"stricks760" wrote in message
link.net...
Hi -

I went on a five day vacation, and while I was gone it was hot (like 90
degrees, So. Cal).

When I got back, I had string algae all over - down the waterfall, in the
pond, the fish were freaking out, etc. I mean, this stuff was everywhere.

This is my first spring, the pond went 'live' last September. What should
I
do, I've never even seen string algae until the past two weeks!

String algae looks bad, but it feeds directly on ammonia so it isn't
all bad. If you have more, than you can handle scooping it out
aluminum sulfate will kill it, but the cure is almost as bad as the
disease. Aluminum Sulfate 2.66 ounces per 1000 gal. 4 oz per 1500
gal. It's 20 ppm, which is the dose recommended by the USDA. Reduces
KH removes, phosphates causes particles to coagulate. The dead algae
and snails (Yep, kills snails.) have to be cleaned out of the pond or
they will rot and cause problems also the dead algae releases what it
consumed growing, back into the water adding to the growth of new
string algae.

Another theory is to turn off the UV, add nitrate of soda, not
ammonium nitrate, until another algae becomes dominant in your pond
and turns the water black and kills the string algae. Then the
problem is to clear up the water and that may not happen until the
winter kills the black algae.

Try raking it out first.

Regards,

Hal