Barley?

[Zoe]

What is the opinion of using barley in a pond? 

Zoe

[LynneNY]

Didn't work for us. 

[finnpond]

I've used it for the last 3 years and the only string algae I get is in the waterfall...  I bought a bale of it at the feed and grain store, so I make large sackfuls of it in nylon mesh bags and put them in my two Skippy-type garbage can filters...  I see the small little bags they sell at the pond stores, and I didn't think that was enough for my sized pond (14X32)...  The bale I bought was 12 bucks and I probably have enough for 3 years... 

Wouldn't testify in court that it works, but I'm not gonna stop using it, because I used to have alot of string, now none at all...  Could be my pond has balanced out, or my plantings are taking care of the water...  But, just saying.......

Dave

[Zoe]

I have never used it either. But there is a lady that works at the daycare where this pond is at and she swears by it.  So this year I decided to make her happy.  I keep up a garden at a local daycare.  We shall see.

Thank you for the replies
Cindy

[cindy]

Get a uv light

[jimr]

The UV light is great for green water (suspended alage) but the UV won't do anything for string alage or blanket alage. The alage has to pass thru the UV filter to be cleaned.

[Zoe]

Thank you  for the replies. They do have a filter with a UV light. We just replaced it last week.  I was just curious about the barley because everytime the lady would see me she would say something about it. The funny thing is I checked on the pond this weekend and I can't see the ball floating anywhere 

[Michiponder]

Every pond is sifferent with different needs, problems, maintenence, construction, and eco systems.  What may work for one will have no effect or a bad effect on another.  I do not use barley and when I did I so saw no difference between using it and the natural clearing I get without it.  In your pond it may be of benifit (or not).  A respected aquaculturist and pond expert I know at a university once tried to set up an experimnt there to see if it was any benifit.  At it's conclusion he was unable to prove any benifit at all except for a few of the ponds had more water fleas and more organic matter (with lower water quality).  He recomended that I pour in a few bottles of plain old hydrogen peroxide to get a better effect cheaper.

Mikel