Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Filamentous algae in January???

I was walking around my pond today (1-20-2006) and noticed filamentous algae alive and well in the pond. It was green and seemed to be thriving growing on submerged limbs and even what looked to be like a large submerged mass of algae in one part of the pond. Is that normal for a pond in central Ohio in January? While there is no ice on the pond, the water is still very cold. I've never fertilized and had no problems with algae this past summer or fall. Any thoughts???

Absolutely not normal. But, our weather patterns aren't normal, either. Once we turn back to a real winter, expect filamentous algae to die back and sink.

We seem to have a lot of "spirogyra FA" at present in several Ohio ponds, Huge temperature swings may be the culprit?? Was 57 F here in NW Ohio today.

I too have healthy looking FA growing this Winter (more than I had all Summer when the fish were more active and apparently eating it). This is probably the longest & most extreme January Thaw (started in December) of my lifetime - certainly that I can remember.

Took advantage of the 56 deg Temp after work and went fishing. I caught a bunch of Golden Shiners who appeared to have been eating ...(drumroll)... FA. They all were pretty fat. I suspect it was my large GShiner population that kept the pond virtually FA-free all Summer.

I'm sure the open water with plenty of sunlight has a lot to so with it. Like Bob says it's the atypical weather patterns.

My previous trout pond had a good growth of FA in cold water only to be outcompeted by chara once the water gets warmer in late spring.

My pond often develops some FA in late January here in N.E.GA. I was looking today in the shallow water along the edge where it begins growing on the organic matter on the bottom and found none. The water has a good bloom but I didn't measure the visibility. The geese must be doing a good job of fertilizing the 3.5 acres. My observations have been that the phytoplankton competes with FA for nutrients.

I have had success controlling FA, when it first appears, with a small amount of hydrated lime scattered with a shovel onto the shallow water where the FA is beginning to grow.

Thanks for the responses! I'm new at this pond managing stuff and it really helps to hear from people who have been at this awhile. Thanks again!

I also have the algea growing here in the Chillicothe Ohio area and I have had it every winter mainly after we get a moderate amount of rain. I waite till the water warms to 50degs and hit it with "Sidekick".