BAD algae bloom!

[LynneNY]

HELP!!!  We have had a bad algae bloom for about a week now.  Last summer was the first time we had nice clear water, but only after my husband bought double UV filters.  They were working wonderfully until recently.  He just scrubbed the lights and fixtures in hopes that they will work better - the bulbs are fine - we haven't used them anywhere near their lifetime yet.

Here's what I know... my husband has been cleaning out the filters almost everyday, because the string algae clogs them up terribly, and if he doesn't, the water goes off the sides of the waterfall.  He then adds city water back in - almost every day.  He is a hydrogeologist and says there is no problem adding the water - he is emphatic about it!

The other thing is... I was away for most of last week while my mom was in the hospital.  My husband starting feeding the fish, without telling me, so sometimes they got much more than usual because I was also feeding them when I was home.  I'm thinking their waste helped cause this bloom?  But it's so very bad - could that be the only culprit?  My fish have survived their first winter, and were growing so beautifully - I couldn't stand it if they were to die from this!  Not with everything else that is going on right now.

Even my lilypads are starting to turn yellow, and I know that's a bad sign, and that they are fighting for oxygen.

HELP???

[Esther]

Where are you located? For one thing, overfeeding isn't good for the water quality of course. Underfeeding will encourage your finny friends to eat the algae for another thing. Oh and of course some of your lily pads will yellow as they age. I am constantly picking off yellowing and damaged pads. That's normal in their growth.

Now, don't anybody read this that doesn't like to use or hear that people use CHEMICALS!!!  If you get to the point you just can't stand it----or better to do it when you first notice it so it doesn't get so  bad. Carefully read the bottle of Algaefix or whatever and dose your pond being sure there is plenty of oxygen going in the water. Supposedly barley straw or the extract is supposed to help with that problem but I have tried it all and am not sure it does any good. But I have also heard of people overdosing their pond with chemicals and killing their fish so be careful if you choose to do the chemical. But be ready to scoop off the bottom and clean the filters lots + filter everywhere you can like maybe in the drops of the waterfall or wherever water is moving. I know nothing about your UV doodad but thought they were impecable algae killers.  ???

[Ky Kim]

Even if the UV bulb says its good for so long, it will still loose strength sitting on a shelf. I use to have to replace mine each year.

I haven't used one in a long time, so far so good here. As long as I have wh in the skippy all is well. In my other pond I have a flower pots type trickle tower and when it runs I have clear water there, and if I don't run it, it starts to turn green. Maybe its just me, but I swear it helps here.

Here is a pic of the pot. I need to add water badly, so far I've topped off one pond and a swimming pool today, one more to go. Normally you can't see the crates at all, and they're stacked 2 high in this pond. You can see how clear the water is.

And here is pics from the other pond.

[Kittyzee]

I might be wrong here, but just because you are having an algae bloom doesn't mean your water quality is bad.  You may not like to see it, but I don't think the fish really mind.  Lots of plants (lilies covering the surface, water hyacinths, etc.) help mine each year.  Until I have WH filtering the water, along with the hornwort, pondweed, and water clover and parrots feather in the biofilter, the water is okay but not crystal clear.  I have one lily with pads covering also, and my pond is in the sun all day.  Just take a deep breath and have patience, your fish should be fine!   

If you do kill the algae, make sure you provide extra oxygen in this heat--the algae kill will deplete the oxygen in the water making it harder for your fish to breathe.

[frogman3]

Good advise so far. UV lights need replaced each year.
I do not use them but prefer to use watercress in my filter falls which absorb a tremendous amounts of nutrients. Today I chopped off two bushes of watercress that was hanging off the back of my filter. It has grown down the front of the falls and extends two feet out into the pond water. The more the watercress grows the less algae the pond supports. I now have no visible string, suspended, and very little hair algae on the pond walls. Even though it grows like a weed it is easily removed when you so desire and will not jump to land. It loves cool weather so it can be started much sooner that Water hyacinths in northern zones.

[frogman3]

Pics from this AM. Watercress growing out of filter down falls and into water.


Growth over the back of the falls, which I removed today.


Gin clear water.

[LynneNY]

Thanks for all the replies everyone!!!  So much to answer to!

First of all... Esther - in my opinion, Algaefix is the DEVIL!!!
That is what my husband used the first 2 summers we had the pond and I lost every single fish those summers, AND the water never did clear either.  Sorry to come on so strong, but we will never EVER use that again, nor any other chemicals.  I lost way too many fish, and it didn't help at all.

I also used a lot of barley straw last summer - did not help whatsoever either.

Ky Kim - very nice pot!  Our waterfall has a strong flow, so I don't think we need something like yours, though it does look very nice.

Kittyzee - thanks for the reminder about the oxygen - we are trying to keep a close eye on that as well.  As for the fish minding - as I wrote above, I lost so many batches of fish before we finally got the water clear,  that is why I am concerned for their health with this latest algae bloom.  I have 6 waterlily plants, 2 large parrot feather plants, but no WH yet this year.  Still looking for some decent ones - all the ones I saw in stores earlier this year were burned out already!

frogman - your last picture with clear water is exactly how our water looked before last week.  So we need to find out why this happened all of a sudden.  I will look for some watercress soon, and give that a try - thanks.

