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HOW TO FIX GREEN WATER
(ALGAE) IN THE POND
'GREEN WATER' is
caused by a type of single celled free
floating algae. It is one of the most common problems that people have in their
pond and can sometimes be very difficult to control. By following the directions in our ALGAE INFO
sheet, you should be able to remedy this situation by creating biologically
balanced ecosystem.

However, sometimes this algae has a way
of continuously clouding a pond even though all the usual criteria for
maintaining clear
water are met. This could be from a number of things, such as a build up of organic
matter in the pond, a heavy fish load or even your water source.
Here are some ways you can help these situations.
Organic Matter
can be reduced by cleaning the detritus (debris) from the bottom of your pond
with a long handled net. This is usually done in the spring, and again in
the fall after the leaves have fallen from the trees. A new trend that is
becoming very popular with pond enthusiasts is to add a
POND SKIMMER
with a bottom drain. This eliminates the need to clean the bottom of your pond
because it does it automatically. It also makes filter and pump maintenance mush
easier. Another way to keep the organic matter is to use a bacterial
additive such as Microbe Lift. These beneficial bacteria help to 'seed' your
biofilter and also consume the 'sludge' at the bottom of the pond.
Heavy Fish Loads
contribute to green water because fish waste is broken down into nitrate
which is food for plants and algae. Even if you have a lot of plants in your
pond consuming the nitrates, if you have too many fish, there will be algae.
Reducing the number of fish you have will help to achieve a natural
balance.
Some Water
Sources,
municipal or well water, have high phosphates. Phosphates
also contribute to algae growth as it is one of the main nutrients that
plants require to grow. There are different of brands of phosphate removers on the
market, but in a medium to large pond they become quite expensive because they
need to be replaced frequently.
If you have tried almost everything without
success, don't fear, there is still one solution left, an Ultraviolet (UV) Light. We carry
many brands of UV Clarifiers that will suit your
pond. If all else fails, these are
sure to work. If you purchase a UV light that is suited to your size pond and
have the correct water flow passing through it, you will have clear water
within two weeks. Guaranteed!
BACK
TO POND
ADVICE
or
ALGAE
IN THE POND or CLEAR
WATER PLANTS or
FILTRATION
or FISH or
GREEN
WATER
or POND
DESIGN or POND
SALT or SPRING
CLEANING or GET READY FOR WINTER
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