Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction Bad filamentous algae problem

My wife and I recently bought a property that has a .4 acre pond that has a pretty bad filamentous algae problem. I haven't had much time to work on it since we're in the midst of repainting the house. We installed an aerator system about a month ago, but other than where the two diffusers are the pond has been completely covered with algae.

I would like to avoid chemicals, but did treat it with some copper based algecide. The algae died off considerably but just this evening seemed to be coming back. There is also a lot of duckweed. I'm pretty sure I have a lot of nutrients in the pond and somehow have to address that problem. I would like to know what the 3 best, most cost effective (long term), options I have for dealing with the problem. Thanks!

Read about using tilapia for consuming filamentous algae (FA). Read the info in this link for lots of control options for FA.
There should be a link to discussion of using tilapia for controlling FA.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92633#Post92633

Where are the nutrients coming from?

Once FA gets a start and hits the heavy duty infestation stage, it re fertilizes as it dies. I haven't found any solution. Start on it next Spring and try to whip it back on a consistent basis.

I have no experience with duckweed and don't want any.

The best (by far) long term, non-chemical control is definitely Tilapia.

Other options are to trap phosphorus to take away the nutrients the FA needs, and/or plant hardy lilies and other vegetation that will compete with the FA and duckweed.

Of course the most expensive way is to drain and clean.

Talipia is an awesome choice if you are in an area where they are legal. Convert the nasty to edible.

I stocked 10# of tilapias and they were doing a number on the FA. Now I dond see any at all around the pond. And no sign that they are here any longer. None come to the feeder that I can see.. Wonder what happened to them?

Yo Yoder, first welcome to the site. Second, I apologize for the rude folks that have already responded. Third, when I am the voice of manners, this site is in trouble. Forth, happy ta have another Hoosier. What part of the state are you located?

Yoderpianists, welcome to the forum. I have followed this thread along, but lacking any encouraging input, have avoided posting till now.

FA can be a bugger. I have way more experience with it than I would like but still no good answers. I like you used a chemical to control the algae, and it did the job. Then promptly came right back. So I let it run its natural course. And it eventually went away on its own.

Then I got a wonderful planktonic algae bloom that turned the water a nice shade of green with about 18-24" visibility. Which is almost exactly what I wanted for fish health and to keep light from reaching the bottom of the pond where FA originates. And it kept the FA at bay.

Then I got a blue-green algae nasty mess that looks and is worse than the FA. See this thread for blue-green algae fixed link Then it went away for a week or two and now it is back and the FA is back around the outside foot or two around the perimeter of the pond. Which I do not mind having a little FA around the edge. I have no pond weeds and a little FA around the edge provides good cover for minnows, tadpoles, etc. This is a farm pond in a farm pond setting (although out my back door) so the pond does not have to look pristine like maybe a person would want in an urban setting or next to a million dollar home. I'm ok with a little FA around the edge. Not everyone is.

So that is my story that I have not posted before because I didn't think I had any good advice or encouragement for you. But I did want to welcome you to the forum and let you know you are not the only one who has the problem and it is an ongoing problem with a lot of people affected and no perfect, cheap, easy answers.

Here is my thread on FA detailing my encounter with it and attempt to see lemonade where only lemons seemed to exist.

Anything positive about FA - fixed link

Wish I could be of more help. Ain't ponds fun???? At least they are "interesting".

What kind of depth does the pond have? Shallow water equates to sunlight penetration all the way to the bottom and more FA. Dyes will offer some relief, but the FA will probably still grow in the really shallow spots.

If no FA, they are probably going after detritus in the deepest parts of the pond. It may be possible water temperatures are a bit too warm for them to want pellets this time of year also.

So nutrients are the problem causing FA. You can get rid of nutrients with lots of plants to use up nutrients before algae gets to use them. But most people don't want a jungle pond of plants (weeds). You can kill FA with chemicals (copper) but in the long run that's not good as the metal settles in the pond soil. Tilapia is an answer but they die out in colder weather so you replace them each spring (expense). So what a fellow to do?

My one acre pond is old enough that I have morphed it into three different kinds of ponds.

This is the kind of pond that might work for you. This if for one acre. I used 18 grass carp to eat the submerged pond weeds that would orderly help control the submersed plants that control the FA. To control the FA I added 20 KOI and 6 Israeli Carp (hard to find but still around). These ate the FA and never have to be replaced unless of a kill off as I had. The downside is a somewhat less clear water because of the carp. I had large mouth bass that ate the carp young and in the end of a dozen years I never had any more carp then what I started with. This is that pond.