Based on the help I received from the forum I used sodium percarbonate for the first time to fight string algae. For those curious as to whether it works I posted a video on Youtube.
Using sodium percarbonate to fight string algae
- Thread starter mgmine
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I'm glad it worked for you! HOWEVER... You made WAY more work for yourself than necessary.
Next time - waterfall off and working quickly:
1. Remove any large clumps of loose algae by hand before treating
2. Sprinkle the SP on the WET rocks
3. Let sit 20 mins (30 if it makes you happy)
4. Turn falls back on
5. Wait 24 hours to see the full results
No brushes, no double treating, no overnight with the falls off. Simple and quick! Hopefully you can do a new video update to demonstrate the easy way! Or maybe you've solved your problem for the season- even better!
Also - never let large amounts of dead algae back in your pond. You will only keep feeding the cycle. And always do this early in the day with your aerators running. I would never shut my falls down without running the aerators.
On a side note- is that exposed liner in your falls? If so, I would work to get that covered. It will degrade a lot faster if exposed to sunlight. Just a thought!
Next time - waterfall off and working quickly:
1. Remove any large clumps of loose algae by hand before treating
2. Sprinkle the SP on the WET rocks
3. Let sit 20 mins (30 if it makes you happy)
4. Turn falls back on
5. Wait 24 hours to see the full results
No brushes, no double treating, no overnight with the falls off. Simple and quick! Hopefully you can do a new video update to demonstrate the easy way! Or maybe you've solved your problem for the season- even better!
Also - never let large amounts of dead algae back in your pond. You will only keep feeding the cycle. And always do this early in the day with your aerators running. I would never shut my falls down without running the aerators.
On a side note- is that exposed liner in your falls? If so, I would work to get that covered. It will degrade a lot faster if exposed to sunlight. Just a thought!
That last part sounded bossier than I meant it to! Just an observation and a friendly suggestion!
Meyer Jordan
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Surely is a lot of time and work involved when a Phosphorus binder is quicker and more effective.
That was my point to the OP @Meyer Jordan - it takes minutes, not hours. And in fact it takes seconds... most of the time is spent waiting.
How do phosphorus binders work exactly? I was looking for information and couldn't really find an explanation of the "how".
How do phosphorus binders work exactly? I was looking for information and couldn't really find an explanation of the "how".
Meyer Jordan
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Where treatments such as sodium percarbonate work primarily by killing the algae. The result is that at least some of the Phosphorus is released back into the water column. This does not happen with a Phosphorus binder. First, the algae is killed by starving it. As it decays and releases Phosphorus, the binder then renders this Phosphorus chemically neutral. End result, Phosphorus levels are returned to benign levels.
Gotcha. Is there a particular compound that achieves this? Or are there various types?
Meyer Jordan
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PhosOut or similar Lanthanum based products for reducing P levels to <0.05 ppm. Ferric oxide based binders for maintaining levels <0.05 ppm. As with any treatment, test the water first to determine the existing level of P.
Thanks Lisak1 next time I'll try it that way, it just didn't look like it was going to come off after one application and only a few minutes. As for the liner, it did have rocks on it (and still does for 90 percent of it) but I removed them in spots because there was so much algae on them that they were causing a water flow problem. As for the phosphorus binder, that was what I had looked at first. I searched Amazon and found two kinds listed. One said it was safe for fish and the other didn't mention fish but was much cheaper and you used a lot less of it. I contacted the company and talked with a chemist there. He said that he couldn't tell me if it was safe for fish and his company had no connection to the company that had the fish safe product. He said phos out was a generic term. So based on the price of the fish safe phos out I opted for the much cheaper solution.
You did have some heavy algae going on there! Just remember that what you see after the 20 - 30 minute application will not be the end result. By the next day you will have a clear waterfall.
And next time, pull all that loose stuff off before you apply the SP - better contact with the bed of the algae that way. The loose stuff is easy to remove, as you know. It's the stuff that sticks to the rocks that causes the problem, because it will rapidly regrow if you don't get rid of that, which is what the SP will kill. And as time goes on, I think you'll find you need to use it less and less often.
Good job in sharing the information visually - I love YouTube videos for learning, but I would be terrible at making them.
And next time, pull all that loose stuff off before you apply the SP - better contact with the bed of the algae that way. The loose stuff is easy to remove, as you know. It's the stuff that sticks to the rocks that causes the problem, because it will rapidly regrow if you don't get rid of that, which is what the SP will kill. And as time goes on, I think you'll find you need to use it less and less often.
Good job in sharing the information visually - I love YouTube videos for learning, but I would be terrible at making them.
Give it a try Lisak1 you have a lot of good points and Youtube is very easy to do. It's amazing what is out there and strange as it may seem even the simplest information is useful to a lot of people. If your phone can take pictures then you're in the movie business!
