Winter Brown Slime?

[Jetz1138]

Hi All... I live in Northern Illinois and it's starting to warm up. My pond water is super clear, but the whole bottom of the pond seems to be covered in a brown thick slime and growing. It also seems to have a lot bubbles on it. I've attached pictures. Is this just a form of algae or something else. I was wondering how to treat in order to get my pond ready for spring. I don't remember this last year which was my first full year. Algaefix? I do leave my waterfall and pond year round. any advice or help would be appreciated.

Rob

 

[Jhn]

Diatoms or Cyanobacteria, usually due to excess nutrients and lack of circulation. I imagine it is growing at the moment as your pond plants are dormant, so it is feeding on the nutrients that are normally consumed by your plants.

Wouldn’t treat with any type of chemical, if you have adequate circulation when the weather warms and plants start growing it should dissipate on its own.

 

[MitchM]

Could also be dinoflagellates.
Are you using an ionizer?

 

[Jetz1138]

Hi Mitch, I was using an ionizer during summer months, but turned off last October. Can that still have an affect from the fall?

 

[Jetz1138]

Jhn, The pond does have really good circulation, but definitely makes sense to what you said. I'll keep an eye on it and skip any chemical treatments.

 

[Lisak1]

We get lots of weird algae growths over winter that we never see the rest of the year. Sometimes we get things growing one year that we don't see again the next - quite interesting to observe what nature provides!

 

[Jetz1138]

with the afternoon sun I was able to get a few more pictures.

 

[Lisak1]

You've landed on another planet, it appears! haha!

It's appears similar to string or hair algae - have you tried pulling any of it out?

 

[Jetz1138]

I know, it's really odd looking. I haven't tried pulling on any of it. I did run my hand over it and it felt pretty much like it looks. The one photo looks like the ancient remains of a mummified skull of an alien with a Beatles haircut.

 

[MitchM]

Hi Mitch, I was using an ionizer during summer months, but turned off last October. Can that still have an affect from the fall?

Ionizers are effective at eliminating algae, but the nutrients are still left behind and ionizers have no effect on dinoflagellates.
Dinos can smother whatever they cover.
With the ionizer gone, keep your flow high, the water clean and let your pond get back to a natural balance.
The colour and the bubbles look like dinos and I've seen the same thing in many other ponds that used an ionizer.

This is another thread where someone had a problem after using an ionizer.
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/need-help-identifying-algae-please.21824/#post-350431

 

[Jetz1138]

Thank you, Mitch, Excellent information. I really appreciate it. This will help me for the new season. Although I may still use the ionizer, I may have it turned down from the level it was this year and note the change, if any, this time next year.

 

[Jetz1138]

Hi all, I just thought I should follow up on this issue I was having with the brown slime. As mitch mentioned, it's not growing anymore and is starting to peal off the stones and boulders. I took a wisp broom and brushes the stones and most of it just came right off. Then took my net and skimmed most the floating stuff out. So, it does appear to be something that liked the late winter pond chemistry and I'm assuming will be gone by prime pond time.

Rob

 

[MitchM]

Thanks for the update!

 

[petersexton]

with the afternoon sun I was able to get a few more pictures.
View attachment 108845 View attachment 108846

That really looks quite beautiful! I love the gold and black contrast.
Excellent photos!