Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations problems with algae?

I have a small pond, about .25 acres. Its hot as hell here in south la. and we aren't getting much rain. This is the first time I notice the large amount of algae. Theres alot of it sitting on the bottom and in the shallow areas. What can I do to fix this? I dont have aerator nor have I added any kind of chemicals in it. The fish are growing fine as of yet. I have no type of vegetaion in the pond, just a couple of cypress planted on the edeges.
Thanks for the help!!

jixxxer,

I have a little experience with algae in small ponds in the deep south...probably just enough experience to be dangerous.

First, let me say that for some reason which I don't entirely understand, algae thrives during long dry spells. If you get a good rain you will see it pretty much disappear. This is a dry year for most of us, and hence a bad year for algae.

Next, other than look terrible, messing up fishing and feeling like something you don't like, it really doesn't hurt the fish, as far as I can tell...nonetheless, most of us don't like it or want it around.

The stuff you see on the bottom will soon float to the top forming disgusting mats, which we really don't like.

The best chemical treatment I have found is Cutrin plus. It comes in both a granular and liquid form. Both work, with the liquid best for surface treatments and the granular for the bottom areas. Ihis time of year, be especially cautious, about using any chemical in your pond, especially a pond without aeration. A fish kill is only a spray too much or a handful of too much chemical away.

Organic methods have been disgussed herein such as barley straw and cottonseed meal. Do a search to find these treatments.

My personal control method of choice is to stock Tilapia as early in the spring as temps allow. Once they catch up with the algae and get ahead of it, they can completely control it. My experience with them has been tremendous, some others have not been as pleased with their algae eating ability but I have heard no one say they weren't good for their ponds. I have 4 ponds with Tilapia, not one of them has any visible algae and with this kind of dry year, they would normally be covered in thick mats of the stuff.

Its getting late in the season to try Tilapia, even if you could find any to stock...but consider them for next year. When the algae first appears in late Feb., spray it once and again if it re-appears. Then, when temps warm, stock a few pounds of Tilapia and say goodbye to algae until the following year.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Just my 2 cents. I am from the north and cannot find any way to stock tilpia. I have experimented with barley straw though. I found a local flea market in my area where a man was selling barley straw. I purchased 18- 9lb mini bales at $1.25 each. I used them in a freinds small pond that was always algea heavy. Its worked great so far (4 months). I am not sure if the srtaw is still releasing anything now but so far it has worked great. I would suggest searching local trading post type papers for sellers if this would be a route you would try to take. From what I have heard though tilpia is the way to go. I wish I had access to them here then. I would use them for the few months they would live here.

A.homeIN - What affect did the barley straw seem to have on the phytoplankton in your friends pond? Did the water become clear or more clear?

Bill,

The effect I noticed was the absents of the filamentas algea and heavy algea growth that normally plagued the pond. There was still a good algea bloom through the summer with average of 24" visability compared the the previous "pea soup". I believe if I were to try it again I would back off a few pounds to try to keep a better plankton bloom.

I have 18 bags (9 lb each) in my pond of 1 acre. I only have them placed at one end of my pond where the wind pushes everything. I do have algea in the end without the straw, but it is absent at the end with the barley straw placed in 3 ft of water and every 6 feet. I did this at my pond because I had VERY heavy duckweed growth that I had treated with sonar and I knew that something had to take up the nutrients when the duckweed was gone. The sonar eliminated nearly all types of plant growth I had in my pond which I had not expected. So I prepared for the worst. I would say (in my opinion)for a larger pond it would take quite a bit of barley straw to treat the algea. My pond is very fertile by nature and neighbors septic leach bed i believe that is only 100 feet up the hill from me. As you probably know by now from my post I am not an expert but I experiment with just about everything I can to learn cheaper and more economical ways to do things. I manage several ponds by the book for freinds and a few I get to experiment with. All my ponds are free of labor charges by me as they give me the opportunity to learn the trade.