A pond can be a beautiful and ornamental addition to a garden or home, but it might lose some of its charm if the water is green and murky.Whether you want a cleaner pond in the long-term with more natural solutions or prefer to use mechanical or chemical solutions to remove algae from the pond, there are several easy options that can help you achieve your goal.
Step 1: You can plant aquatic plants in your pond.
Living organisms draw from the water in order to live.Adding plants such as lilies pads, cattails, or watercress to your pond will suck up all of the water's resources and stop the growth of algae.You can make your pond look more interesting by keeping the water clear.There is a wide selection of plants perfect for your pond at your local nursery or garden store.If you are unsure about the best plant to use, ask.Around 60% of the pond's surface should be covered with plants.
Step 2: Don't feed your fish too much to stop it from rotting.
If you have fish in your pond, you should only feed them around 5 minutes of food per day.Excess food can drift to the bottom and rot if you feed them more than this.If you don't know how much to feed your fish, check the instructions on your food for a rough guide.Feed your fish once a day with a small amount of food.After feeding your fish, watch them for 5 minutes to see how much food is left over.
Step 3: A skimmer or net is needed to remove the algae from the pond.
Lifting up and off the top of the pond is the easiest way to clean it.If you want to remove the algae from the pond, you have to use a skimmer or net.When it is done, this will give you immediate results.It is not a solution that will work long-term.The growth of the algae won't be stopped by removing it.
Step 4: Adding straw to the pond will kill the algae.
As the straw rots, it will release small amounts of hydrogen peroxide that will kill any algae in the pond.Buy a small bale of straw and throw it in the pond.The algae in your pond should disappear over the course of a few weeks.For every 1,000 gallons of water in your pond, use 8 ounces of straw.The straw is used for bedding for a lot of small animals and should be found in your pet shop.It can be found at a specialty pond store or online.The amount of hydrogen peroxide released by the rotting straw should be enough to kill the algae in your pond.
Step 5: Algae are eating creatures in your pond.
If you want to prevent the growth of algae, you can add animals to your pond that will feed on it.You can add tadpoles or pond snails to your pond and keep an eye on them as they grow.They should eat the algae in your pond and bring more life to it.Tadpoles will eat mosquito and other insects that are on the top of your pond.
Step 6: A fine bubble aerator increases the movement of the water.
Lack of water movement is one of the main causes of bloom.Purchase a fine bubble aerator and install it in the deepest part of the pond.This will aerate the water and keep it moving so that it can produce a healthier environment in the pond.A specialty pond store should have fine bubble aerators.There are a lot of online retailers that sell aerators.
Step 7: The water should be clean once a month.
You may need to clean the filter inside the system more often if the pond is still able to grow.The manufacturer tells you to clean your filter at least once a month.A pond filter can be useful in keeping the water in the pond clean.If you have a large mechanical filter, you should be able to clean it by attaching a backwash hose and washing it.If you want to clean a smaller filter, remove it and use non-chlorinated water.It's a good idea to clean your pond filter away from the pond.If you clean it too close to the pond, the filters will end up in your pond over time.
Step 8: The ultraviolet light sterilizer can be used to destroy algae.
UV light is great for sterilizing and damaging organic materials.The ultraviolet light sterir in your pond will break down and destroy algae as it grows.The water should be clear after 3 to 5 days.UV light sterilizing filters are a lot more effective than other filters.They can be found from a specialty pond store or online.This is a very effective way to kill algae in ponds, but may also harm beneficialbacteria and other positive organic material in your pond.
Step 9: Algaecides can be used to treat the pond water.
You can use algaecides to treat the water if you can't clean it yourself.Purchase a product that contains copper and spray it over your pond to kill off the algae.Within 3 to 10 days from the first treatment, the algae will die off.Natural methods of removing algae are more harmful than the chemicals used to kill them.As a last resort, use algaecides.You should always consult the instructions on the product before using it in a pond with plants or living creatures.You should check with the local regulations before treating your water.Some chemicals may need a permit.Follow the manufacturer's instructions when using an algaecide.If you use more than is required, you may damage your pond or harm wildlife.
Step 10: It's a good idea to build your pond in a shady area.
If you are still planning on building a pond, consider installing it in an area that only gets a small amount of sun.Try building a pond near a tall wall, or use a shade mat or sail to stop the growth of algae.You should not rely on shade that comes from large trees as they can drop leaves into the pond.You will need to clean your pond more often if you have fallen leaves.Shade mats and sails are designed to block excess sunlight from entering your pond.They can be found at specialty pond stores or online.
Step 11: To keep out new water, add a rim or border to the pond.
It's possible that water that runs off of your garden contains some important vitamins and minerals.To limit the amount of water flowing into the pond, build a small lip rim around the edge.This will help keep pesticides out of your pond.All of these can affect the health of your pond.
Step 12: To reduce the amount of sunlight absorbed, color the water with a pond dye.
There are several dyes that are designed to be added to a pond to stop sunlight from reaching the bottom, which will prevent the formation of algae.Purchase a pond dye of your choice and follow the manufacturer's instructions to dye your pond.You can buy pond dye online or at a specialty pond store.Depending on the size of the pond, the amount of pond dye needed will vary.To avoid over-dyeing your pond, follow the manufacturer's instructions.