end. Just put about 8 plants in the pond today. Hoping they survive and can help compete for nutrients with the algae.

 

[Mmathis]

@SEKCOBRA When I said nutrient rich, I meant from the fish waste. Koi are big waste producers, and I was wondering if your pond might be overstocked. The more food they eat, the more waste they produce, the more waste in the water, the more algae..... IOW, it’s all related. Just a thought — not an accusation.

 

[SEKCOBRA]

Aquariums, ponds , vivariums, paldariums, water gardens or wetlands, They all have the same basic theory's and that is we are dealing with WILD LIFE... The is no time, there is no breakfast bell or lunch bell, Wild life eats when the opportunity arises. Heck the same fish, KOI in southern cal that eat all year round are the same brewd that in the east go without eating for as much as 5 months. In short cut back on the feedings, even if you are not over feeding your fish, when you cut back your fish will start looking for a second food source that they may not be as interested in being your algae. Instead of s[ending money or algaecides i'd spend it on making a prefilter a fine filter that can catch the finer partials in the water column. fix the problem as lisa and MM stated naturally and not just delay an issue

Hi
Cant cut back anymore on feeding. I hardly feed them as it is. They are eating what algae is in the pond. I had a pretty big string algae problem in the winter. 2ft long strings and all the shallow shelves. My fish were somewhat active at night all winter. Weird because it was dam cold here in NY. 14 days of below 10 degrees in a row and constant snow

. One morning I looked and all the algae was gone. I mean gone. It was crazy. Water temps were 40 degrees at the warmest and they ate all the algae. I was just out at the pond and I was watching them pulling at the algae off the rocks.

@SEKCOBRA When I said nutrient rich, I meant from the fish waste. Koi are big waste producers, and I was wondering if your pond might be overstocked. The more food they eat, the more waste they produce, the more waste in the water, the more algae..... IOW, it’s all related. Just a thought — not an accusation.

I have 14 Koi. Three are about 7-8 inches the rest are about 3 inches. I don't think that's a lot for the size of the pond or the filtration system. At least that's what I have been told. Didn't take it as a accusation all good.
Thanks

 

[TheFishGuy]

I used to, it is hecka expensive and each 25 dollar botttle only lasts like a week if your pond if in full sun like mine, I just bought a UV clarifier and am waiting to see how that will work ( it cost around 100 dollars plus and extra pump cause my waterfall pump was to big for it.

 

[Mmathis]

@TheFishGuy This thread is 2 years old.

 

[TheFishGuy]

@TheFishGuy This thread is 2 years old.

oh gosh, welllllllllll