That's an interesting video/thread. My issue is my string algae is all submersed. So how does the treatment change with sodium percarbonate for string algae that isn't on top of surface rocks but on below water level rocks??
Take a look at this thread it should answer your questions,
http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showt...s-in-fish-ponds&highlight=sodium+percarbonate
http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showt...s-in-fish-ponds&highlight=sodium+percarbonate
@flareyflan I've use SP on submerged algae too - just sprinkle it on the surface of the water and it will sink to make contact with the algae. The algae will turn white/gray and then be gone completely in the next day or two. I have a couple of small (behind some marginal plants for example where the fish can't get to poke around) "dead" spots in my pond - areas where the circulation is low that tend to grow the green, bubbly, slimy kind of algae. I treat those once or twice a season now and it keeps those areas clear.
Having said that, there are several things to remember:
1. The algae is NOT a problem, in and of itself. It is another form of aquatic plant life that is doing what nature intends and clearing your water of things that would otherwise be harmful. It's a problem when it gets out of balance and you have TOO MUCH, but your goal should never be to rid your pond of algae. That would be a fish tank, not a pond. A heatlhy carpet of algae on your rocks and/or liner is a good sign.Too much algae is a clue to you about your water quality- correct that and the algae will get under control.
2. Any time you kill off algae you need to be aware that you are FEEDING MORE ALGAE GROWTH. The dead and dying organic matter is like candy for algae. So whenever possible you should be removing string algae by hand BEFORE you try to eliminate it. The more you get out of the pond before it dies, the less of a rebound effect you will create. Once you've removed the bulk of it by hand, then treat the "bed" of the algae - the spots where it adheres tightly to the rocks... you'll know it when you see it!
3. Over time, your pond WILL balance itself, if you allow it to. But the more chemicals, additives, products, etc you add, the longer that process will take. Keep your pond clear of organic debris, keep your fish load low, feed your fish lightly (if at all - goldfish do fine in a garden pond left to their own devices) and you will see a remarkable change in your pond, seemingly overnight. There are lots of posters here who have experienced it themselves and will tell you - patience dear ponder!
As for the discoloration on your waterfall rocks - this is the one spot where you can really use SP effectively. With the waterfall off and the rocks still wet (spray them with the hose if you need to) sprinkle the SP on the areas that are discolored. Allow the powder to dry completely - the longer the better, even overnight if you can. SP is a bleaching agent - the same stuff that is in OxyClean for laundry - so it will remove that discoloration. HOWEVER - it is natural in a pond and it WILL come back. So if you are determined to have clean waterfall rocks, you may be doing a lot of cleaning!
Also, as your water clears you may find that the color of the rocks changes and becomes less of a distraction to you. So honestly I would leave the waterfall alone until you are happy with your water conditions.
Having said that, there are several things to remember:
1. The algae is NOT a problem, in and of itself. It is another form of aquatic plant life that is doing what nature intends and clearing your water of things that would otherwise be harmful. It's a problem when it gets out of balance and you have TOO MUCH, but your goal should never be to rid your pond of algae. That would be a fish tank, not a pond. A heatlhy carpet of algae on your rocks and/or liner is a good sign.Too much algae is a clue to you about your water quality- correct that and the algae will get under control.
2. Any time you kill off algae you need to be aware that you are FEEDING MORE ALGAE GROWTH. The dead and dying organic matter is like candy for algae. So whenever possible you should be removing string algae by hand BEFORE you try to eliminate it. The more you get out of the pond before it dies, the less of a rebound effect you will create. Once you've removed the bulk of it by hand, then treat the "bed" of the algae - the spots where it adheres tightly to the rocks... you'll know it when you see it!
3. Over time, your pond WILL balance itself, if you allow it to. But the more chemicals, additives, products, etc you add, the longer that process will take. Keep your pond clear of organic debris, keep your fish load low, feed your fish lightly (if at all - goldfish do fine in a garden pond left to their own devices) and you will see a remarkable change in your pond, seemingly overnight. There are lots of posters here who have experienced it themselves and will tell you - patience dear ponder!
As for the discoloration on your waterfall rocks - this is the one spot where you can really use SP effectively. With the waterfall off and the rocks still wet (spray them with the hose if you need to) sprinkle the SP on the areas that are discolored. Allow the powder to dry completely - the longer the better, even overnight if you can. SP is a bleaching agent - the same stuff that is in OxyClean for laundry - so it will remove that discoloration. HOWEVER - it is natural in a pond and it WILL come back. So if you are determined to have clean waterfall rocks, you may be doing a lot of cleaning!
Also, as your water clears you may find that the color of the rocks changes and becomes less of a distraction to you. So honestly I would leave the waterfall alone until you are happy with your water conditions.
Great info, thanks!!