What is pond algae?
Pond algae is one of the biggest and ickiest problems you can face in your backyard pond. The microscopic plant life loves to live in stagnant water and oftentimes is what gives still ponds that slimy, green, slick coating. There are several different types of pond algae to worry about, from the kind that float free in the water, to the stringy versions, to the plankton variety.
How do you get rid of pond algae?
Enough about what it is. What exactly can be done to get rid of pond algae? To know how to get rid of this alien-like life form, you need to know why pond algae is attracted to your pond. For starters, any pond with a lot of sunlight is a surefire hotspot for pond algae. If your pond water contains a lot of chemicals called nitrates and phosphates, expect a visit from the green slime too.
Other reasons that the pond algae will start include a climate with really hot and muggy weather, or if you don’t do a good enough job of circulating the water. Add to the list refuse buildup in your pond. In other words, if leaves typically fall off trees and other brush into your pond, they can lead to pond algae growth.
What else? Experts also suggest that you can expect pond algae growth if you don’t have other types of healthy plants in your water pond. If you don’t, something else will grow to use up the nutrients. And last but not least, if you’ve built your pond with limestone, concrete, or marble stones, they will contribute to giving your pond a higher pH level, which pond algae likes.
Try to avoid it from the start
It makes sense then, that if you avoid a lot of the above factors, right there you’ve taken a big step to avoiding growth of pond algae. This includes filling your pond with aquatic plants that will soak up nutrients before pond algae can get at them. Or designing the pond from the get-go so that it’s out of direct sunlight and away from trees or other landscape that could drop debris into the pond. Of course, debris is likely to get into your pond anyway, so it’s crucial to clean it out and not let it sit there too long.
If you want to use chemical and other “high-tech” attack measures, try special chemicals designed to kill pond algae, called algaecides. You can also buy ultraviolet sterilizers that destroy some types of pond algae, but not all.
The most environmentally friendly way to get rid of pond algae is to make sure the water is always moving. Otherwise the pond water becomes stagnant.
So you can either install a pump which introduces airflow and circulation into the water, which will help prevent the formation of algae. Or you can buy algae tablets from your local garden center or pond supplier. Algae tablets slowly release a NON TOXIC chemical that dissolves the algae. They last for quite a while and do not harm aquatic life.
Overall, the key is to prevent the growth of the green slime of pond algae in the first place. Once pond algae does infest your pond, it is a mess to clean up.