Pond looking awful

deb7788 · #1 06/29/10, 01:34 PM

Our pond is starting to be covered by green algea and we don't know what to do. Can anyone help me?

tinknal · #2 06/29/10, 01:36 PM

That's what ponds do................

fishhead · #3 06/29/10, 02:44 PM

It isn't a quick fix but you can put a 3" slice of straw about every 20' around the edge. Put the straw in 3"-6" of water.

If you have nutrients, water and sunlight you WILL have some kind of plant. Your choices are algae that turns the water green, algae that floats on top or "weeds" or a combination of those.

What kind of a pond is it?

motdaugrnds · #4 06/29/10, 02:48 PM

If a pond is made of run-off water or even if it had been created from a spring the pond will stagnate. To keep it from stagnating, it needs to contain flowing water; still I do think it still turns green with algae around the sides.

I will be watching this thread to try and learn more as we have a pond to dig out of spring water and are needing information before we start it.

newfieannie · #5 06/29/10, 03:00 PM

This is what i did .what Fishhead recommended.most likely i got that from him way back. i also tied up a bunch of cornmeal in a bag and let that float in the pond.(have no idea where i got that from)this is a man made pond but i do get run-off on one side from a slight sloping and on the other i have a pipe. i was out a few days ago. everything looked good except for the fact it needs to be mowed.(not the pond, the bank around it.) ~Georgia.

Ernie · #6 06/29/10, 03:08 PM

If you took a pasture and tilled it up and then planted nothing, what do you think it would be covered with in 6 weeks? That's right ... weeds!

Ponds are a biosystem roughly the same as a pasture. If the biosystem is healthy with lots of plant and animal diversity then you're going to have very low algae blooms (unless the runoff is from a crop field using nitrogen fertilizer).

A stagnant pond in the middle of the forest will also green up so it's not necessarily something you're doing wrong. There's just not enough pond management going on to really fix your algae problem.

Introduce more pond plants. Research online to find which ones do best in your pond climate and also which are the most appealing to you. This will cut down on the algae bloom quite a bit by reducing available plant resources in the water.

Introduce more algae-eaters. Frogs (tadpoles) eat a lot of algae, but also carp and catfish. Those are the "grazers" of a pond ecosystem. If you don't put sheep or cattle in a pasture then you're going to have a weedy, overgrown pasture, right?

In short, if you want a healthy pond you don't just dig a hole and forget about it. A healthy pond takes management the same as a healthy pasture or a healthy garden.

Jenni979 · #7 06/29/10, 03:38 PM

We had ours stocked with grass carp and have had MUCH less algae and funk-i-ness so far, this year.

GL!

Chuck R. · #8 06/29/10, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenni979

We had ours stocked with grass carp and have had MUCH less algae and funk-i-ness so far, this year.

GL!

That's been our solution too.

A little expensive at 45 X $10.00 per, but it's been working so far. We also get a kick out of watching them slowly cruise the surface like sharks while they feed.

Chuck

Jenni979 · #9 06/29/10, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck R.

That's been our solution too.

A little expensive at 45 X $10.00 per, but it's been working so far. We also get a kick out of watching them slowly cruise the surface like sharks while they feed.

Chuck

I am not sure if it is true everywhere, but in Missouri, the Ag will stock your pond for free if you allow public fishing 1 day out of the year. We elected to just pay the fee, rather than allowing strangers to fish... But, it might be a solution for some people.

PS --- now we have mad amounts of turtles snacking on our little carp. Anyone have any good ways of warding of snapping turtles?

plowjockey · #10 06/29/10, 08:08 PM

I'm building air-bubbler aerator, for our 1/2 acre pond. The bubbler will break up the stagnant, oxygen deprived lower layer (where the nutrients settle) and the oxygenated water will help digest the nutrients in the water, that accumulate in all ponds.

I'll chemically treat, or manually remove, weeds this year and look for a all natural approach next year on.

Cattails are taking over, so nearly all of them will be removed. Also have some stalk spreading plants, maybe willow, growing everywhere.

The first few years, I laughed about what little maintenance a pond needed compared to a swimming pool. Not any more.

PD-Riverman · #11 06/29/10, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenni979

PS --- now we have mad amounts of turtles snacking on our little carp. Anyone have any good ways of warding of snapping turtles?

Yes---It is a 17 Mag with scope, Works real well.

oldasrocks · #12 06/29/10, 09:01 PM

You only need 2 or 3 grass carp in a 1/2 acre pond. I put coloring in every year to kill the algae-no sunlight no algae. Except this yr I was too late and ended up with a fish kill as it used up the oxygen when the algae died. Spray cattails and other larger plants with Roundup. Recommended way and won't hurt the fish but don't spray it all at once as the rotting vegetation will use up oxygen.

Yes Riverman its fun shooting turtles. A top trip trap works well also.

fishhead · #13 06/29/10, 09:50 PM

Aeration will help take the phosphorus (P) out of the water and keep it away from the filamentous algae (scum).

Another option to tie up the P out of the water is to sprinkle alum across the surface. It binds with the P and sinks it to the bottom where it gets covered with muck.

I don't think snapping turtles eat that many fish at least until they die.

Old John · #14 06/30/10, 06:52 AM

Pond Boss
I haven't seen anyone mention Pond Boss yet. It's all about Pond Management and building, ASF..........

Find it at http://www.pondboss.com/

It is All about Ponds.

motdaugrnds · #15 06/30/10, 07:37 AM

Anyone have an idea what a "reasonable" amount would be to pay a company to dig and prepare a half-acre pond?

Silvercreek Farmer · #16 06/30/10, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishhead

It isn't a quick fix but you can put a 3" slice of straw about every 20' around the edge. Put the straw in 3"-6" of water.

I have heard barley straw works best.

Chuck R. · #17 06/30/10, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenni979

I am not sure if it is true everywhere, but in Missouri, the Ag will stock your pond for free if you allow public fishing 1 day out of the year. We elected to just pay the fee, rather than allowing strangers to fish... But, it might be a solution for some people.

PS --- now we have mad amounts of turtles snacking on our little carp. Anyone have any good ways of warding of snapping turtles?

Same here, I'd rather pay than open the place up to potential issues.

Chuck

oldasrocks · #18 06/30/10, 10:21 AM

Another option to tie up the P out of the water is to sprinkle alum across the surface. It binds with the P and sinks it to the bottom where it gets covered with muck.

fish head where would you buy that much alum cheap?

Ernie · #19 06/30/10, 10:25 AM

If I'm sprinkling that many chemicals into my pond, I'd reconsider why I wanted a pond in the first place.

Tricky Grama · #20 06/30/10, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newfieannie

This is what i did .what Fishhead recommended.most likely i got that from him way back. i also tied up a bunch of cornmeal in a bag and let that float in the pond.(have no idea where i got that from)this is a man made pond but i do get run-off on one side from a slight sloping and on the other i have a pipe. i was out a few days ago. everything looked good except for the fact it needs to be mowed.(not the pond, the bank around it.) ~Georgia.

I did this too, came from the dirtdoctor.com website. Filled a pair of panty hose w/cornmeal, tied it & tossed it in!