I have been pulling out alot of green slimy algae from the pond-I put a big rake in and it just keeps coming as I pull. What is the name of this type of algae and is it harmful to the fish and is there a fish I can buy to eat it that wont overrun my pond (grass carp??)
Thanks,
Dave
See the archive thread on
Filamentous Algae.
Hi Dave:
I see you are part of the Michigan Contingent here on Pond Boss. Grass Carp are not legal in Michigan. This year has been a bad one for all types of algae in Michigan because of the rains, super rains early on in the year. I would trade my Planktonic algae for your Filamentous algae anytime. You must have lots of Phosphorus in your pond - just a guess.
Do you have any suggestions then on what to do?? It seems like every two weeks I am pulling this stuff out on my shoreline....is it bad for the fish in the winter?? Should I keep removing it right now??
Thanks for the help
Pond dye may help by blocking the sunlight to the bottom of the pond.
Hi Dave again:
Do you have lots of organic material in your pond, like decaying leaves and decaying weeds? If you do you need to remove as much as possible. That is all I have been doing here on my lake, raking leaves out of both the lake, and the streets to keep them from going in the storm drains and into the lake. I even do my next door neighbors house lakefront as we are on the eastern shore and we get everything here in our area from the westward winds.
Hi Dave again:
Do you have lots of organic material in your pond, like decaying leaves and decaying weeds? If you do you need to remove as much as possible. That is all I have been doing here on my lake, raking leaves out of both the lake, and the streets to keep them from going in the storm drains and into the lake. I even do my next door neighbors house lakefront as we are on the eastern shore and we get everything here in our area from the westward winds.
Who's that crazy lady raking the pond again, Mom?
Yes TJ, people think I am crazy, and you know, they are right. I have my own system now, an old screen door for drying the leaves out and dragging them away from my neighbors place. It is much easier when they are floating rather than sunk on the bottom. I have the worst storm drain of all six lakes on the edge of my property. I get out there with those hip waders all the time, even when it is snowing, it is cool that way.
You are crazy, but in a cool, pondy way. Since you have experienced "Armageddon" in the way of a fish kill it's understandable you leave little to chance and eliminate all risks you can...hence, removing decomposing terrestrial vegetation.
Raking the pond in your hip waders, still, is something I'd like see with my feet propped up sipping a cold one!
Interesting, something about those hip waders you guys seem to like.