On Mon, 3 Apr 2006 13:51:15 +0100, "EMF" wrote:

After succesfully keeping a reef tank for several years i have now moved
into pond keeping or should i say blanket weed growing. The answer to algae
elimination in a reef tank is to install a plenum filter to reduce nitrates
and phosphates to virtually undetectable levels, hence starving them of
their food. I understand the design of plenum filters as they apply to reef
keeping and i intend to use silver sand in place of coral sand as the local
water supply is very hard. Has anyone here used such a filter in a pond and
if so what where the results. I understand that water temperature plays a
big part in the efficiency of the bacteria in the filter and its ability to
breakdown the nitrates and phosphates. In the north of England, where i
live, a water temperature of 18-20c is quite high and about as good as it
gets in the summer. Any help please.

To control algae in ponds, is to know the cycle. Usually (but depends on
fish load) ponds will be green the first year, have string algae the 2nd,
by the 3rd they are balanced and get less string algae and so on as they
mature. This depends on fish load, chemicals added, UV, etc. a case of
YMMV. My success has been to keep the fish load down, plant load high and
have a large filter. I don't not use UV. ~ jan

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www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
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