Pond algae can be a persistent problem in many ponds both large and small.
One of the most commonly used methods of dealing with an algae bloom is to treat it with a chemical algaecide.
Most of these treatments, although not all of them, contain some form of copper in their formulation.
Copper is an effective toxin to algae, and has historically done a good job of killing it.
However in recent years, some algae has grown more resistant to copper, and to make matters worse, copper is also toxic to beneficial forms of bacteria.
This bacteria, which is found in all ponds, is really nature's way of helping to keep them cleaner.
They, along with enzymes, help to keep organic muck and sludge from forming at the pond bottom.
When organic material like leaves or grass clippings fall in a pond, it's the bacteria that eventually help to assimilate it.
Unless of course the bacteria has been diminished by ongoing chemical treatments.
In that case, the pond will generally fill in with organics, including dead algae, and all this begins to build up at the bottom.
With bacteria inhibited, various nutrients released by the decaying organics, and others coming in from run off, or fish waste, begin to build up in an unchecked fashion.
And this leads to a perfect setting to foster more algae growth at the surface.
So to summarize, when chemicals are used, and particularly those that contain copper, a treatment on algae my lead to a cleaner pond on the surface for a time.
But this approach generally takes a pond in a bad direction for the long term.
So what other options exist? In terms of natural treatments, or at least those that don't involve chemicals and can be considered eco-friendly, there are quite a few.
We'll address three of them in this article.
All three approaches can be combined to form a very powerful way to keep algae at bay in your pond.
Pond Aeration is the first thing we often suggest to help with the overall health and appearance of the pond.
Aeration involves using a land based compressor that will pump air through a line, and to a diffuser which sits at the bottom of the pond.
Aeration kits come in many forms but they are are designed to help increase and maintain good dissolved oxygen levels in the water.
Aeration alone may not stop or reduce an existing algae bloom, but what it does do very well is increase the vitality and effectiveness of any beneficial bacteria that may be present in the pond.
Most of these bacteria are aerobic, meaning they require and use oxygen in their work, and the more oxygen the better they'll do their job.
Many ponds may have a low or inhibited level of bacteria in them, and as was mentioned earlier, if chemical treatments are used, in many cases, a pond may not have much active bacteria working in it at all.
If bacteria is present however, then aeration alone may help improve the appearance of the pond.
If bacteria counts are low, the next step would be to supplement or add bacteria into the pond and help to build this density up.
There are many forms of bacteria on the market and they may come in powder or liquid form, and they may vary in their concentrations and mixtures, but in general they are all designed to work in the same way.
They will first, help to lower nutrients in the water column which may feed and support algae.
Secondly, they will begin to help degrade or speed up the breakdown of much and sludge at the bottom of the pond.
Anything organic that's down there should eventually be reduced.
And third, most bacteria, if given a chance, will try to grow and colonize, and that's a good thing when that happens.
Once bacteria is re-established, and supported by aeration, it can then simply be left to do it's job and work to keep the pond clean.
A pond owner can then rely on aeration alone to keep all of this working well.
It should be noted that all ponds are different in how they respond to treatments, and how much and how long the bacterial supplementation may need to run.
The third tool we may use in algae control involves the use of ultrasound.
Ultrasonic algae control is a fairly new technology in ponds, but it showing very good control capability of certain types of algae that may prove to be problematic.
In simple terms, the sonic systems send sound waves through the water that are designed and calibrated to vibrate any algae cells that they come in contact with.
It's through these vibrations that the algae eventually becomes damaged and dies.
Ultrasound should be thought of as a direct means of controlling algae and can be brought in to assist aeration and bacteria when challenging situations exist.
While each of the three options can work alone and independently, they can also be combined to form a very good anti-algae protocol.
They don't conflict or hinder one another, and in fact, both aeration and ultrasound help to stimulate the bacteria to work more efficiently.
Ultimately, these, as well as a number of other options exist to effectively replace most chemical algae treatments, or at least minimize the need to use chemicals in your pond.
To learn about more options that exist for effective algae control in ponds please visit us at http://www.
pondalgaecontrol.
com