Bought our house last fall. First year with a pond. The ice is starting to open up here in Canada and we are noticing a lot of stringy green algae. I was told by a neighbor to use cold water beneficial bacteria until the water warms up and then to treat every month with regular beneficial bacteria the old owners left us. Any pros/cons to doing this? I have tried to research but haven't found much info. thanks!

Bill Cody could tell you just how many different species of algae there are, just waiting their turn to have a go at your pond, but suffice to say there are varieties that like cooler water and some that prefer warmer water.

I don't know if bacteria would have much effect, the most commonly added chemical for algae control is a copper based algaecide. It's important to note that the root cause is usually excessive nutrient load. Chemicals may knock it back, but it will likely return.

Since the pond is new to you, maybe hold off and see what happens as the water warms?

There are lots of different types of filamentous algae - easily more than several thousand. The filamentous green algae genus Oedogonium has over 330 species and Spirogyra has over 400 species. Some algae prefer cold water, some cool water, some warm water. Some species will start in fall, span winter conditions, and then flourish in spring. There are algae that grow in the snow of the Arctic and hot springs or Colorado. Where there is water, species of algae will thrive.

Beneficial bacteria, both warm and cool thriving species, can help reduce algae problems ONLY if the nutrient concentration or 'load' is within the amount where the bacteria can lower the amount where the nutrient then becomes a limiting or reducing factor. If bacteria reduces the nutrients 20%, but the amount present is 30%-40% this still leaves ample nutrients for more algae to grow.

My philosophy has been in many low fish production goal cases to use "natures way" and establish native, non-rampant plants to help the in-pond activities to lower nutrients to achieve better nutrient, clearer water quality management. Various tools are available for managing pond nutrients.

BC, would Tilapia help with this kind of algae? I am new to all of this and have heard that the pond I bought gets pretty mossy during the summer. I am not sure what kind since I have never seen it. I have considered Tilapia. Any advice?

Two main options. 1. Live with the pond one full year to learn what it grows and how it performs. Then next year you will know what your problems are and can better plan how to deal with them. 2. Tilapia work great at eating filamentous algae providing a bass does not eat the tilapia first. As soon as the water temperature stabilizes at 65F add the suggested amount of tilapia (6"-12") if bass are present.

In Texas a good place to check for tilapia is: Overton's Fish Farm the website shows them to be $12/lb for 6"-12" pond stockers.

My father in law has a problem with filamentous algae every year I Illinois. What can I check or have checked to help him with this? He keeps talking spraying it and adding grass carp.

What works good in aquariums is hydrogen peroxide. It will not help with the nutrient load but will take out the algae. You can get 35% hydrogen peroxide from a local hot tub supplier.

I would add where you have good water flow a pile of lava rock with your bacteria. This will give you a house for the bacteria to live and stay. Good water flow in that area will keep cleaning the water.

Mike - do some homework for your father-in-law about grass carp eating filamentous algae(FA). They do not like FA but will eat some of it if the grass carp are over stocked and crowded into the pond to the point of making the pond muddy. Then with algae gone and the muddy water does not grow algae because the muddy water limits light penetration and algae cannot grow. Muddy water will also reduce the amount of natural fish food the pond produces then all fish are reduced.
Consider using either blue or black dye with the algae treatment program. Some refresher dye should be added monthly to maintain the proper concentration for light limitation by the dye. Pond dye dissipates naturally by: 1. UV light fading, 2. chemical decomposition, 3. dilution, 4. evaporation. Thus the need for a little monthly refreshment.

Read through this thread from our Archives section:
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92633#Post92633

Thanks for the info Bill. Yeah I tried telling him about the grass carp with some of the reading I've done here. He wants a clear, no...or little vegetation growth pond. It's that time of year with the local fish sales and keeps asking me about the grass carp and I keep telling him no.

Mr Cody is spot on as usual. We dye our pond right before ice up every year and it has greatly reduced our cold water algae after ice-out in the spring. We then chose to let our dye dilute into the late spring and let a bloom get going in the summer.

Thanks for all the tips guys. Pond was dyed when we moved in. It's very light now so I will add more dye and see what happens. We had some evil Canadian geese show up today. They lasted about an hour til I let the dog in the water after them lol. I'm hoping we get a couple ducks!

Ducks will help reduce low to moderate amounts of string algae along the shoreline. Duck poop is fertile and grows plants - some of it plankton. Be aware docile ducks are a favorite food of many pond wildlife visitors(owls, mink, hawks, etc). Expect to replace pet free ranging ducks on a regular basis.

oh no! I don't want them to die! I don't know if I could handle that. I am hoping to turn a little shed out on the pond into the Duck house. Hopefully they will be safe in there overnight.
We have a few snappers too, which my brother said will eat ducks! Hubby fed them last summer so I guess they are pets now too...
Here's a pic of the bass we caught last summer. we felt bad for hooking him at dinner time so threw him right back in.

Beautiful pond Jenna!

