Hair algae gone wild

[Sunshine]

Almost the entire pond is covered with lily pads and the hair algae is growing like crazy. I have to unclog my pumps once a week. It's growing on the sides, the bottom, in the falls. Guess the whole shading the pond doesn't apply to this algae. Anyone else having problems with hair algae?

 

[dieselplower]

I was having an issue but not to that extent. Now you must ask yourself... Why do I have so much of this? What is it feeding on? Too many fish making too much poop for your filter capacity maybe? Too much dead plant matter? Do you know your nitrite or nitrate leveks?

 

[Sunshine]

Hmmm, never thought about the dead plants. I have been neglecting cutting down the dead lilies. Been so busy with the new patio we are trying to build. I will test the water when I get home tonight.

 

[sissy]

What are your water tests showing because nutrients help feed it and over feeding fish can cause that to happen .I only feed my fish 3 or 4 times a week and they sure don't look like they are suffering from it .

 

[Sunshine]

Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 2.5
Nitrite - 0
PH - 7.4

I feed once a day. The bog is new this year with new plants, baby plants. I have a big pot of Irises, Cattails, and some kind of grass in the pond. And a bunch of lilies that the pads cover almost all the surface.

 

[Sunshine]

I'm going with the crazy weather causing this. I've pulled out so much of this crap. The water is clear tho. I had a bunch in the bog. It was causing the waterfall to decrease. So with the test being good, not overfeeding, no sun .... I'll say it's the weather.

 

[slakker]

The nitrate level can be contributing to this, but what about Phosphate?

 

[Sunshine]

Don't have a phosphate test. I'll take a sample to my LFS and have them test it.