On 15/05/2013 15:41, Bob Hobden wrote:
"kay" wrote


Chris Hogg Wrote:



Another thing that plants, and algae, like is good light, in order to
photosynthesize. So reducing the light reaching the pond will help
reduce the blanket weed. This can be achieved by having much of the
surface of the pond covered with water lily leaves or leaves of other
pond plants. These plants will also compete with the algae for the
available nitrogen, and so help keep down the algal growth.


Chris's advice is all good.

But don't go too far on the surface covering, otherwise the pond will
not warm up in spring. Usually advice is to cover about a third - I
reckon you could go to a half without problems.

An additional thing is to remove nitrogen - put in a rapid growing plant
to absorb nitrogen, and keep removing it a) so it can't die, rot and
return its nitrogen to the pond b) to encourage yet more growth.
Watercress is often recommended.

And, of course, keep removing blanket weed. Much easier done in a fish
pond than in a wildlife pond when the blanket weed is often full of
young newts.


And don't forget that tap water usually contains lots of nitrogen so
filling or topping up the pond with it will increase nitrogen levels.
You filter (if it's biological) will be turning the waste from the fish
from toxic nitrites to less toxic nitrates (fertilizer!) so whilst a
filter is excellent to maintain "sweet" water in your pond it has it's
down sides.
Some people with larger ponds have the outflow from their filters run
along channels filled with plants like Watercress which take out a lot
of the nitrates, and which are excellent on the compost heap.

Have you thought of Aquaponic gardening?
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organ...#axzz2TNhrrfCT