Shade for algae control

[antonio]

Hello everybody,

On May 12th I made a comment about the cleaning of my bog filter with a home made vacuum. Well I found lots of Daphnia and regret to have done the cleaning without any previous preparation/close observation.
The result, the pond water became SOLID pea green just few days later !

I'd have had to wait for the filter to recover, months?, and on top of that, this time of the year the sun shines mercilessly all day, until september +/-.

What to do? I tried artificial shade installation with umbrellas I had laying around since a shut down a restaurant in my house. Photos attached.
The result AMAZING. In about 2 weeks the water is almost the same as it use to be, transparent with a green touch . The shubies enjoying the shade for healthy tanning and the siesta.
I wanted to share this good experience with artificial shade for emergencies. Now I am peacefully waiting for the filter to recover.
Amen.
Would be more than glad for any other similar experience !!

 

[JRS]

Looking good! Also recommended for those in warm areas with small shallow ponds to keep them from overheating.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Not something you'll be able to really benefit from right now, but some of the best shade can come from waterlilies. Might be something worth considering in the future, it doesn't appear you have any currently.


I'm also curious, why did you vacuum the bog? Was there something wrong with it? Typically you wouldn't want to disturb the bog unless you had issues with clogging. It's definitely something I wouldn't recommend doing in the future.

 

[antonio]

Looking good! Also recommended for those in warm areas with small shallow ponds to keep them from overheating.

Thanks
Absolutely right about overheating. The fish enjoy it and fill encourage to while around at the surface !

 

[antonio]

Not something you'll be able to really benefit from right now, but some of the best shade can come from waterlilies. Might be something worth considering in the future, it doesn't appear you have any currently.


I'm also curious, why did you vacuum the bog? Was there something wrong with it? Typically you wouldn't want to disturb the bog unless you had issues with clogging. It's definitely something I wouldn't recommend doing in the future.

Hi JB

Thanks for the comprehensive description of your project. Very nice place and usefull for newbies like me !
I also have and promote the wildlife in and around the pond. Dragonfliers, butterflies, giant humming birds too. Ducks (and other birds) not because of my dogs and frogs not because of the wilde carp I also keep in the pond.

I made a huge newby mistake by "cleaning" the bog filter. I observed the filter plant roots (mostly hyacinths and water mint) totally covered with string algae, and thought, ok algae is winning the battle, I migh give them a little help by removing algae. NEWBY.
I will never do it again! I could just reconfirmed the filter was doing its job, and quite well !
With relation to plants for shade I have a limitation with the ambient conditions (temps and humidity). I live at 10.000 ft in the middle of the peruvian Andes and try to add small amounts of plants of the region at a time. Of course that is the goal, but again I had bitter experiences already.
Thanks again for your kind comments!

 

[GBBUDD]

AERATION to the bogs snorkel can help . it provides oxygen to an area that strips o2 from the water . it helps the bacteria to thrive while re establishing it's self . ALSO aDDING BENIFICIAL BACTERIA and Nualgi certainly can't hurt

 

[antonio]

AERATION to the bogs snorkel can help . it provides oxygen to an area that strips o2 from the water . it helps the bacteria to thrive while re establishing it's self . ALSO aDDING BENIFICIAL BACTERIA and Nualgi certainly can't hurt

Thanks for your kind advice! as always
For the moment I have stabilzed the patient, I guess/hope, and have time to look for all possible methods to move forwards with the filter. Bacteria as priority.
Thanks for the product recommendation !

 

[antonio]

Not something you'll be able to really benefit from right now, but some of the best shade can come from waterlilies. Might be something worth considering in the future, it doesn't appear you have any currently.


I'm also curious, why did you vacuum the bog? Was there something wrong with it? Typically you wouldn't want to disturb the bog unless you had issues with clogging. It's definitely something I wouldn't recommend doing in the future.

Hi JB here again

I have a big head and ideas go and come back like comets

I was surprised by an additional advantage of the umbrellas shade. Its fish-confort-effect is on the surface too, not only IN the pond water, below the plants. The fish virtually lay on the plants and enjoy the shade of the umbrellas. Direct sun radiation maybe too intense and unconfortable for them...
It doesn't mean at all that I priorize or exclude one or the other, it is only an observation and wanted to leave it in the air for consideration or not.

 

[JRS]

Thinking it might also give them a sense of shelter like a hide, don't have to worry about aerial predators.

 

[antonio]

Thinking it might also give them a sense of shelter like a hide, don't have to worry about aerial predators.

Absolutely JRS, I have the impression that they fill safer and more confortable on the surface now. I have some wood pieces in the pond for shelter and sun protection. They love them too.
Thanks and regards