Here are rec.ponds' collected tips ;-)


Algae fighting tips
~ Nutrients for algae are sun, new water, fish waste, fertilized run off,
rotting plants, blown in dirt.
~ New ponds and spring ponds need time for plants to get established, algae is
quicker at getting going.
~ add plants, of any kind, in the pond. Especially underwater plants.
~ Shade is good - provided by lily pads, floating plants or artificial shade
for part of the day.
~ LOW fish stocking (20 gallons per goldfish, 100 per koi after starting with
1,000 gallons) and *not* overfeeding the fish. Too many fish and too much
feeding is probably responsible for most pea soup water.
~ adding a combination mechanical and biological filter to screen gunk and
convert fishy ammonia waste.
~ build a veggie filter, run water through plants, as easy as floating water
hyacinth in your filter.
~ clean up dead plant matter and screen for falling leaves
in the fall.
~ water movement, occasional water changes of 10%
~ add a sludge consumer, concentrated bacteria.
I use A HREF="http://united-tech.com"http://united-tech.com/A
~ building ponds with bottom drains and skimmers.
~ do not use algaecides, they only make lots of suddenly dead algae
and that will feed the next algae bloom.
~ do not worry about algae that grows on things (substrate algae) this is good
for a pond
~ gently remove string algae
~ UV sterilizes work on suspended algae - are expensive though.
~ patience and time ;-)


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html