UV Pond Sterilizers And Pond UV Clarifiers Best For Green Free Pond Water

How Can I prevent My Pond Water Turning Green?

If you own a garden pond then I am willing to bet that you have struggled with green pond algae from time to time! Have you ever noticed that it is far worse in summer than in winter? Green pond algae is the scourge of pond keepers throughout the world. There are several treatments available to pond keepers, but only a UV sterilizer will control suspended floating algae on an ongoing basis.

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There are several types of algae, found in a garden pond, including suspended algae and string algae, of which blanket weed is a common variety. This article is concerned with suspended algae and its effective of pond water.

In warm weather and in particularly heavily populated ponds you will often see algae blooms, that turn the once clear pond water into what resembles a bowl of pea green soup, hence the name pea soup algae.

What Is An Algae Bloom?

An algae bloom is caused by the rapid reproduction of plank tonic algae when there is a lot of sunshine and nutrients in the pond water. Nutrients, in the form of Nitrates are readily available as a by product of the Nitrogen Cycle, taking place in your biological pond filter. The disadvantage of an algae bloom is that the algae die off and start to decompose on the pond floor. This significant increase in the level of rotting organic matter is bad for your pond as it increases the level of ammonia and reduces the level of oxygen. Oxygen is used up as part of the decaying process. The end result is an increase in carbon dioxide. The decrease of oxygen levels and the increase in carbon dioxide is detrimental to the health of your pond in the following ways ...

  • Remember that oxygen is critical for the nitrifying bacteria that breakdown ammonia. It is also essential for pond fish and other aquatic life, such as frogs, toads and snails.

  • As carbon dioxide and nutrients are released back into the pond by the decaying process it starts the cycle all over again. Algae are microscopic plant life that like their larger cousins use up carbon dioxide in a process known as photosynthesis. As algae uses up the available carbon dioxide (CO2) it increases the pond pH. This has an adverse effect on the balanced equilibrium between ammonia and ammonium in pond water. As the pH increases the level of ammonia increases and the level of ammonium decreases. This is a bad state of affairs. Click avoid fish fatalities by controlling ammonia levels for further information.

How Does A UV Sterilizer Prevent Pea Soup Algae?

The most effective way to control pond algae is to use a UV sterilizer or UV clarifier. The power of blue ultraviolet light that is generated at a particular wavelength is a miracle for pond keepers. UV light occurs naturally in nature and is one of the reasons we get sunburned on holiday.

The effectiveness of a UV sterilizer is affected by temperature to a large extent. At 40 C (104 F) it works at maximum efficiency. A drop in temperature to 20 C (68 F) results in a drop in efficiency to only 50%. Manufacturers of UV sterilizers get around this rapid drop in efficiency by insulating the UV lamp with a quartz sleeve. UV light transmits through the quartz, so the maximum efficiency is maintained.

How Does A Pond UV Work In A Fish Pond?

As pond water containing the floating algae passes through the quartz tube it is bombarded with ultra violet rays, either directly or via highly reflective metal surfaces. The UV rays destroy the cell walls of the algae, causing what is known as flocculation to occur (the dead algae clump together forming a much large mass). This makes removal by a pond filter or pond skimmer possible. Prior to clumping a single suspended algae cell measures about 4 microns across (4 millionths of a meter).

Other Methods Used To Control Suspended Pond Algae

  • Pond Algaecides are not in my opinion a good idea for the following reasons: they need to be administered in precise doses; too much can harm nitrifying bacteria colonies and the health of pond fish. They only work for a short period of time. In the long term they will prove to be more costly than buying a UV clarifier in the first place.
  • Veggie filters consist of pond plants that are deliberately starved of nutrients. The aquatic plants get their food source from the nitrates in the pond water. They compete with algae for these nutrients and as a result help to keep the pond algae under control. They do not guarantee algae free ponds however.
  • Maintain a clean pond environment removing decaying leaves and other organic matter. This helps to reduce the level of available nutrients in the pond water.
  • Feed your fish less at each sitting, as uneaten food will fall to the pond floor and rot. This increases the levels of ammonia and carbon dioxide, which has discussed earlier in this article encourages algae blooms to develop.

What Is The Difference Between A UV Sterilizer And A UV Clarifier?

The term is often used by many suppliers to mean the same thing. This is however wrong, as there are some major differences.

  • A UV sterilizer, as the name suggests sterilizes the pond water, ridding it of parasitic pathogens and other water borne bacteria in addition to destroying plank tonic algae. These large units are generally used in large Koi ponds where the opportunity for polluted water is high.
  • A UV clarifier destroys algae cells by breaking down the cell walls, causing the algal cells to flocculate (clump together), making them easier to remove by your biofilter. The major difference is that a UV clarifier does not sterilize pond water.

What Is The Best Method To Control Pea Soup Algae?

The only guaranteed way of controlling green pond algae is to use a UV sterilizer or UV clarifier. UV models are available as stand alone models or incorporated into a UV pond filter ... see below for available methods.

Pond UV Clarifiers For Small To Medium Ponds

The model shown is the Cal Pump 9 Watt UV clarifier. UV clarification of water is critical to the overall eco balance and health of the pond environment. Many of the products listed on this site are UL Listed for consumer confidence.

Some of the leading models are the Aqua Ultraviolet models, Cal Pump UV range, the Hozelock Cyprio Vorton, the Laguna Power Clear, the Matala Biosteps, the Oase Bitron, the Pondmaster UV range and and Tetra Pond Green Free range ... Click here to see the Best Pond UV Clarifiers reviewed on this site.

Pond UV Sterilizers For Koi Ponds

The model shown is the GC Tek Zapp Pure ZP-5 UV sterilizer. A pond UV sterilizer kills harmful bacteria, algae, and other waterborne microorganisms by reducing their numbers. These powerful units have been designed to work alongside modern high flow biofilters and low amp pond pumps to produce high wattage destruction power.

Some of the leading models are the Aqua Ultraviolet range, Emperor Aquatics Smart UV sterilizers, Delta UV sanitizers and the GC Tek Zapp Pure range ... Click here to see a review of the Best Pond UV Sterilizers reviewed on this site.

Gravity Discharge Pond UV Filters

The model shown is the Fishmate Compact Pond Filter + UV with Supra pond filter media. Many modern pond filters incorporate a UV into their design. This means that you have the money saving advantage of biological pond filtration and UV clarification from a single piece of pond keeping equipment.

Another advantage of a combined UV pond filter is that the filter and UV have been designed to work together. You do not have to worry about incompatibility issues ... Click here to see a review of the Best Gravity Discharge Filters + UV reviewed on this site.

Pressurized Pond UV Filters

The model shown is the Fishmate Powerclenz UV Biofilter with Supra pond filter media. Pressurized biofilters are the number one pond filter choice for small to medium sized fish ponds. They are installed in-line between your pump and waterfall, making them easy to hide and maintain.

Pressurized pond bio filters are easily hidden from view, under ground up to the lid  ... Click here to see a review of the Best Pressurized Pond UV Filters reviewed on this site.

Please note that a UV sterilizer or UV clarifier is 100% safe for all aquatic pond life and will only destroy suspended algae cells. It will not destroy filamentous string algae, sometimes referred to as blanket weed or hair algae.

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