String algae and sludge on waterfall

[studiovette]

So for a while now I've had this yucky slime and algae on my falls and haven't really paid much attn to it but now its starting to annoy me. What's the best most natural way to get rid of it?

Thanks

 

[Waterbug]

Shop vac? Brush?

 

[studiovette]

Shop vac? Brush?

Duh thanks

 

[gardengimp]

A while back, I read with interest of a guy who added an algae scrubber to his koi pond build. Sadly, I lost track of the thread and haven't been able to check on how it preformed. The cliff notes version is that algae is encouraged to grow in a certain spot as an aide to filtration. The idea that the algae concentrates stuff you want removed from the pond, and periodically you harvest the algae (by pulling it out). I've been trying this on a small scale with the spiral fountain in the center of my pond. It's not really a scientific double bind test, but I'm not disappointed with the results. I add the pulled out algae to my compost bin.

 

[capewind]

If you want to be super lazy about it, shut down the pump on a nice sunny day, wait a few hours, it will dry, and when you turn the pump back on, it washes off the rocks ... note you have added the debris to the pond, but the filter should grab it depending on what you are using ...

 

[JohnHuff]

So for a while now I've had this yucky slime and algae on my falls and haven't really paid much attn to it but now its starting to annoy me. What's the best most natural way to get rid of it?

Thanks

Yesterday was my pond maintenance day and I was doing that exact thing. I had algae build up on the edge of my waterfalls and I used this to get rid of the algae:

I just picked up the algae with it and used it as compost under my trees.

 

[Waterbug]

Duh thanks

Uh...seriously...shop vac ---question mark--- meaning is it the type of algae that a shop vac would work on? Or is it the kind a brush would work on?

But if you don't like my questions there's no charge.

 

[studiovette]

Uh...seriously...shop vac ---question mark--- meaning is it the type of algae that a shop vac would work on? Or is it the kind a brush would work on?

But if you don't like my questions there's no charge.

I think u took my response the wrong way lol. I said duh because I should have thought of that myself! Thanks !

 

[studiovette]

Yesterday was my pond maintenance day and I was doing that exact thing. I had algae build up on the edge of my waterfalls and I used this to get rid of the algae:

I just picked up the algae with it and used it as compost under my trees.

What is that thing?

 

[Waterbug]

I think u took my response the wrong way lol. I said duh because I should have thought of that myself! Thanks !

Text is not a perfect communication tool. I was, still am, interested in what kind of algae you have. There are some jelly like algae that's not too common and in a waterfall even less common. You saying "yucky slime" got me interested. If it feels like hair it's just string algae, pretty common.

How to control macro algae kind of depends on the type. A shop vac generally won't work very well on healthy string algae in a waterfall because it's attached and surprisingly strong. I think just pulling with your hands is easiest and most effective.

Brush and/or vac can work on jelly type.

There are chemicals...but effectiveness, expense and complexity are issues. Once dead you still have to deal with the dead stuff which imo is harder to deal with than just manual removal. Depends on the pond and owner. For sure no magic fixes.

A pretty simple fix for waterfalls is to turn the falls off at night, while you're at work. It puts the hurt on it and over time can eliminate it...in the falls. Depending on your fish load, time of year, and your level of concern, you can add an air stone to the pond and turn that on when the falls is off. Surprisingly cheap. Or just being able to redirect pump output from the falls to just stirring the pond can be enough for good gas exchange (O2, etc).

The good news is that manual removal can change the species of algae that dominates. Certainly not a sure thing, but I found it to be common. So you might get a nice short growing algae at some point.

 

[JohnHuff]

What is that thing?

It's called a grabber. You can find it at Target, Big Lots, even some supermarkets.

 

[HARO]

What is that thing?

Long-distance ear muffs? :dunno:
John

 

[sissy]

On a warm sunny day shut of pump spray with peroxide and wait 15 minutes and turn pump back on most of the algae will turn white and then a basket with quilt batting can pic it up .But I find that some on the rocks helps filter the water also

 

[koiguy1969]

Harbor Freight has "GRABBERS' as well.. a few different ones, starting at under $5.00 for the plastic. they come in handy for many things in ponding.
as far as the alge/gunk blend .. i use a putty knife on my waterfall weir and put my skimmer net under the end to catch the gunk as it washes over the end.
dollar store toilet brushes are pretty good for algae removal and harvesting as well. i have one on the end a 4' length of 1" pvc pipe for pulling string alge from pond. put it to the alge and spin it, it can really gather alot at a time.

 

[studiovette]

Yea I'm definitely gonna get myself a grabber! And try some other posted recommendations!

Thanks everyone