Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Product sources Barley Straw

Hello everyone,
My name is Doug Russell, I am 17 years old and I go to Eastwood High School in Pemberville, Ohio. I am actively involved in the FFA and for my project I have planted and baled barley straw. My family has a backyard pond and for the past two years we have placed barley straw in it to control the algae. We have definitely had success with it. I have also sold barley straw to many people in my area to control the algae their ponds. I would like to talk to anyone who would be interested in trying this. Please remember, barley straw only PREVENTS new algae from growing, it does not kill present algae. Also, this is not a guaranteed practice but the success rate is very high.
I have a website, http://www.geocities.com/dougsbarleystraw/Barley.html
please check it out.
Thank you everyone,

Doug Russell

Have there been any studies on which species of algae are controled or NOT controled by barley straw?. How come some get no algae control when using b.straw as instructed?. What happens when one develops a strain of algae in their pond that is not affected by the leachate of barley straw?.

Mr. Cody,
I am by no means an expert on how barley straw works and what kind of algae it prevents from growing. My family had a very hard time getting a hold of barley straw so my father thought it would a good project for me to pursue. I am simply providing the barley straw as cheap as I can for anyone who wants to give it a try. I know some of the outrageous prices there are out there and I think that I am very reasonable.
Like I said, I am by no means, guaranteeing that barley straw will work for every pond. I would just like to talk to anyone interested in trying it.
So, back to your questions, I do not know the answers to these. I have done alot of research but most sources say that barley straw is still a sketchy practice. I agree on this. Some say it works and others say it doesn't. My experience in my pond is that it does work well.
Thank you,
Doug Russell

Mr. Cody,
I am by no means an expert on how barley straw works and what kind of algae it prevents from growing. My family had a very hard time getting a hold of barley straw so my father thought it would a good project for me to pursue. I am simply providing the barley straw as cheap as I can for anyone who wants to give it a try. I know some of the outrageous prices there are out there and I think that I am very reasonable.
Like I said, I am by no means, guaranteeing that barley straw will work for every pond. I would just like to talk to anyone interested in trying it.
So, back to your questions, I do not know the answers to these. I have done alot of research but most sources say that barley straw is still a sketchy practice. I agree on this. Some say it works and others say it doesn't. My experience in my pond is that it does work well.
Thank you,
Doug Russell

Bill,

Now be nice! I'm the one that sent him here. He does have a point that the prices out there are outrageous. Have you priced it?

I say the if someone wants to try it at a reasonable price so be it. I'd like several to see seversl try it, and and let us know what they think. In fact, if a guy has several ponds and could get it reasonably it would be an interesting research project.

I know one fish farmer that swears by it.

How do you figure I wasn't nice? All I did was ask some basic questions? The same questions that every conciencious pondowner should also be asking or at least thinking about. What is wrong with these questions? I did not say that b.straw did not work or that barley straw was no good or that you should not use it.

Mr. Russell said in his general promotional statement "prevents new algae from growing". There are over 800 genera of algae. Green algae (Chlorophyta) has approx. 15,000 species and the diatom taxa may easily exceed 7500 taxa in NA. Lots & lots of species of algae. Does his 'algae' include all or just a few? He states "success rate is very high".

Since you have me on the topic and 'got me going', I will ask another couple of questions.

What is the impact or affect of the leachate from barley straw on the production of zooplankton and the phytoplankton which are very important parts of the fish food chain? Most all of us here are interested in the fish food chain. Is b.straw good for fish raising ponds or not? Does it hinder or help a bloom? Some of us want a bloom some of us don't. I think all of us want zooplankton present to feed our fish. Does barley straw come with a set of detailed instructions for use and what types of "algae" is it effective in preventing? Does it harm zooplankton? Most algae/weed control products come with some sort of extensive background testing that have tested the product's affects or impacts upon targeted and nontargeted organisms in various pond ecosystems under various conditions.

I feel if someone is going to sell and promote a pond additive or product they should be a little knowledgable, be aware of, or at least have a little information about its affects on the pond ecosystem. Otherwise it's like buying drugs/medicine 'off the street'. Are they going to hurt me or not? Take a chance and test it yourself. Is the seller liable for any damage it may cause?

