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String algae & water quality issues
I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's
completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
String algae & water quality issues
"Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream snip I have been a bit neglectful of the pond lately, and yesterday I noticed my stream is filling with string algae. So far the VF and the main pond are just fine, crystal gin clear to the bottom. So I am starting to wonder...maybe SA is not so bad when in the right place? BV. |
String algae & water quality issues
Hi Janet - I was just thinking the same thing myself yesterday - I have
never had the algae build-up in my stream like I have it this year - it actually causes my stream to leak. I don't notice it in the pond itself, just the stream and waterfall Gale :~) (another Ontarian) "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
String algae & water quality issues
Hi BV - I always considered it good stuff, although not very good looking as
it is supposed to help with filtration like plants do, so in past years I've just hosed it off when it got excessive - usually a couple of times a season, but this year it builds up like a mat in the stream and on the waterfall in a few days slowing down the waterfall and plugging up the stream until it leaks over the edge. I have been pulling it out by the handfulls every 2 to 3 days - The only real difference I can think of this year has been the constant rainfall up until last week, Maybe this has been adding nutrients in large amounts that this stuff thrives on. If so, as the weather gets drier it should abate some Gale :~) "Benign Vanilla" wrote in message ... "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream snip I have been a bit neglectful of the pond lately, and yesterday I noticed my stream is filling with string algae. So far the VF and the main pond are just fine, crystal gin clear to the bottom. So I am starting to wonder...maybe SA is not so bad when in the right place? BV. |
String algae & water quality issues
Another chime from an Ontarian...
I was told to only fertilize lily and lotus and let the rest fend for themselves. This does seem to keep the algae down. Also if you can turn your stream off for six hours during a hot sunny day this should knock it out some. Every time I clean my filter, my stream is down so I give it a good blast with the hose set on "Jet". This has helped keep it under control. Heather Woodstock, ON "Gale Pearce" wrote in message ... Hi Janet - I was just thinking the same thing myself yesterday - I have never had the algae build-up in my stream like I have it this year - it actually causes my stream to leak. I don't notice it in the pond itself, just the stream and waterfall Gale :~) (another Ontarian) "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
String algae & water quality issues
Hi Heather - I do only feed my lilies and Lotus (lotus are in pots on deck)
I can't turn my stream/ waterfall off as they are fed by the bio-filter that I only clean at seasons end. I have been always able to keep the algae down in the stream and waterfall by using the hose on "jet" setting , but not this year - I have never seen it like this in 10 yrs. oh well, maybe it'll slow down as the rains end Gale :~) "Heather" wrote in message . .. Another chime from an Ontarian... I was told to only fertilize lily and lotus and let the rest fend for themselves. This does seem to keep the algae down. Also if you can turn your stream off for six hours during a hot sunny day this should knock it out some. Every time I clean my filter, my stream is down so I give it a good blast with the hose set on "Jet". This has helped keep it under control. Heather Woodstock, ON "Gale Pearce" wrote in message ... Hi Janet - I was just thinking the same thing myself yesterday - I have never had the algae build-up in my stream like I have it this year - it actually causes my stream to leak. I don't notice it in the pond itself, just the stream and waterfall Gale :~) (another Ontarian) "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
String algae & water quality issues
I've only fed the lily, everything else is left to fend for itself as well.
I've never seen it this bad either Gale. FUnny thing is last night we went up to Big Al's in Hamilton for the shark feeding and got talking with the "fish guy". A woman was in getting her pond water checked. Her PH was a tad bit higher than mine and her GH and KH were also low. Now I'm wondering if it is all the rain that's thrown everything out of wack as my pool is out of wack too. Hmmmm.....scratches head...... Janet in muggy,rainy Niagara Falls where the comets are spawning again! -- "Gale Pearce" wrote in message ... Hi Heather - I do only feed my lilies and Lotus (lotus are in pots on deck) I can't turn my stream/ waterfall off as they are fed by the bio-filter that I only clean at seasons end. I have been always able to keep the algae down in the stream and waterfall by using the hose on "jet" setting , but not this year - I have never seen it like this in 10 yrs. oh well, maybe it'll slow down as the rains end Gale :~) "Heather" wrote in message . .. Another chime from an Ontarian... I was told to only fertilize lily and lotus and let the rest fend for themselves. This does seem to keep the algae down. Also if you can turn your stream off for six hours during a hot sunny day this should knock it out some. Every time I clean my filter, my stream is down so I give it a good blast with the hose set on "Jet". This has helped keep it under control. Heather Woodstock, ON "Gale Pearce" wrote in message ... Hi Janet - I was just thinking the same thing myself yesterday - I have never had the algae build-up in my stream like I have it this year - it actually causes my stream to leak. I don't notice it in the pond itself, just the stream and waterfall Gale :~) (another Ontarian) "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
String algae & water quality issues
BV, I gotta side with Gale here! ;o) This stuff is rampant this year. It's
