Pond Boss Forums PHOTO GALLERY Image Gallery Is this Filamentous Algae?

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That's the best route for her to take.

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Ive been fighting this problem for years in a shallow pond. This stuff even grows under the ice in the winter. I have resorted to deepening/widening/clearing the pond to about an acre, which helps some, but this spring this is what worked like a charm:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diving_duck

A couple dozen of these guys cleared it all in a few weeks. now if only I could get them to stick around all year.

Sample results from Queenkat's algae problem.
Algae in the sample that I received was primarily that similar to that of the second set of photographs. Sample was dominated by what I think is Leptolyngbya chlorina a very narrow (1.5um wide) filamentous Cyanobacteria that had a thin gelatinous sheath or sleeve and appeared to be embedded in an amorphous mass of mucilage. L. chorina typically grows on sapropelic muddy bottom bottoms rich in nutrients and hydrogen sulfide (anoxic conditions). Other less abundant algae were mixed throughout the sample: Mougeotia sp (8umwide), a green filamentous algae.
Also present were numerous single cells of an indicator species of Oocystis that is very similarly shaped to Oocystis parva but probably not O. parva due to an improper growth form. I most often see this Oocystis specie in high concentrations of elemental copper or where there are high amounts of copper by-products. These single Oocystis cells were very probably just entangled or stuck in the algal mat, and I think they were entrapped or settled from the water column. I normally see this Oocystis as a plankter in the water column in ponds where copper based algaecides have been used heavily or frequently.
Occasionally in the sample were groups of Aphanothecae nidulans (?). A.nidulans forms mucilaginous aggregates with firm, yellow-green, grey-blue, or blue-green sheaths or a �skin�. I think this species was the dominant species in the yellow-green bubbly mass of the first picture.

Bill is this ( Leptolyngbya chlorina ) the one that is blackish and takes over ponds? It looks much different than pics I have seen and I think the pictured one above must be a different species than the one I am asking about. I will try to get the name and post it. There are similarities with your description.

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ewest - there are a fair number of benthic epipelic bluegreen (Cyanobacteria) algae species. Not all are filamentous. Algae are quite diverse. Descriptions for one specie can give several different colors possible. This could be for various reasons - it depends. It becomes hard to generalize about many if not most of the algae species. It is also possible that some species names contains strains, varieties or even different species in one name. Algal taxonomists are always splitting out new species from old names where two or more "forms" were originally lumped together often due to lack of enough knowledge when the name was first applied. Sometimes an algae species can appear exactly the same but it is a separate species from another due to only color or growth form. Crazy business for the untrained and sometimes for even the trained analyst.

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Although this is an effective (albeit aggressive) combination for certain types of algae, it is not without risks and limitations.

Risks: 1) Both products are extremely caustic and pose risks to applicators if not handled with "more than normal" precautions. Gloves, goggles, long-sleeve shirts, etc � definitely utilize all PPE necessary to prevent any skin & eye contact. 2) Hydrothol; applied at elevated concentrations (IE. >.3ppm), can directly impact fish by damaging their gills. Fish that become confined within areas that are treated above this threshold-concentration may be lost (immediately or by delayed response).

Limitations: 1) The "nursery" for your offending algae is located at the bottom of your pond. Treating surface-mats (IF successful) accomplishes very little to prevent future benthic growths - and may actually �fuel� future algae-issues by recycling nutrients within the pond. 2) Physically contacting and penetrating the floating mats with this liquid combination is challenging enough; yet successfully applying this combination so that it contacts benthic algae (in its nursery) is virtually impossible without some high-tech application equipment (designed for subsurface/bottom injection and diffusion).

In short, I suspect that your odds for treatment-success are very limited � especially with the type of algae you�re battling � unless you significantly augment this approach with physical removal efforts (prior to treating any post-removal remnants).

Are your bottom sediments blackish? Do you use blue dye? What is your water clarity; how deep can you see a white cup in the water? How much or often since the pond was new have you used copper sulfate or Cutrine-Plus or other algaecides in the past? If you are going to use peroxygen Green Clean use the granular for growths on the pond bottom. The liquid type will dilute too much before it reaches the bottom. Spraying the surface mats with liquid could work but when it is on the surface it is not growing nor thriving any more; just waiting to sink and decompose.

