Intelligent Algae Control For Small Ponds

Of the many outdoor hobbies that people enjoy, few are gaining as much popularity as owning a small backyard pond. Many people build a water garden with the hopes of it being a great place to relax and along with that it can even add some value to one’s home. All in all and pond is a great addition to a property.

All of this goes out the window however when algae begins to show up. Usually it’s green, slimey, sometimes stinky, and downright ugly. Pond algae can virtually destroy the ambiance of a pond very quickly and because of this it’s no wonder that most pond owners will do just about anything to get rid of it.

Of all the ponds that may get algae, the vast majority of them have fish. Goldfish as well as Koi are very popular and while fish bring a pond to life, they also create an environment that’s nutrient rich and primed for plant growth. Most experts suggest that any fish pond also have a biological filter installed to help deal with these conditions.

So the first step in keeping algae under control is to be sure that your filter system is set up correctly and is adequate in size and capacity compared to the ponds gallon volume and the fish loading. Most manufacturers and dealers will have information on the best filter options if you can tell them your pond size and the type and amount of fish you have in the pond.

A biological filter is fairly simple in design and no matter what the brand may be, they all use some form of beneficial bacteria to deal with the organic material that they capture. It should be kept in mind that any time a pond is started up or a pond’s flow of circulating water has been turned off for awhile, a bit of priming of a biofilter will be helpful. This is easy to do. Simply add bacteria to the water and let it circulate into the filter.

Since we’re adding bacteria to the pond water, there is an additional benefit other than just priming the filter. With bacteria flowing freely in the pond some of it will attach to rocks, or the liner and help control algae more directly in the pond body itself.

Biofilters are very important to maintaining a healthy fish pond but there’s another tool that you can use to help control algae. Aquatic plants of various kinds are one of nature’s best tools for pond cleaning. Historically before filters were used, plants were the primary tool for pond cleaning and filtering.

Although these additions are not fancy by any means, they represent one of the best one-two punches that exist for algae control in any small pond or water garden. Give them a try and you might be amazed at the results!

Looking to find the best way to deal with fish pond algae? Then visit us at www.pondalgaecontrol.com to find the best advice on pond algae issues.