Safe String Algae eradicating

[Zelinda]

Hello all,
I inherited a small koi pond in a house I bought last fall. The pond was literally choked to death by string Algae. Only one Comet fish survived, and so kept him in a tank all Winter. My husband and I cleaned the pond out, scrubbing the liner and replacing the water. I now have a re-homed Koi and my Comet fish. I can see string algae growth on the bottom, sides and pump pipe. We have an ultraviolet light. My question is; Ate there any safe products that would not harm my fish, but would remove the algae?

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

When we hear people say “string algae,” we often want to clarify exactly what kind of algae they are talking about. There is (what I call) blanket algae that attaches to most surfaces of the pond. It’s kind of squishy, and covers, well, like a blanket. What I call “string algae“ is long filaments of green stuff that attaches in a spot, then flows out like long hair.

Blanket algae is a good kind to have as it is part of the pond’s ecosystem. True string algae usually appears when there are more nutrients in the water than the biofilter is able to handle. We see this a lot in the spring (when ponds are waking up), when there are few plants in the pond, and after a “cleaning.” This is easily removed by swirling it up in the bristles of a clean toilet bowl brush and yanking it out. Second is to correct the problem that is causing it in the first place. UV light does nothing to fight string algae.

More information about your pond would be helpful. How big is it? How many and what size are the fish? What kind of filtration system do you have? Where are you located?

 

[poconojoe]

Algae is nature's way of protecting your pond. You have excess nutrients in the water. Plants thrive on the excess nutrients. Algae are plants. You probably don't have enough other plants or your plants have not matured enough, so nature provides the algae.

If your existing plants are in fact flourishing, then you probably need to add more to starve out the algae.

UV lights kill even the good stuff and all that dead stuff floating around becomes more food for more algae to feed on.

Add plants and more plants.
And your filter also needs to be adequate.

 

[j.w]

and welcome @Zelinda

 

[Zelinda]

Thank you for your responses. The pond is small. Only 375 gallons. I have read that a pond should be at least 70,000 gallons. To keep my lone comet company, I took an unwanted koi from an acquaintance. He is approximately 7-8”. The pump is a Laguna-2000!koi:https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...kvzy8LH4AhVtjIkEHVT6C-8Qwg8oAHoECAEQJQ&adurl=

I agree, I don’t have enough plants!

 

[Zelinda]

Thank you for your responses. The pond is small. Only 375 gallons. I have read that a pond should be at least 70,000 gallons. To keep my lone comet company, I took an unwanted koi from an acquaintance. He is approximately 7-8”. The pump is a Laguna-2000!koi:https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...kvzy8LH4AhVtjIkEHVT6C-8Qwg8oAHoECAEQJQ&adurl=
This is a picture of the pond from several years ago before I bought the house.
I agree, I don’t have enough plants!

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the forum!

You need at least 1000 gallons for one koi, not 70,000 gallons. They require space, good filtration, etc.

 

[Zelinda]

Oh my, maybe I should re-home him?

 

[Mmathis]

@Zelinda Your pond is very pretty!

 

[Criscar]

Oh my, maybe I should re-home him?

Welcome from a fellow small ponder

Yes, unfortunately the koi will need another home. However, you could get a couple other goldfish instead. Shubunkin are very pretty and can be “koi-like” in their coloring.

 

[Criscar]

Thank you for your responses. The pond is small. Only 375 gallons. I have read that a pond should be at least 70,000 gallons. To keep my lone comet company, I took an unwanted koi from an acquaintance. He is approximately 7-8”. The pump is a Laguna-2000!koi:https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...kvzy8LH4AhVtjIkEHVT6C-8Qwg8oAHoECAEQJQ&adurl=

I agree, I don’t have enough plants!

Is this your pond right now? It looks like you have a lot of young goldfish?

 

[addy1]

Oh my, maybe I should re-home him?

Great looking pond! I have a 300 gallon old hot tub pond. I put in fantails, when breed slowly, look neat and have a lot of water room. They stay small.

 

[Zelinda]

Welcome from a fellow small ponder

Yes, unfortunately the koi will need another home. However, you could get a couple other goldfish instead. Shubunkin are very pretty and can be “koi-like” in their coloring.

Thank you for your advice !

Is this your pond right now? It looks like you have a lot of young goldfish?

no , unfortunately before the string algae infestation.

 

[Zelinda]

Great looking pond! I have a 300 gallon old hot tub pond. I put in fantails, they breed slowly, look neat and have a lot of water room. They stay small.

Thank you!

 

[bagsmom]

If you have string algae, removing it by hand can be fun! Purchase a brand new, unused toilet brush. You can swirl it around in the algae and coil it up like spaghetti on a fork! Then you can let the end of the toilet brush dangle over the pond edge for a while, to allow any aquatic life to escape back into the pond. After that, you can compost it. Swirling string algae is a little bit entertaining! Your pond is really pretty!