My questions were as much for everyone who was thinking using it not only Mr. Russell. One should think about the affects a product will have on all the life forms in the pond before putting something into the pond or treating the pond with a chemical espically an untested or unlicensed chemical. This is especially important for unlicensed products. Licensing/registration insures the tests have been done to meet some sort of standards.

I am not aware if barley straw has been fully scientifically researched or environmentally tested in the pond ecosystem. At least I do not know about the results or if they have been published. If the results have been tested and published then Mr. Russell or someone else may be able to answer some of my basic questions. I am asking questions to try and learn. That is how I learn some of my knowledge.

If Mr. Russell did not know a lot of details about his product he should not have said 'it prevents algae' and 'many people in my area use it to control algae', "the success rate is very high". He talks about success of controlling algae in his pond. What type or species of algae were they? One type or many types of algae? Do I have, the same type of algae in my pond, that he had in his pond? He maybe he should have included his second post with the first post (Apr 11, w/ Apr 10). Or He should have maybe just said, I have barley straw for sale and at a reasonable price; come and get it or I can mail it to you. Then let us figure out at our own risk what to do with it.
Tell me how I've been not nice? Better me asking questions of him than someone from the EPA, FDA, USDA, some other agency, or a lawyer representing a lawsuit or a judge. "Two more". What impact does the straw leachate and/or byproducts have on ponds used for drinking water and maybe infants or dairy cattle who drink the water? Does any of the leachate OR degradation or recombination products enter dairy milk via the cow drinking pondwater? A lot of people in NW OH use pond water as potable water. Some of the allowable limits in potable water are pretty low for common products. OH EPA only allows 10mg/l nitrates in drinking water.

Cecil you want me to "be nice" by ignoring all the above questions. My scientific education and environmental experience will not let me do that.

Bill -- your question about scientific studies gave me an idea. I looked for citations on "barley straw" in one of our available search programs (Fish and Fisheries Worldwide). It only came up with two references. I've posted them below, and neither one really looks like it will have much of interest?? Perhaps that Aquaculture paper might have some literature review?? I certainly have no experience with any of this.

ANON
Control of algae with straw Part I. Koi
SA: South African Koi Keepers Society Newsletter, Issue No.117, pp. 1-4; 1999

COOPER, J.A.; PILLINGER, J.M.; RIDGE, I.
Barley straw inhibits growth of some aquatic saprolegniaceous fungi. Aquaculture, Vol.156(1,2), pp. 157-163; 1997

Dave

Dave thanks for the Post, it gives me another chance to elaborate.

To my knowledge very little serious research has been done or at least published on barley straw. I think a few institutions are currently doing some casual research with bs. Just a lot of generalizations published so far. Few to no peer reviewed studies have been conducted or published so far, probably because there is no "big money" behind it, driving a market. Lack of good published info was verified by Dr.Willis' search. Dave as you know it takes some serious, highly technical research which is not cheap to produce the kind of information I was asking about.

BS 'probably' (emphasis on maybe) is pretty benign as far as overall ecosystem impact goes. BUT this also depends a lot on conditions, inter-intra-reactive chemistries & dosages. BS and the by-products have to have some overall impact because at times it can decimate the primary productivity. It does not seem to provide dependable results from one pond to the next which I think goes back to species diversity and natural variability. Dosage variability and timing also no doubt play a big part. Each pond can have a unique species causing the overpopulation or "problem". Way too many people lump all "algae" into to one specie or type. As with most all living things variations naturally occur among species in susceptibility or tolerance to any given product.

Doug (DR) was making some "sweeping" statements about "algae" and many readers could easily be misled. It is one thing the sell a product locally among nieve neighbors. It is a whole different type of ballgame (hardball) to go world-wide (internet) and expose oneself to ALL predators. I was trying to 'gently' show him some of the types of attacks/fouls that could occur in playing "hardball". CB thought I was being mean. But what DR is now doing, is like putting a jr-hi student into a college or pro ballgame. Not everyone is nice, even to kids, in the real world. In the real world, some kids get killed for no reason or for a pair of shoes. I'd hate to see him 'go down in flames' which could easily happen if he is not careful.

You have a very good point. This is the big time, and we should all be as proffesional and reliable as possible. We are moraly responsable, if not legaly, for the advice we give so freely. That being said, I will no longer be able to give advice, because I don't know shit (never having owned a pond).
I'm still going share what I THINK, but it is no longer called advice. Thank you.