Picture of chara, an erected form of algae.
Q: I have been treating for Algae/Chara about every two months throughout the summer although with fall approaching (and cooler temperatures) should I still be treating it or should I wait until spring? – Paul of Michigan
A: In general we suggest that you wait until water temperatures are above 50°F: Although the real answer is that you can treat Algae/Chara anytime it is actively growing. In most cases (in the Midwest) you can start treating algae as early as March or April and continue treatment through the month of October.
Treating for Algae/Chara: Chara, although it looks like a plant is actually just an erect from of Algae.
When treating for Chara and/or floating algae always take in to consideration the following:
- Benefits of Chara: Chara unlike planktonic and floating algae is not always an eyesore and can benefit your pond in many ways such as: naturally filtering the water, providing fish habitat, and preventing more aggressive plant grow. Chara can be selectively treated in swimming and fishing areas in larger bodies of water.
- Treatment Area: Only treat 1/3 of your pond at a time, waiting 7-10 days between treatments to minimize oxygen depletion caused by rotting vegetation.
- What Product Works Best: In almost every case we would suggest using liquid Algae Defense due to its cost and effectiveness. Although if your pond contains Trout, Koi or Goldfish you must test for hardness before any treatments. If the water hardness is not above 50ppm then Hydrothol 191 should be used to reduce the chance of a fish kill.
- The Best Time of Day For Treatment: Treat early on a calm sunny day; this will give you optimal conditions for your treatments to work.
Preventive Tips:
- Removing and/or raking dead Algae and Chara after a treatment (wait 5-7 days) can help prevent it from coming back in the future by removing excess nutrients.
- Always consider a proactive solution over a reactive one when possible consider aeration, natural bacteria and other alternatives for a long-term solution to your problems.
Filed under: Algae Control, Chara (Algae), Pond & Lake Tagged: | algae, can i treat my pond is cooler temperatures, chara, getting rid of chara, how to kill algae, how to kill chara, killing algae, killing chara
Great advice. In the past I have had a lot of trouble keeping algae out of my pond. I have tried all sorts of things, but there are some good ideas I will have to try. Thanks for the help!