Although we got home at dusk tonight, it did appear that the water was a smidge clearer, though it was really hard to tell for sure in that lighting, but it was a bit easier for me to see the fish, who now follow us around the pond looking for food from us.  Hopefully cleaning the bulbs helped them work a bit better.

[Esther]

Usually when you have string algae, the water is VERY clear. But when I had it one year so badly, the fish couldn't get through, we got in and pulled and pulled. Then we treated with Algaefix and scooped and filtered and scooped and filtered. Do you have a waterfall? Usually, my string algae goes away when it gets warmer. It will also like to grow in and around the waterfall.

OK, whoops, I don't think you have a SA problem, you have green water. OK so then I'd filter, filter, filter by putting extra media or quilt batting in mesh baskets in the drops of the waterfall if you are hesitant to use chemicals. It will take a few days but it'll work.

I have used TTs also in the past and now only have a 100 gallon Skippy stock tank and no UV. My skimmer filter has a set of Black Knight Brushes, a layer of course media and a layer of medium and fine media. That's all I use.  Totally simple DIY.

[LynneNY]

Esther - we DO have a horrendous string algae problem - have had it ever since we put in the UV filters and the water cleared last summer.  We can live with that, since we have to, but the pea soup has got to go!

Yes we have a very strong waterfall flow in the pond, but the string algae is not bad on it so far this year - it is however growing on anything and everything IN the pond - not the fish yet though! 

My husband is going back to the pond store today IF they are open for the holiday, and will ask the owner why he thinks this is happening. We need to find out WHY, and not just try and treat it, so it doesn't happen again.

[Esther]

Oh mercy, you have both!!!  All I know is that after I have treated carefully with Algaefix, and then made sure I filtered and filtered, the problem went away and has not returned. Just lucky maybe.

It sure is frustrating though to not have clear water and fight and fight and not get a handle on it. Part of the problem is fearing to hurt the fish, especially after having a bad experience. I don't blame you.

Is the UV supposed to clear SA? Or is it just for pea soup? Usually when you have SA, the water is clear as all get out because it slurps all the nutrients out of the water and the pea soup doesn't happen. My SA about 7 years ago was so bad the fish had to make tunnels in it. Really!! We got in and began pulling up handsful and throwing it into a bucket on the shore. Then we treated it. That was when I was working at the bank and ignored the problem wayyyy toooooo long before tackling it.

Do you have a bio filter? What size is your pond and how large is the filter? It's really crumby that what works or has worked for me doesn't do a thing for somebody else.

[LynneNY]

My husband takes care of the filtration, so I don't know the sizes of the filters.  They are definitely the right size for the pond, which is about 3,000 gallons.

I keep reading where people scoop out the string algae, but everytime we try to do that, it disintegrates into teensy pieces and then spreads more in the pond.  We have not been able to get a grip on it, either by using our hands, a toilet brush as many use, or other items - it just is not scoopable here!?!

The UV lights are only for the pea soup; they do not do a thing for the string algae unfortunately, but this time around they are not helping the pea soup either.  I'd hate to put money into buying new bulbs if that is not the real problem, as my husband's hours have been cut at work and we have to keep a tighter budget this year. 

[misstammy]

Doesn't uv take care of mostly the suspended algae not string?
 I agree with Ester use something if it gets to bad. Be sure airation is GOOD and heavy. My favorite was SAB for the price. String algae buster. good luck. My UV isn't even plugged in this year. I let a friend borrow it but again not sure it will help the string algae.

[LynneNY]

UV filters do not help with string algae - we know that.
And we are not doing chemicals anymore - ever!  We really need to get to the root of the problem so we can correct it properly.  Unfortunately the ponding store is closed today, so we wait another day...

[misstammy]

Oops- I see you have both. I think I would try new bulbs. Maybe they don't work as well for how long they say they will. Maybe it is time for more airation and filtration? We did this once. Split the 3000 pump into Two 3000 gph filters instead of just one. Have a 2000 gph pump running unfiltered also. Just trying to get some more ideas.

[miguynmkoi]

Just a guess, but could there have been too much fertilizer in your plants?  This is happening to my poor lotus barrel.  Everything was growing well and all of a sudden the pads fried and the thickest gunk of algae filled the barrel.  Gonners for this lotus I'm guessing.  Anyhow I stuck a few other waterplants int he barrel and they are growing gangbusters.  So I'm guessing the fertilizer I added to the bottome of the barrel leached out, fried everything and grew a waterplant I DON"T WANT!

[frogman3]

I try to look at the pond as you would a land garden except you have fish providing the fertilizer.  What happens on land if you have a fertile garden and don't add flowers or some other desirable plant? You will grow weeds it's just nature. You need some plants that take there nutrients from the water and lots of them to out compete the different forms of algae. Now that it is hot water hyacinth is probably the best option since they spread fast once it warms up. I feed my fish three times per day this time of the year but the plants keep the nitrates low with all their growth. I would not use algaecide the problem will just come back and as you know it can be hazardous to your fish.

[Holldoll]

We had the same thing happen, we replaced the UV bulb and cleaned the case for it and it cleared up in about 10 days, the water is now crystal clear.  Granter the WH have also completely filled my bio filter too, so that could have been what really helped.  WH are the best filters for me, because they have such brush like roots they collect everything. I put some in the pond and their roots are FULL of algae!