Are those the three stooges or the teenage mutant ninjas in that first pic?

Beautiful pond Jenna.

Your husband wouldn't get extra credit points for wearing an Evil Dead the Musical t shirt would he?

That's a lot of cattails. Be careful they don't take over.

Thanks Bill! He named them after the three stooges lol how did you guess! We had a guy come last fall and completely cut down the cattails. The water was really low so he said it might have killed some off? We shall see. It looks a lot different now.

Fireishot he loves the evil dead...That shirt is from one of our very first dates. We sat in the blood splatter zone. I had no idea what was happening lol.

This is the only pic I have from this spring. Damn geese keep landing. We had a wild mallard and a great blue heron visit today too. I will try to get a better pic of the whole pond tomorrow. We are ordering our windmill aerator tomorrow too!

Hey guys I have a question that I can't seem to find the answer to anywhere. My pond is feed mostly by runoff from my property, and I just put down some fertilizer to start off the grass growing season. My question is: the grass has a lot, I mean a lot of weeds that I would like to kill. Since the water will runoff into the pond I am afraid to use a "weed and feed" on the grass. Is it alright to use a commercial weed and feed or any other suggestions are helpful.

Jenna.....once the water hits 48-50 degrees FA is growing. We attack it with 10 lbs. of copper sulfate per surface acre. Add 4-6 grass carp per surface acre.

You might need to come back in 8 weeks and do another round of copper sulfate. After that just spot treat with a Cutrine Plus/Diquat combo for the rest of the year. 1 gallon of each mixed with 10 gallons of water in a tank sprayer will knock the hell out of it.....that quantity will take care of at least 1 acre of FA (and other things) if not more.

Of course, removing or eliminating the nutrient load is best but in farm country that can be pretty tough. Best of luck. We are in round 1 of this year's FA battle and have had great success so far. BM61.

Got the aerator in this weekend. Pond's looking great. We added some dye last week. So far we've been raking out any FA we see. The fish "woke up" on Thursday and have been hungry. We throw them some food most nights. So far only the little guys come up to eat. The big guys hang around but stay closer to the bottom and don't eat at all. Also walked by our creek yesterday to watch the steelhead jumping upstream. Have a few spawning near some downed trees near the back of the property. Spring is here!

What brand/type/size is that aerator? Pond looks great!

Texas: no idea. Came with the house when we bought it in August. I can see if they left any paperwork on it when I'm home tomorrow

I will lay odds on that surface agitator being a Kasco 3/4HP unit. A bottom diffused aeration unit would cost about 1/3 to operate 24/7.....a shallow water unit with a linear or diaphragm pump, 1/5 of that lesser cost....

Here is a pic from last evening. Pond is looking great in my opinion. We put in the first bacteria treatment last week when pond got over 10 degrees. Lots of small fry around the edges so I haven't raked out all the cut reeds from the fall because I am worried about killing things. Small amounts of string algae near a pipe where a neighbors sump pump empties into the pond. I wish it didn't run into our pond but it was put in years ago with approval from owner at the time. Only bad algae we have is right in front of it I believe from the difference in water temps.

Looking good Jenna! Do you think you were successful at getting rid of most of the cattails?

I think we killed a lot of them off. There are still lots of green shoots coming up all over though. We shall see what comes up later this spring.

lots of fish out today for feeding. Some huge LMB hanging in the depths just out of sight. I love when they jump out mouth wide open pumpkinseeds galore. Gonna have to have some buddies over to thin the herd.

That is some really clear water.

I've never seen my pond that clear.

Pretty!

Ok guys. I need your help again... This is what I'm dealing with. It's at every edge of the pond. Is there anything that will break this down. I'm not even sure what it is?!?

filamentous algae(FA). Look in controlling plants section for ways to control it. I think Copper sulfate is mainly used.

Here is my experience with it.

anything positive about FA?

I'm not sure it is FA... It moves around the pond with the wind. If its not windy its out floating in the middle of the pond. I think a lot of it is pollen? off the willow tree that hangs over the pond. It's bright yellow not the dark green I usually seen FA is.

Will copper sulfate harm the fish?

Well I could not swear to it, but it looks like FA to me too.

FA starts growing on the bottom of the pond usually very early in the spring. By the time you really notice it on the surface much it is nearing the end of its life cycle. As it dies and pond gasses get trapped in the mass it floats to the surface. Then the wind can blow it around the pond as it is no longer attached to the bottom. Big nasty matts of it. Eventually it degrades and sinks to become muck to start the process all over again next year.

Certain fish are more sensative to copper than others, but better an expert or someone with more knowledge inform you on that aspect.

We have ridiculous amounts of rain this week and the algae or pollen or whatever it is has almost disappeared with the rain. We've also been running the aerator for about 5 hours every night and threw in our monthly bacteria. Just bought a weed razor to cut back the cat tails again. I heard if you cut them below the water level you can kill them off. Any truth to this from you experts?