Comments on: Algae Growth During the Winter – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week Ending November 8th

By: thepondguy

thepondguy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:47:07 +0000

Hi CJ,

Algae, like water lilies, takes nutrients from the water. There are fewer nutrients available for the plants when algae is also taking nutrients for their own food source. Also, algae will act as a sun block on the pond, depriving the lilies of necessary sunlight. Excessive algae blooms can suffocate fish and plant life by using up the oxygen from the water.

By: CJ

CJ — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:03:09 +0000

I wonder why, when I have a lot of algae in the summer, I don’t get any blooms on my water lily? I assume that that the sufficient light to grow algae would also be enough tgo help the lily bloom? Ideas?

By: thepondguy

thepondguy — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:58:52 +0000

Bob, For mucky bottoms or organics, you can use a product called Muck Defense. Muck Defense is a pellet packed with natural beneficial bacteria that will go to work to break down bottom organic muck. Hope this helps!

By: Bob Boyd

Bob Boyd — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:14:04 +0000

I have a small above ground brick and mortor pond. Circular diameter about 6 feet across and about 18-22 inched deep. Before I laid the electricity it rained a few days and collected about 4 inches of water which turned green and mucy. I was told to use “Algeafix”. That seemed to clear up the 350 gallon pond but at the bottom there is small pieces of natural trash. How or what do I use to get this “Natural Trash off the bottom of my fountain? After I get it cleaned I would like to put color in the water for the time being until I decide what types of plants if any I am oing to use next spring. BTW I live in a warm(hot) state..Louisiana and the frozon water is not going to be a problem but amybe a hinderenss. I also have a 3 tier water spot shooting into the air and back into the water fountain. Back to question. What can I use to clean the natural trash to clean the stuff at the bottom of the fountain?
Thanks
Bob

By: The Pond Guy Wants To Ask You A Question - Q & A - Week Ending November 15th « The Pond Guy’s Blog

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:19:16 +0000

[...] Posts Algae Growth During the Winter – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week Ending November 8thBe Aware of “Super-Cooling” Your Pond with Winter Aeration? – Pond & Lake Q & A – Week [...]

By: thepondguy

thepondguy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:36:30 +0000

JK West,

As the temperature continues to drop, some of the algae will die off but not all. In some cases, like in the above article, some types of algae can continue to grow underneath the ice throughout the winter.

One suggestion I have, before the ice begins to accumulate on the pond’s surface, is to rake around the edges of the pond to remove as much nutrient-rich muck that you can. This is a great way to immediately get the muck off of the bottom, especially if you are nervous about larger algae blooms in the spring.

If the algae is allowed to sink and die off, then yes, as it decays it will become part of the nutrient source that will feed future algae and pondweeds.

Hope this helps.
The Pond Guy

By: JK West

JK West — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:05:23 +0000

I recently purchased one of your aerationsystems,primarily in response to a huge algae bloom and a desire for a healthier pond. So large in fact,that I couldn’t see the fish swimming in the pond any longer. I added nutri-defense when the H20 temp. was still above 50 degrees and pond dye as you suggested. Will this growth die off and become the nutrient base for next spring or will I still have this ugly yuck coming up from the bottom when the ice melts?
Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give.