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This is the why. The pond's chemical history helps explain your pond troubles. IMO your pond is behaving very similar to a person who has been frequently (irresponsibly, often unknowingly) prescribed antibiotics for conditions treatable and untreatable by antibiotics (algacides). Then the bacteria-virus, in your case algae, develop strains that are resistant - to your current conditions. Life forms esp lower life forms such as virus, bacteria and algae have fast regeneration times and can relatively rapidly develop resistant strains. When the host system (human or pond) becomes week with lower immunity the new life forms can thrive. Your 'pond' has responded to eliminating the good forms (competing species) in the attempt to get rid of the offending species. And or in trying to get rid of what were thought was a bad species, the 'manager' actually created conditions for another more tolerant, more offensive species that thrives (your current algae problems). You are not alone - many have traveled down the same path medically and ecologically.

The dyes blue & black, filter certain light wavelengths allowing other types of light waves to enter. Your algae is tolerant and thrives on those entering wavelengths. The by-products from the black sediments provide food for the offending algae. The algaecides have been copper based (including the new SeClear) and killed most of all those vulnerable, in the process creating new conditions for those tolerant or resistant species - the current algae problems. It is almost impossible to "get around" or fool Mother Nature, who wants to always grow something in every type of habitat. Change the habitat and She will change what grows there. Ingenious lady! Now you have resistant trains or species to copper based products, colored dyes, and black anoxic sediments. I think some of your species even thrive on or need low concentrations of copper or copper by products. The road back will be frustrating and a lot harder than how you got where your pond is currently at in terms of 'ecologically balanced'.

I have seen this scenario often due to the products being misused. This is why I dislike copper based algaecides because once they are applied they are stable in the environment and do not chemically breakdown or decompose - they are heavy metal products. Enough for now I got to get back to analyzing samples.

So, reading into Bills comments above, I'm assuming that you don't have a bottom aeration system, nor many plants to utilize the nutrients that are feeding the algae.

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We use Chelated Copper based products in some of our clients ponds, Tilapia in others, and Phycomycin in others (which is like Green Clean). It all depends on the goals of the customer for their pond. I have yet to treat a pond sooner than every 4 weeks once the Algae is under control, and it's usually every 6 weeks.

IMO treating a pond more than once or twice a year with algacides indicates to me the pond is out of natural balance. Another problem is some try to maintain a pond as a clean swimming pool - a very difficult task for a pond that nature wants it to become eutrophic and full of nutrients and plants. IMO many pond companies do not understand well the details and ecology of the entire aquatic ecosystem which often leads to improper use of chemicals and inadequate advice. Rather than know what is causing the problem and why; some resort to broad spectrum herbicides to hopefully "fix" the problem rather than figure out why the problem is occurring or who exactly is causing the problem. Many rely on chemicalization as a simple, quick and fast way to keep ponds looking good. Pond chemicals have their place just as antibiotics have their place, but overuse often leads to trouble for patients and ponds.

Well said Bill.

Chemicals are tools to be used properly. Like any tool you have to know what you are working on , how it works and what results should you expect. If you don't know how the object being built/worked on functions you don't know what you are building or which tools to use. Knowledge of function is critical to success.

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Unfortunately queenkat, not all pond management companies have a thorough knowledge of aquatic ecology. You've been given some good information here but seemed to be left with no specific recommendations. Your problem can be resolved. Considering you have sent me a private email on this subject, I will respond to that request. I believe it is against forum rules to recommend specific products or services at Pond Boss.

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Questions regarding Lyngbya and how to manage it during the hot summer months:

1. The problem is ahead of science, and being patient should be considered "Doing something!"?
2. Once we've entered the hot summer months (July thru September), anything beyond extraction (raking, etc.) is risky, and should probably be avoided?
3. People seem to be unaware that life beneath the surface of water is VERY delicate during the summer months, and although the appearance of the algae may be unpleasant, it's best to try and ignore it rather than attempting a desperate effort to exterminate it?
4. Managing Lyngbya requires a multifaceted approach that, for now, requires years of carefully managed efforts to control (eradication, for now, is not possible)?

Just a note: I was involved in an effort to extract/move Lyngbya from parts of a lake last week and noticed that the water temperature (at 4:00 P.M.) near the surface was 91 degrees. I wonder how many people are aware of how hot small bodies of water can get during summer? My guess is VERY few.

Thanks for all of your help, and it looks like I'll be around for a while!

BTW - This is my first post, so please keep your expectations reasonable. I will learn to conform to your standards given a little time.

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