I have found that barley straw does a fantastic job of keeping algae out. I
bought a whole bale for $3.00 and a couple of those balls that hamsters like
to run in.

I put the algae in the balls and put the balls in the pond. It takes a
month or 6 weeks to work but one ball of barley straw keeps the pond algae
free for up to 3 months.

And buying it by the bale is a lot cheaper that when it is purchased from a
pond supply store or through the mail. They must be getting rich off of
barley straw judging from the prices they charge.

Haven't seen this mentioned lately so thought I'd toss it in.

Hmmm...interesting. Aquascapes sells a barley mat filter. I wonder if this
would have a similar effect.

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
I have found that barley straw does a fantastic job of keeping algae out. I
bought a whole bale for $3.00 and a couple of those balls that hamsters like
to run in.

I put the algae in the balls and put the balls in the pond. It takes a
month or 6 weeks to work but one ball of barley straw keeps the pond algae
free for up to 3 months.

And buying it by the bale is a lot cheaper that when it is purchased from a
pond supply store or through the mail. They must be getting rich off of
barley straw judging from the prices they charge.

Haven't seen this mentioned lately so thought I'd toss it in.

Slight error in my previous message. I do not put the algae in the hamster
balls. I put barley straw in the hamster balls.

Good Grief!! What will I say or write next?

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
I have found that barley straw does a fantastic job of keeping algae out.
I
bought a whole bale for $3.00 and a couple of those balls that hamsters
like
to run in.

I put the algae in the balls and put the balls in the pond. It takes a
month or 6 weeks to work but one ball of barley straw keeps the pond
algae
free for up to 3 months.

And buying it by the bale is a lot cheaper that when it is purchased from
a
pond supply store or through the mail. They must be getting rich off of
barley straw judging from the prices they charge.

Haven't seen this mentioned lately so thought I'd toss it in.

Broomhilda wrote:
Slight error in my previous message. I do not put the algae in the hamster
balls. I put barley straw in the hamster balls.

Good Grief!! What will I say or write next?

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
..
gee and I thought you had come up with a realy neat way to control algae
;-)

John,

How are your ponds doing? And the koi?

Jim

--
______________________________________________
See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley
Check out Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $140+ per child) at: jogathon.net
______________________________________________
"john rutz" wrote in message
...


Broomhilda wrote:
Slight error in my previous message. I do not put the algae in the
hamster
balls. I put barley straw in the hamster balls.

Good Grief!! What will I say or write next?

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
.
gee and I thought you had come up with a realy neat way to control algae
;-)

John,

How are your ponds doing? And the koi?

Jim

--
______________________________________________
See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley
Check out Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $140+ per child) at: jogathon.net
______________________________________________
"john rutz" wrote in message
...


Broomhilda wrote:
Slight error in my previous message. I do not put the algae in the
hamster
balls. I put barley straw in the hamster balls.

Good Grief!! What will I say or write next?

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
.
gee and I thought you had come up with a realy neat way to control algae
;-)

The barley straw is a neat way to control algae. Believe me, it is.


"john rutz" wrote in message
...


Broomhilda wrote:
Slight error in my previous message. I do not put the algae in the
hamster
balls. I put barley straw in the hamster balls.

Good Grief!! What will I say or write next?

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
.
gee and I thought you had come up with a realy neat way to control algae
;-)

The barley straw is a neat way to control algae. Believe me, it is.


"john rutz" wrote in message
...


Broomhilda wrote:
Slight error in my previous message. I do not put the algae in the
hamster
balls. I put barley straw in the hamster balls.

Good Grief!! What will I say or write next?

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
.
gee and I thought you had come up with a realy neat way to control algae
;-)

Phyllis and Jim Hurley wrote:
John,

How are your ponds doing? And the koi?

Jim

I think every thing is still OK I cleaned it out and shut down the
pumps and ""filter""
when the cold weather hit, then I spent some time in the hospital
when I got out the second week in jan the pond is iced over pretty much
and the string algae has taken over,,, the babys are still growing it
looks like, and the adults are hangin in
I'm sure looking foreward to warm weather so I can see whats going on in
the ponds

and of course designing the new pond(s) :-)for the Louisiana property
hopefully after spending so much time here on rec ponds,, i can do the
nw ones without making as many mistakes as i did when I built the ones
here, the worst part is trying to figure how much of the filters,fish
and plants to try to take with me.

