Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Algae identification

We had our pond (about half an acre) dug about two years ago and it has finally filled up. It does have aeration. This spring we added blue gill, bass, and minnows. We had a number of blue gills die. We have this floating algae I’m hoping someone can help us identify. Sometimes it looks like it’s spread out like in the one picture. Now, it’s in chunks like the other pictures.

The dog loves the pond and we want to swim in it but I want to make sure it’s safe.

Thanks for helping us pond newbies!

That algae in the 1st 3 pics looks like a great opportunity to be dipped out. Those now bound up nutrients that made it grow could be removed from the pond by removing the algae. Look for a smelt dipping net with 1/4" or 3/8" net mesh as a best tool for this task. The other brown film algae I would try spreading Green Clean Pro or Phycomycin on the film. That should break down and dissipate the brownish organic based film.

Thanks Bill. Looks like we have a bunch on the bottom that gets kicked up when disturbed. Our neighbor recommended a beneficial bacteria—that is what he uses for his so we will look into that.

Using beneficial bacteria has very variable results. Don't expect the same results in different ponds due to many different variable conditions in each pond. The same medicine does not work the same on every patient. Each one is different.