Pond algae and green and murky pond water how to avoid it
There is only one way to permanently solve your pond algae problem that causes green murky water especially in summer when weather is warmer and sunlight intensity greater.....
Algae in Ponds ... Algae are plants. Algae therefore need food and oxygen and sunlight to grow and survive. Like most of us the more food, the more oxygen and the more sunlight the better and bigger the algae grow. In the right conditions the algae grow at an explosive rate - 30 times per hour!! This is why a swimming pool can be perfect one day and the next day it is totally green. You say how to yourself how can this be this possible? - Now you know why.Not all algae are green and not all algae are minute in size and nor do they all remain suspended in water giving that pea-soup appearance. Some algae join together as a long straight line and create long slimy stands yet the water remains perfectly clear (blanketweed). Other algae grow to about 1 to 2 cm in length and stick to pond surfaces, waterfalls or rocks etc.
The trouble caused by algae in ponds can range from one of inconvenience to downright deadly.
Algae can create bright green totally opaque pond water caused by millions of algae cells congregating towards the surface of the pond. This condition is often referred to pea-soup water.
Algae grow inside pipes and block the pipes. This has been the cause of ponds being pumped dry. If the blockage occurs on the outlet from the gravity flow filter then the pump will continue to pump into the filter and overflow from the lid. It is therefore a good idea to always position a filter in such a way any overflow finds it way back into the pond.
Algae blooms in prolonged periods of hot weather can result in significant fish mortalities as a direct result of extracting all the dissolved oxygen from the water.
We will talk about these 3 general types.
It is not necessary to give the Latin names and species. What is important is the practical understanding of the situations you will encounter.
By way of general background it is important to realise that algae thrive on sunlight, warm weather and high nutrient levels in water. So if you have a problem it will possibly disappear in winter and be extremely concerning and annoying in mid summer. Algae problems have been getting worse over the years as a result of more nutrients (fertilisers for the algae, which are plants remember) finding their way into waterways and natural water supplies.
Picture by courtesy of emperoraquatics.com
Because of the need for sunlight algae will tend to congregate at the surface as much as possible this is why blanketweed forms dense floating mats.
Take a look at this picture showing a massive growth of blanketweed in a canal adjacent to agricultural fields probably the source of lots of nutrients through rainwater run-off
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"The Complete Pond Solver" by Tony Roocroft
2005 Edition. Essential reading for anybody who wants or has a garden pond. Get 12 Excel pond calculators free as well as "Water Lilies and Pond Aquatics" ebook also free
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