Does the water in your pond look green? Cloudy green water like pea soup? We call it suspended algae or microbial algae. To tackle this issue, you’ve for to make sure you are doing several things:
Run the pump continually. Some people just run it now and then when they are going to go look at it. This isn’t enough. A pond needs circulation and oxygenation all of the time.
Fish food abundance? Is fish food either sinking or getting stuck in the skimmer? Fish should be able to eat all the food your give them in roughly 3 minutes without it going into the skimmer. Food left int he pond will cause algae.
Does the pond have plants? A pond without plants is a is like Adam and Eve without the fig leaves (just not the same!) Plants are natural filtration. They absorb nutrients that is feeding algae. Not to mention that they make the whole pond gorgeous. The pond needs a variety of plants. Lilies will help shade the pond so it doesn’t get as hot as it could. Read more about plants HERE.
What about beneficial bacteria? It’s not hard to add. Learn more about how much to add, when to add it and what kind to add – Read THIS.
Fine filter pads and flocculant. You can use flocculant (according to the directions on the bottle). It will cause organic material (suspended algae) to clump. If you put in a fine filter pad it will catch it so you can remove it. However, a fine filter pad can clog easily. We put on a timer to make sure we go hose it out and put it back in for a while. We do not just leave it in all the time. This does help but other things need to be done at the same time to balance the ecosystem.
You say you have algae fighting equipment?
Certain equipment fights off certain algae. For instance, you may have a IonGen, but did you know that it only helps with string algae? It does.
A skimmer is great for filtering out large materia’ and protecting the pump. It’s good for circulation too. But if there is an outbreak of pea soup looking algae, it won’t help.
It is the UV light that actually works on suspended algae. It is important to work on the whole ecosystem balance before trying the UV light. Not every pond needs one. However, if you do have one….
A few things to know about a UV light
UV lights need to be brought inside for the winter.
-The pressure filter. It might be found inside your pressure filter. The whole filter doesn’t need to come in, just the light.
-They can not be touched with bare hands. Skin oils cause it to wear down more quickly.
-Not all the water should be passing through the pipe where the UV is located. The light kills suspended algae but it also kills beneficial bacteria.
-UV lights must be replaced. Sometimes they last a couple years, but often need to be replaced every year.
If you would like your pond evaluated to see what parts may be missing from a balanced ecosystem pond, just give us a call!