John Rutz

John

Disease gone?

I forgot you were moving (?) to LA. Where in LA?

Jim

--
______________________________________________
See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley
Check out Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $140+ per child) at: jogathon.net
______________________________________________
"fuerjefe" wrote in message
...


Phyllis and Jim Hurley wrote:
John,

How are your ponds doing? And the koi?

Jim

I think every thing is still OK I cleaned it out and shut down the
pumps and ""filter""
when the cold weather hit, then I spent some time in the hospital
when I got out the second week in jan the pond is iced over pretty much
and the string algae has taken over,,, the babys are still growing it
looks like, and the adults are hangin in
I'm sure looking foreward to warm weather so I can see whats going on in
the ponds

and of course designing the new pond(s) :-)for the Louisiana property
hopefully after spending so much time here on rec ponds,, i can do the
nw ones without making as many mistakes as i did when I built the ones
here, the worst part is trying to figure how much of the filters,fish
and plants to try to take with me.

John Rutz

Hospital? Moving? Where have I been that I missed this info? Did you get
permission from the Board of Rec.ponds? ;o)

So start with, Hospital, if I may be so bold to ask, as I hope it wasn't
anything serious?

Louisiana? Hot, muggy & buggy, why you going there? ;o) ~ jan


Phyllis and Jim Hurley wrote:
John,

How are your ponds doing? And the koi?

Jim

I think every thing is still OK I cleaned it out and shut down the
pumps and ""filter""
when the cold weather hit, then I spent some time in the hospital
when I got out the second week in jan the pond is iced over pretty much
and the string algae has taken over,,, the babys are still growing it
looks like, and the adults are hangin in
I'm sure looking foreward to warm weather so I can see whats going on in
the ponds

and of course designing the new pond(s) :-)for the Louisiana property
hopefully after spending so much time here on rec ponds,, i can do the
nw ones without making as many mistakes as i did when I built the ones
here, the worst part is trying to figure how much of the filters,fish
and plants to try to take with me.

John Rutz




~ jan

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
Slight error in my previous message. I do not put the algae in the
hamster
balls. I put barley straw in the hamster balls.

Good Grief!! What will I say or write next?
snip

Just as long as you don't put hamsters in your barley balls.

BV.
www.iheartmypond.com

"Broomhilda" wrote in message
link.net...
Slight error in my previous message. I do not put the algae in the
hamster
balls. I put barley straw in the hamster balls.

Good Grief!! What will I say or write next?
snip

Just as long as you don't put hamsters in your barley balls.

BV.
www.iheartmypond.com

Phyllis and Jim Hurley wrote:
John

Disease gone?

I forgot you were moving (?) to LA. Where in LA?

Jim

I think the fish that survived have developed an imunity and the babies
hopefully inherited it will find out for sure next spring when it goes
from 40 to 80 in a week

Just down the road, Stonewall near Shreveport right on the TexArkLa
bought an acre there near my daughter figuer that way I can enjoy my
ponds and gardens all year instead of just Jun to Oct hopefully me my
fish and plants can all survive the trip ;-) figure to make it next Jan
Feb when we are all Dormant

John Rutz

~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:
Hospital? Moving? Where have I been that I missed this info? Did you get
permission from the Board of Rec.ponds? ;o)

So start with, Hospital, if I may be so bold to ask, as I hope it wasn't
anything serious?

Louisiana? Hot, muggy & buggy, why you going there? ;o) ~ jan


.

~ jan

no I didnt get permission beforehand just went an did it
every winter I get some weird stomach thing that dehydrates me, so this
year instead of waitin like I stubornly usualy do I went in the second
day,,,, which realy turned into a good thing as about two hours after
getin to the ER I had a mild heart atack, so was stuck for a week it
took about another two weeks to get back to my normal onery self.

as for louisiana see my answer to Jim H ;-)


John Rutz