"Arthur" wrote in message ...
After 15 years with no problems, our small pond has suddenly become heavily
infested with blanket weed. We pull out armfulls but it grows back in a
few days. I've seen remedies advertised but I would first like to hear
from someone who has tried them. We have lots of wildlife and I don't want
to harm anything. Apart from the blanket weed the water is clear and
healthy.

- Arthur

I used to work in the pet retail trade and used to sell a product
called 'Pure Magic' by a company called Vivelle. It is a fibrous
matting originally designed by ICI, I think for filtering bacteria in
hospital air conditioning! and was tested as a possible pond filter
media by some large aquatic retailers. Many of them reported that when
the product was used, blanket weed appeared to just 'break up' and
die. Many of my customers also reported this unexpected phenomenon,
which obviously helped my repeat sales. Unfortunately, the shop where
I worked was the only outlet I have ever seen the product. If you
e-mail me I will be happy to give you the telephone number and/or
address and maybe they could post some to you. The matting comes in
two grades - on you can wash, one you can't, and would sit as the
last-but-two and the last stages in a standard filter box. Oh, it is
of course chemical free and therefore perfectly safe. I am actually a
fish-farmer now, and not an agent for Vivelle 'Pure Magic, as this
thread may suggest!!