PONDS-AND-WATERFALLS

Pond algae is one of the biggest and ickiest problems you can face in your backyard pond. The microscopic plant life loves to live in stagnant water and oftentimes is what gives still ponds that slimy, green, slick coating. There are several different types of pond algae to worry about, from the kind that float free in the water, to the stringy versions, to the plankton variety.

What exactly can be done to get rid of pond algae? To know how to get rid of this alien-like life form, you need to know why it is attracted to your pond. For starters, any pond with a lot of sunlight is a surefire hotspot for algae. If your pond water contains a lot of chemicals called nitrates and phosphates, expect a visit from the green slime too.

Other reasons that the algae will start include a climate with really hot and muggy weather, or if you don’t do a good enough job of circulating the water. Add to the list refuse buildup in your pond. In other words, if leaves typically fall off trees and other brush into your pond, they can lead to algae growth.

What else? Experts also suggest that you can expect pond algae growth if you don’t have other types of healthy plants in your water pond. If you don’t, something else will grow to use up the nutrients. And last but not least, if you’ve built your pond with limestone, concrete, or marble stones, they will contribute to giving your pond a higher pH level, which algae likes.

It makes sense then, that if you avoid a lot of the above factors, right there you’ve taken a big step to avoiding algae growth. This includes filling your pond with aquatic plants that will soak up nutrients before algae can get at them. Or designing the pond from the get-go so that it’s out of direct sunlight and away from trees or other landscape that could drop debris into the pond. Of course, debris is likely to get into your pond anyway, so it’s crucial to clean it out and not let it sit there too long.

If you want to use chemical and other “high-tech” attack measures, try special chemicals designed to kill algae, called algaecides. You can also buy ultraviolet sterilizers that destroy some types of pond algae, but not all.

Overall, the key is to prevent the growth of the green slime of pond algae in the first place. Once algae does infest your pond, it is a mess to clean up.