How to keep string algae away

[seaspotz]

I have been battling with this stuff for a long time and it's always a matter of getting rid of it once it's gotten established. It seems I'm having to use hydrogen peroxide much too often (manual removal is not an option when it comes to the stream. The river rock just gets too "entwined" in it and it's too painstaking work to sit there and remove them.) Is there a way to prevent string algae from taking hold in the first place?

Thanks!

 

[j.w]

Long read but might be worth a try. I have it in my pond and it is the Wal-mart brand kitty litter that comes in a big 25lb bag for around $3. and says 100% clay on the side w/ no other additives. I put it in a sock or other screen type bag and let it sit under the water fall or other moving water fountain and so far no string algae for me. I have had kitty litter in my pond now for a few yrs.

http://www.nfkc.info/nfkconliine/Cat Litter.htm

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks for that site, JW. I will put that on my "list" of things to do this spring. Not sure if it would work well now, with no water movement, but sure worth a try. Today I took my small net and cleaned out about 60% of the bottom of the pond, plus reached in and pulled out as much string algae as I could along the edges, and my hand was really cold when I got done, but I enjoyed doing it all the same. Removed quite a lot of gunk from the bottom, but most of it was dirt, algae and leaves, they all matted together and it was like pulling out a carpet of stuff. I think it is the Pond Perfect that I use which helps it to matt together. My pond is very clear, so hearing that the kitty clay litter will help with the string algae AND make your pond crystal clear is tempting indeed. I already have a bag of litter as I planned to use it to start my lotus seeds in after they sprout. Probably will get a few more bags as needed, but have it on hand soon as my pond warms up a little more and the threat of frozen ponds is past so I an turn everything back on! It's getting close to March, so hoping that winter and freezing ponds is past us! What a mild winter we have had! I love it!

 

[seaspotz]

Thanks for that tip and the website, j.w.! It sounds like a great low-cost solution. I can't wait to try it!

 

[mrsclem]

Going to give that a try. Our pond we rebuilt last year is full of string algae. It looks like some weird green spider web! Never had any of this before but it has been a mild winter. Will do before and after pics and post results.

 

[CountryEscape]

Great idea, Mrs. Clem, about the before and after pics! I'm thinking of starting my pond back up today or tomorrow. Just looked and through the end of February, no lows below freezing except one day. Of course, March might be colder, but I think I'll take the chance. No string algae on the waterfall rocks right now, since it's dry, but I suspect it may appear there when the water starts. Maybe it won't grow since water is pretty cold, but I sure have it growing in the pond! Cleaned out at least half of the bottom yesterday, will do the other half today from the bog wall side, and then let things settle down and decided about starting up the waterfall and skimmer. Going to be another sunny day here, but there is a skim of ice on the pond this morning, as it was/is 31 this morning. Will melt as soon as the sun gets higher, though. I'll take pics, too, and see how the kitty litter works out. I think I'll put a bag or two of it in the DIY Skippy filter, one or two in the waterfall, and then hang a few along the edges where the string algae is the worst on the sides, see if that helps. I bought a box of 12 knee highs (LOL, found them at Dollar General last fall) so have plenty of them to hang around the pond edge.

 

[Sheetmetalman]

I dont want to be a big downer on this subject but I read about useing the Walmart Special Kitty Clay on here or one of the other ponder websites last summer and since I had an Infestation of String Algae (my fault--I placed a lot of creek rock in my pond and some still had living string algae on them) I gave it a try. I do think it helped somewhat--but-- I still have string algae. I am going to try some of the application ways this spring that I just read on J.W.s site, such as throwing it loosely in the pond on heavy coated rocks and this year hanging my net bag of it directly under the waterfall and see if that helps--because my way of filling a net bag full and dropping it in the 5 1/2 foot deep area of the pond sure didnt. How about a small bale of a certain kind of hay (the kind slips my mind-Barley was it ? ) has anybody here had luck with that, and where can you buy it at ?

 

[CountryEscape]

Tim, you can buy the small barley bales (they are round, maybe 10" long) at Rural King, maybe not yet, but soon if they don't have them yet. I tried them in my bog, against the hole where the water flowed out. I think there is something about barley helping keep it from growing, but not actually killing it once you have it. I think the barley is supposed to be part above water, part under. I also had one of them in my waterfall area, and still got string algae. Maybe I didn't have enough? Going to try anything and everything this year!

 

[seaspotz]

I just had a thought about the kitty litter... does it cause muddy sludge in the pond after it dissolves? I don't mean the string algae after it has died; I mean the litter itself.

 

[CountryEscape]

Seaspotz, I would guess it would have to. But, the big koi breeders desire this type of clay or dirt bottoms to their growing ponds, as it helps the koi grow and get more vibrant colors, at least I think that's what I've read. In our cases, we would not want that stuff down there for very long. I'm planning to put it in a nylon sleeve, so hopefully not much will escape. But, if you're planning to scatter it like the post described, then there will be some on the bottom to deal with at some point. Maybe if we're really lucky, it will help rid us of the string algae, and then using other products, like the barley bales, to keep it in check will allow no more litter to be scattered.
Also, I think other ponders use the litter to grow their lilly's in and other pond plants, since it's so beneficial for the water. I may be repotting my lillies this year in the litter to add it that way as well.

 

[Sheetmetalman]

Thanks Patti, I will check Rural King this Spring

 

[j.w]

I just had a thought about the kitty litter... does it cause muddy sludge in the pond after it dissolves? I don't mean the string algae after it has died; I mean the litter itself.

I have the kitty litter in my pond inside of netting and when you first put it into the pond it will cloud up the water pretty good but after a while it clears right up. I have not noticed mine creating any kind of muddy sludge over the few yrs I've had it in there. I will use the old stuff in the pond maybe in plant pots and then add some new litter each year.

 

[addy1]

All of my plants are in kitty litter. Did not have any issues with string algae, a tiny amount in the stream ponds. Might be the amount of plants I have growing, the bog or the kitty litter, take your pick. The dust / loose clay does cause a slight cloudy when you first put it in, but it goes away quickly

 

[koiguy1969]

using barley as a preventative measure has some merit, but its effectiveness is minimal on existing algea. the real problem is people wait til its a problem before they treat the alge. barley in bales has to have time to break down and produce humic acids. these acids breakdown further to hydrogen peroxide. peroxide kills algea but has a short life of effectiveness. it also takes much less to inhibit growth or kill it when its a few cells than it does to kill it off once its thick and long. to see any real affects. you have to start the treatment first thing as you open the pond or as soon as its thawed for the seaon. if you use bales atart with a dose or 2 of the extract...it already contains humic acids....pellets tend to dye or brown the water with tannins. you may want to manually clear out as much existing string alge as possible before starting. a toilet brush or any good stiff brisseled brush may work. you can ziptie it to a broom stick for a handle extension.
**the more plants you provide the pond, the less likely alge is to run rampid in the pond...as they compete for the same food. floaters like hyacinths and lettuce, and surface foliage plants like lillies shade the pond, and alges like almost any plant..need sunlight to survive, and thrive.

 

[j.w]

Koiguy, I bought a big bale of barley last year and keep it stored in my shed in a big garbage can. I put some in my 2500 gal pond and wonder how much of the stuff I should stick in there? I just took a bunch and stuck it in a holey bag. I didn't understand that part up above where you wrote about how much of the straw to put in. Does it need to be in a spot where the water circulates or can it just sit anywhere in there? Thanks.