!: How Can You Control the Algae in Your Fish Pond

Ponds and algae seem to go together hand in hand. Algae is necessary for providing some of the essential bacteria yet at the same time if left unchecked can become harmful to your fish stock and also unsightly to look at.

Algae needs to be understood before you can hope to control it. The ideal environment to produce large algae growth would include plenty of sunshine, warm stagnant water, fish waste, dead leaves, dead bugs and uneaten fish food. All these elements would help create the perfect conditions for algae.

There are two types of algae;

Unicellular - This is the type of algae that turns your water into green pea soup!

This type of algae can be treated in several ways. Firstly you could try a UV filter, this is a sure fire way to kill the algae but does come at a price that may not be affordable. Other options that are less expensive include creating shade for your pond, using a dark pond liner that does not reflect the light, using water plants to filter and shade the pond, the use of barley straw and if you feel it is necessary the possible addition of chemicals purchased from your local pond store.

Multi cellular - String algae.

Once you have managed to get rid of you cellular algae you will probably have to cope with an infection of 'string algae'. This type of algae only lives in clear water, thrives in moving water and can often be found in waterfalls.

The best way to attack this type of growth is to stock the pond with some algae eating fish (goldfish are ideal). Fish food often promotes the growth of algae so it maybe a good idea to cut down on the amount you are feeding your fish. This will have two benefits the first is reducing the nitrates and the second is if the fish are slightly hungry they are more likely to eat the algae thus clearing the pond and ending the cycle of algae growth.

All ponds will encounter algae growth at some point. Understanding the algae cycle and the types of algae will help to keep infestations to a minimum. Good housekeeping i.e. keeping on top of cleaning the bottom of the pond, making sure dead leaves are not allowed to decay in the pond etc.