"BB" wrote in message
. 125.201...
FINALLY got my hands on some WH a bit ago. Darn things are a good 18
inches across!! I ain't never seen 'em that big before...

Anyway, how long before the three I got start really sucking up the
nutrients that are currently feeding my algae? (It's only about 70-80
gallons of pond...) The algae does make a really nice mulch around the
plants around the pond, though...

I've never seen them that big, you must live in a warmer climate. You don't
mention how much coverage you have, but at 18", one plant should just about
do your whole pond. Mine are doing quite well, I've had to add nutrients
twice already. Mine suck about 10 ppm of Nitrate out of the pond (500 g) in
about a week. I had a terrible problem finding them last year too, so the
Algae got a head start. I kept some inside this winter and had to throw out
a few buckets recently.

I had a terrible probelm with String Algae last summer, it was practically
September before I got it under control. The Algae was sucking all the
nutrients out of the water and the WH were sickly. Once I started adding
nutrients the WH slowly recovered and covered the surface. I don't suggest
you add nutrients, unless you know where your water quality is. The shade
the WH provide is probably just as big a factor as the nutrients they
remove.

Do your roots look healthy? If not, the limiting nutrient will affect the
ability of your WH to remove Nitrtates/Phosphates.