Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants controlling a small pond with chlorine

I have a very small pond maybe 1/6 acre anyways its 25 yrs old, we had it put in, I do have some fish in it but have always tried keeping the pond as clean as possible for swimming, over the years I dealt with Bill Cody on many algae and other problems, it just seems every year hear comes the algae bloom and then put 1 gal of cutrine in to kill and then yes everything dies and then becomes a nutrient just for the cycle to start over again, anyways with talking with Bill years ago even tried Peroxide to kill the algae and it worked but just for it to all come back eventually, So question is, Could I net most of my fish out and then start using chlorine just as a person would with a pool? Any thoughts? Good idea or bad idea?

Repetitively and regularly adding chlorine to the small pond could cause ecological problems within the pond ecosystem. Adding chlorine in natural waters creates trihalomethanes plus likely other unwanted chemicals; some of them could be bioaccumulative. Research them. IMO do not do it very rarely if ever. You are much better off adding a few tilapia (2 lbs6-10 fish) each year to non chemically consume the algae and create a catchable and edible product at years end. Tilapia should work very well for your situation.

Good question, and although I hate this answer, "it depends". Chlorine is unstable in water so with adequate circulation, it would dissipate into the atmosphere, eventually.

It would definitely inflict some damage before. One, it would disrupt the nitrogen cycle, which wouldn't make your pond all that attractive to swim in for weeks, maybe months, possibly longer, I don't know? Depends on how much volume in your pond and how much chlorine and 2,758 other variables.

Your best recourse is to identify the source of your nutrients for the algae bloom. How is all the phosphorous, nitrogen, iron, zinc and manganese getting into your pond to cause the algae blooms? Identify the problem first, then, and only then, can you solve it.