Does a pond with saturated oxygen level cause string algae to bloom?

[koibito]

Hi guys,

I have a liner pond for about a year now. The pond is very clear. However, started about a month ago, there are lots of string algae grow on the side of the pond. Does this mean that my water quality is good or what? What should I do with algae? Should I scrap them off from the sides of the pond or should I try a slow down the pump?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

anotherkoiguy, AKG

[adreamer2]

Welcome to the board...


I am not partial to string algae, I think it's some nasty stuff

[dinh]

The exactly causes of string alage is still debatable. String algae is a sign of organic nutrient in your water. You can physically take it off as much as possible. My pond had string algae few years back during hot summer and I used UV light and it helped to mininize it.

Welcome to the Koibito forum Koibito..... gotta like your screen name...

--Dinh

[PapaBear]

Have you tested your water for nitrates? String algae needs food and sunshine and nitrates are on its menu every day.

[RayJordan]

Excessive string algae can stop up filtration and casue pumps to burn up or filter to overflow. Think of string algae like undesible weeds in the lawn. You want to encourage the shorter more beneficial algae growth to "Choke Out" the longer filamentous algae growth.


String algae needs nutrient rich water and sunlight. Best approach is to reduce nutrients in water and improve water quality. Some methods to accomplish this are to feed less, reduce fish load if overstocked, increase water quality, increase aeration, and increase filtration. Trickle Towers or Shower filters can be a good solution to string algae.

Do not use algacides to control algae. The copous amount of dead algae that results makes the situation worse and does not affect basic causes.

[dick benbow]

welcome to the board. Some good advice here will add a few thoughts to fill in.

Over Oxygenation is not inducing your condition tho I bet you worded it that way because you notice string algea likes to establish itself in waterfalls and returns where it is present.

if your water does not have phospates in it (can come also from the food)
you can start a 24/7 trickle of water exchange (be sure and deal with any chlorine prior ) Many times the water is simply old and things build up with each revolution
time period. By renewing and replacing tired nutrient rich water, you'll soon find out if that will help.

in the good old days, the word salt was often used as something to "try" (LOL)

While it will retard the growth think of it like a band-aide over an infected wound. You don't notice the problem as bad but by not dealing with the cause your results will not be effective. Same situation with shade cloth.

please feel free to follow up with anything you don't understand. Everyone of us started where you did so there is no embarrasment for not knowing....just for not asking!

[junglegeorge12]

I dont think oxygen is the problem. Invest in a prefilter to reduce your tds and do something to reduce nitrates and nitrites. A bakki shower is the method I prefer.

[68bruin]

My observations with string algae run counter to some of the statements made so far.

I have two ponds. One has a fountain with water splashing over lava rock similar to a "trickle tower" and gets mostly full sun. The other smaller one has three pumps in the pond, and gets mostly shade. I also have a fountain with no fish and no sun all day. This is what I have observed over a 4-year period:

#1 - No string algae in the bigger full sun pond EXCEPT in the "trickle tower" fountain. Lots of string algae in the shadier small pond, especially around the areas of water movement (more oxygen) - the pumps and water returns. Also, inside the filters that have no light! The shadier side of the smallpond has the most string algae.

#2 - The fountain with no fish and total shade has the most string algae by far.

#3 - The only time I had no string algae to speak of in the small pond was the year I maintained .1 to .3% salt in the pond. Other than that, the amount of string algae has varied from year to year during the fall temperature drop and the spring warm up (these are the times when string algae is the most prolific, at least in my climate in so.cal., keyword being CLIMATE)

I don't think you can make many definite conclusions about eliminating string algae because of all the variables that influence its growth from year to year. It seems like its ever-changing and adapting, and what seems like it worked one year, may not be as effective the next.

This is what I have experienced in MY AREA.

[junglegeorge12]

68bruin

where in cali is northridge? and what is your filtration for each pond, tds, nitrate levels, and water parameters?

[68bruin]

Northridge, famous for a huge destructive earthquake in 1994, is in the San Fernando Valley in southern CA.

Small fountain - no filtration, don't know water parameters, ph 7.6

Small pond 700 gal , 12koi to 22" , 8 goldfish - had pond for 8years
0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate (not measured since Oct but fish
feeding is much less now), don't have recent KH

Larger pond 4000 gal, 30 koi to 26", most above 16" - pond is 3 1/2 years old
0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate (oct meas.), don't have recent KH