Your situation sounds very similar to mine--rain knocked down a lot of the mats and a daybor 2 later is when I added the Aquashade. The Aquashade was a few more bucks at Tractor Supply than the generic dye, but I'm really happy with the dark, natural color and effect it has had. I also added 4 bales of barley straw a week later, but would doubt that it had an effect on the existing algae. My understanding is that barley is more of a preventative tool. I was planning to hit the relatively few remaining mats with Cutrine Plus, but every morning there is less algae than the day before so I might not need to use the Cutrine. Good luck with your pond and let us know how you make out.
