Rocks carpeted with algae/sludge

[Cleanphil]

Hi all, great forum with lot's of great tips. I'm new here and have several threads. I have a 5000 gallon pond with a waterfall and skimmer. The pond is about 4 years old. I have managed to keep water fairly clear this year but have struggled with "carpet" type algae or sludge on every rock service. Large rocks, medium rocks and all the small stones. I have tried all kinds of muck and sludge products but to no avail. I do have a pond vac but looking for what others have done to tackle this problem without constantly draining a large pond. Thoughts?

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the forum, that carpet type algae is great for the pond, helps with balance

 

[j.w]

@Cleanphil
That short carpet algae is what we all want in our ponds. The fish love to nibble in it too. It sucks up excess nutrients in you pond water also so your pond doesn't get as much yucked up water.

 

[Cleanphil]

Thanks but it looks so dirty and unkept. I didn't have this up until end of last year. I just tested all my chemistry and it's perfect. Zero nitrite zero nitrate, ph is 7.5 and everything else lines up. I have a few general gold fish and a couple koi. I compare to a local pond stores display outside and there's is always perfectly clear top to bottom. They keep promoting chemicals and agents but still nothing.

 

[Cleanphil]

Here are some recent photos

 

[poconojoe]

Is it a thick carpet of algae growth?
I get that for a short period in early Spring until all the plants start to mature. The plants starve out the algae and with no help from me it all clears up. No scrubbing, nothing. It just goes away.

There is a beneficial biofilm that covers everything and it's an important component of your filtration system.

Ponds are not supposed to be hospital clean.

Most of us here strive for our ponds to be as natural as possible.
This equates to a healthier pond and usually less maintanance, which makes it all that more enjoyable.

Stop adding chemicals. You will eventually find your fish dead. It's a very common complaint.

Add lots and lots of plants to compete with the algae and make sure your filter is up to the task.

 

[j.w]

That algae looks like it is dying. Does not look like my carpet algae. Mine is green and short. Don't use chemicals tho as that will mess your pond up and make things worse. Since it is dying and rotting that could be why your water is a mess. take a brush and scrub most of it off those brown areas, the brown dead looking stuff and you can use a clean toilet brush to wind around it and pull it out. Then let your filter suck up all the debris floating in the water and see what happens. Leave any green stuff alone as it is alive and doing it's job.

 

[Lisak1]

It does look like you used an algaecide - true? If so, you now have a pond full of dead algae, which only promotes more algae growth. If your pond store has algae free rocks they are using a constant supply of chemicals to keep it that way.