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How to get rid of algae in a pond?
What is algae?
Plant
Animal
Fungus
Protist
(What’s a protist? A trashcan term to encompass complex organisms that share plant-like, or other kingdom traits)
ALGAE DEFINITION:
A primitive uni-cellular and multi-cellular organism found in freshwater, seawater and brackish waters.
What is Algae and How to Get Rid of Algae in a Pond or Lake?
Why it’s bad?
-Can prevent sunlight from reaching other organisms
-Decreases oxygen levels in water and when it dies the debris releases nitrogen back into the water
-Too much algae negatively impacts water quality
–Algal blooms can be toxic to wildlife, causing fish kills
Why it’s good?
-Consumes CO2 and releases Oxygen into the air
(Unicellular algae are responsible for over ½ of the world’s oxygen)
-May be used as a source of biofuel
-Helps to purify waste
Although there are roughly 1 million species of algae, we have simplified them into 5 categories.
Categories:
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Planktonic
Planktonic algae is a microscopic, unicellular protist. It appears as bright green, pea soup, or blood red. It forms the base of the food chain.
Solutions:
Kleer (ideal for 1 acre ponds or less)
Reduce nitrogen from animal waste, plant debris, fish food
2. Filamentous
Also known as Pond Scum, filamentous algae forms green, stringy mats. Adds no real value to a pond and grows in high levels of phosphorus or calcium.
Solution:
3. Chara (Muskgrass, Stonewort)
A more complex, multicellular algae, Chara resembles plants due to its leaf-like and stem-like structures. Typically it grows in freshwater near limestone areas, preferring hard and less oxygenated water.
Solution:
4. Attached-Erect
Photo Credit: Don Statham Blog
Growing similar to a plant, this algae prefers to attach to surfaces like rocks or pond bottoms.
Solutions:
Reduce nitrogen from animal waste, plant debris, fish food
5. Cyanobacteria (formerly Blue-Green Algae) See our post!
The first uni-cellular algae (cyanobacteria) fossils date back more than 3 billion years. However, it is no longer considered an algae due to its prokaryote status. Blue-Green ‘algae’ has varying strands all with their own unique tendencies.
How to check if you have this toxic algae in your pond?
What it needs to grow?
-Sunlight (or sugar will suffice)
-Water
-Carbon-dioxide
-Inorganic nutrients: nitrogen, waste products, etc.
How to get rid of algae in a pond?
Before Kleer
After Kleer
REMOVAL & PREVENTION TECHNIQUES
-Eliminate sources of fuel (see What it Needs to Grow above)
-Reduce nitrogen entering water column (animal waste, plant debris, fish food)
-Planktonic: Increase bacteria that consumes nitrogen (out-competes algae for fuel source) with Kleer
-Filamentous or large quantities of algae: Apply Cutrine Plus, a copper sulfate compound which will bind to proteins in algae and cause them to die
–Aeration serves to move the water so fresh oxygen interacts with the habitat and prevents nutrient build up and thus, algae growth
–Muck movement churns the water and displaces phosphorus, nitrogen rich sediment making it more difficult for algae to spread
Further Reading:
