Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Filamentous algae

IS there any harm to your pond of fish if don't treat the Filamentous algae and just let nature take its course?

I know its hard to look at but i think if I remember right it absorbs ammonia out of the water. It likes these mid range temp and should die off some once the water warms up into the 80s. So its actually better to leave it untreated I think.

It would harm the pond if the algae were to grow thick enough to cover the pond. Very little light will get thru the surface mats of algae.

+1 on what esshup said. Mine never gets thick. I have a little around the edges every year but it goes away when it gets hot.

This could be a non-problem or a serious problem. Some photos would help to determine the severity. It is one of Bill Cody's famous "it depends" situations.

There are a lot of factors. If you have some typical spring-time FA, it probably will not be a problem. Most ponds have some.

If you have a large mats of it growing on the bottom of your pond, and it is ready to break loose and float -- and then die, you will have a serious problem. It will consume the pond's oxygen when it dies, and thus the fish will die from a lack of oxygen.

There are remedies. Get us more info. Don't over-do any potential solution -- that can really be disastrous and can generate a situation that is extremely difficult to recover from. Too little of a solution might not be as bad, but it can still be very traumatic.

I've got a similar problem. I pull the trolling motor up to water level, and
and motor around the pond (only 1A) and break it up as much as possible.
It looks like I have accomplished something when I finish, but a few hours
later it looks about the same as before. I have a creek coming into the pond
and a drain pipe that constantly pulls water out, so the problem isn't too
bad, just doesn't look that good. I think I'll just let nature do it's thing.

Your trolling motor dislodged the trapped gas-bubbles that provided buoyancy to the floating mats of algae; allowing the algae to sink - temporarily.

Thanks, Kelly. That probably explains the "film' on the surface after I have done this.

From my past experiences a combination of Israeli Carp, KOI and Channel Catfish will control FA. The downside is some mudding of the water.

For those that don't fish their pond, lots of plants help. And with lots of plants you probably need some grass carp but not too many.

Since I am starting over after my fish kill I have lots of FA right now. In the archives someone seemed to be having some FA control with GSH. That is what I am starting with this time. But it will take a season to see what happens. If I get desperate I can always go to the FA fish-eating combo.