SjT wrote in message ...
Baron Von Strawberry sayed:

Buy some Barley straw from your local aquatic centre and chuck a bag
into your pond. The water won't go green and it kills off the blanket
weed. As the straw rots it gives off bacteria that eat the blanket weed
etc.

Is this true? or an Aprils fool?


It is true about the algae bit but the quantities have to be quite precise -
there is a ratio for straw to water volume, google should provide the
answer.

As for the bacteria bit ? I think the poster is a little confused - decaying
organic material doesn't 'give off' bacteria - it is the action of bacteria
already in the water that break the organic matter down into ammonia, this
is further broken down by oxidisation to Nitrates and Nitrites. Certain
levels of these are essential for a healthy pond, ammonia and nitrates
provide food for aquatic plants - very high nitrates however will lead to
very poor water quality and ultimately kill the pond. This is why you should
prevent an over-accumulation of decaying leaves, fish shit and frog shit on
the bottom of your pond - the smell of that black sludge from the depths of
the pond is also equisitely disgusting.