Opinions wanted on water/string algae

[sherrye]

I fill my pond from the lake I live on. The lake is spring fed with excellent clarity. My pond tests "perfect" in all categories. My water is totally clear, but the string algae has started to take over and persists all summer. Does anybody really know what causes string algae? I'm guessing using lake water gives me an abundance of nutrients. I try to cover the surface with plants (once it warms up enough) and have plenty of different types of plants . I'm so tired of looking at a slimy green waterfall, does anybody have a good solution for cleaning the algae off the waterfalls, I've tried the toilet brush and that doesn't work very well.
I guess I'm just looking for feedback from anybody regarding the string algae. It seems most people on this site deal with the floating green algae, the kind I don't have.

TIA!

 

[DrDave]

Sherre
There are hundreds of posts here on the life and times of string algae. Try the search first please.

 

[kirscp]

Make sure your pond is clear of sludge on the bottom. I also use Pond-Zyme. I can't say that did it itself, but I'll keep using it. May want to give it a try.

 

[sherrye]

Sherre
There are hundreds of posts here on the life and times of string algae. Try the search first please.

I have read pretty much every post, article, you name it on string algae. I was simply looking for anyones opinions/comments on whether they agreed/disagreed that my water had lots of nutrients because of lake water. I have tried barley (pellets and extract), hydrogen peroxide, and finally algae products (which does work but not for long, and I worry about my fish), I have tried the toilet brush to get it out, I net some out, I use my hands, I pressure wash the rocks in the waterfall.

I thought maybe others dealing with string algae would like to have a simple conversation about it. I see other posts regarding filters, pumps, food, everything over and over, why not string algae??:yikesu:

 

[DrDave]

Every spring the string algae comes and little can be done to control it other than removing by hand until it runs its course. This information has been posted by me at least 10 times in the past year.
Once it peaks, the string algae will stop growing and eventually go away until next spring. I have to remove my pumps and clean them several times during this period. I am hoping that this past weekend is the last time till next year.
Once my Koi spawn, the string algae seems to have peaked. This actually works out for the koi because they lay eggs in it. The fry have hiding places while they absorb their egg sacs and before they go looking for food.
String algae seems to go with the territory. I am reluctant to use chemicals to control mine but some folks here do. Baquacil Oxidizer is what DoDad uses and I hear it can be purchased at a pool supply.

 

[stroppy]

what a lovely pond you have sherrye ... i to had the string algae last summer and im afraid i never seemed to get rid of it for long my pond was in full sun all day but i did find it got a little better when my plants in the pond grew more i also put a shade net over it and that helped but it does spoil the look of the pond .. i no longer have that pond and now have a part raised one that is much deeper and algae isnt a problem yet ... i know none of this is probably going to help you ... just wanted you to know your not alone ...one more thing the fish love eating it :0)

 

[sherrye]

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, mine does not disappear but continues all summer into fall. I was checking out an ad on this forum for a string algae tool for removing it, wondering if it is worth the money??? I try using a stick to twirl it but that doesn't work well as my strings adhere to the plant baskets and plants too well

 

[stroppy]

just a thought ..if you have limestone rocks they can make algae grow

 

[sherrye]

Stroppy, I don't have limestones. Wish that could have been the answer though. And I wish I could blame it on the sunlight, but I actually get plenty of afternoon shade over the pond which holds the temps down. My water is only hovering around 55 - 60 degrees F right now and the string algae is abundant, especially on the waterfall. That is really the only place I wish I could control it, it is almost flourescent green right now And I need my water to warm up before adding plants (plus they aren't even in stock locally yet).

Thanks!

 

[stroppy]

i think waterfalls always get some green its because the water is shallow there but i could be wrong ...perhaps someone else will know more ..

 

[koiguy1969]

If i lived on a lake (AND POND WAS CLOSE ENOUGH) i would have a continuous influx of water from the lake...my pump in the lake, plumbed up to my waterfall and into the pond,overflowing thru a small stream back to the lake. A small pump in the pond to pull debris up from the bottom to be sent out to the lake also.

 

[mrteach3]

sherrye,

My pond looks similar to yours and I get string algae on the waterfalls all year round as well. I just did a complete water change out this past weekend, and after one day I already have some string algae coming back. I thought I washed the falls really well. I think it just goes with the territory. The one product I use is Pond Balance. It takes away a nutrient that the string algae needs to attach to something. It works great. Be careful to use it in the appropriate dosage or else you will have an influx of algae floating all over the place. That is what caused me to have to do the water change. I used to much too fast. You can also use Green Clean sparingly on the worst places. I think it does a nice job as well. Just some info.

 

[koiguy1969]

I just want to add...if you use chemicals to control string alge or single cell , it kills it in large quantity and if you dont remove this dead alge it just decomposes and supplies food for the next round to feed on...long term ..theres no replacement for adding plants to use the nutrients and block the sunlight it needs to survive.

 

[mrteach3]

Great advice. I learned that the hard way. Chemicals are good in my opinion but one needs to follow up after. Otherwise you will be in deep algae. Okay. Bad pun.

 

[sherrye]

Thanks everyone, I will check out the products you listed. And that was a very interesting post koiguy, my pond is close to the lake, in fact we leave a sump pump in the lake with a hose so I can top off the pond weekly. I don't think we ever thought of plumbing directly through the lake, I don't know if the DNR would have issues with that, maybe for noxious plants but I don't think we have to worry much here as everything freezes hard in the winter. We were thinking about building a "hot tub", drawing lake water, running it through a heating coil, then draining afterwards. But never thought about the pond. I think we will look into that further. It would be interesting to find out if the string algae would persist.

Sherry