getting so bad that we need to clean the fliter daily. It is building up in the filter itself and clogging it up! :oO I am literally pulling a 5 gallon bucket of it out of thestream every other day. Can you say Yuck! Janet in humid, rainy Niagara Falls. :o) -- "Gale Pearce" wrote in message ... Hi BV - I always considered it good stuff, although not very good looking as it is supposed to help with filtration like plants do, so in past years I've just hosed it off when it got excessive - usually a couple of times a season, but this year it builds up like a mat in the stream and on the waterfall in a few days slowing down the waterfall and plugging up the stream until it leaks over the edge. I have been pulling it out by the handfulls every 2 to 3 days - The only real difference I can think of this year has been the constant rainfall up until last week, Maybe this has been adding nutrients in large amounts that this stuff thrives on. If so, as the weather gets drier it should abate some Gale :~) "Benign Vanilla" wrote in message ... "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream snip I have been a bit neglectful of the pond lately, and yesterday I noticed my stream is filling with string algae. So far the VF and the main pond are just fine, crystal gin clear to the bottom. So I am starting to wonder...maybe SA is not so bad when in the right place? BV. |
String algae & water quality issues
"Janet" wrote in message ... BV, I gotta side with Gale here! ;o) This stuff is rampant this year. It's getting so bad that we need to clean the fliter daily. It is building up in the filter itself and clogging it up! :oO I am literally pulling a 5 gallon bucket of it out of thestream every other day. Can you say Yuck! Janet in humid, rainy Niagara Falls. :o) snip Right now my stream looks awful because 1) it's only half done, and 2) because of the string algae. I am trying to resist pulling the algae out. I want to see what happens. BV. |
String algae & water quality issues
Janet,
My test kit measures one drop KH is one degree of hardness or 17 ppm, which would make your KH 85 rather than 50. With your pH, you can safely add all the baking soda you want. There is a calculator at Roark's site http://www.click2roark.com/cgi-win/w...ocument=index2 which does require a logon, but it is free. I would add a pound per 1000 gallons and recheck the KH. The Kh should be at least 6 or 7 drops. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
String algae & water quality issues
Thanks Rich. My test kit (Laguna) says number of drops multiplied by 10 to
determine carbonate hardness in mg/L (ppm). At 4 drops it turned the faintest yellow so my best guess is that my KH is between 40 and 50. I never even thought of Roark's site (knocks head against wall). I guess it time really sit down and organize the bookmarks. :o) Janet in humid Niagara Falls -- "RichToyBox" wrote in message news:yO%Gc.25585$JR4.16831@attbi_s54... Janet, My test kit measures one drop KH is one degree of hardness or 17 ppm, which would make your KH 85 rather than 50. With your pH, you can safely add all the baking soda you want. There is a calculator at Roark's site http://www.click2roark.com/cgi-win/w...ocument=index2 which does require a logon, but it is free. I would add a pound per 1000 gallons and recheck the KH. The Kh should be at least 6 or 7 drops. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
String algae & water quality issues
[original post is likely clipped to save bandwidth]
On Tue, 6 Jul 2004 22:44:45 -0400, "Janet" wrote: I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... I've had great success with koi clay or Wallmart's Special Kitty" litter completely clearing waterfalls and all moving areas - see new post "Koi Clay vs Kitty Litter" gerry -- Personal home page - http://gogood.com gerry misspelled in my email address to confuse robots |
String algae & water quality issues
Hi Heather - I do only feed my lilies and Lotus (lotus are in pots on deck)
I can't turn my stream/ waterfall off as they are fed by the bio-filter that I only clean at seasons end. I have been always able to keep the algae down in the stream and waterfall by using the hose on "jet" setting , but not this year - I have never seen it like this in 10 yrs. oh well, maybe it'll slow down as the rains end Gale :~) "Heather" wrote in message . .. Another chime from an Ontarian... I was told to only fertilize lily and lotus and let the rest fend for themselves. This does seem to keep the algae down. Also if you can turn your stream off for six hours during a hot sunny day this should knock it out some. Every time I clean my filter, my stream is down so I give it a good blast with the hose set on "Jet". This has helped keep it under control. Heather Woodstock, ON "Gale Pearce" wrote in message ... Hi Janet - I was just thinking the same thing myself yesterday - I have never had the algae build-up in my stream like I have it this year - it actually causes my stream to leak. I don't notice it in the pond itself, just the stream and waterfall Gale :~) (another Ontarian) "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
String algae & water quality issues
BV, I gotta side with Gale here! ;o) This stuff is rampant this year. It's
getting so bad that we need to clean the fliter daily. It is building up in the filter itself and clogging it up! :oO I am literally pulling a 5 gallon bucket of it out of thestream every other day. Can you say Yuck! Janet in humid, rainy Niagara Falls. :o) -- "Gale Pearce" wrote in message ... Hi BV - I always considered it good stuff, although not very good looking as it is supposed to help with filtration like plants do, so in past years I've just hosed it off when it got excessive - usually a couple of times a season, but this year it builds up like a mat in the stream and on the waterfall in a few days slowing down the waterfall and plugging up the stream until it leaks over the edge. I have been pulling it out by the handfulls every 2 to 3 days - The only real difference I can think of this year has been the constant rainfall up until last week, Maybe this has been adding nutrients in large amounts that this stuff thrives on. If so, as the weather gets drier it should abate some Gale :~) "Benign Vanilla" wrote in message ... "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream snip I have been a bit neglectful of the pond lately, and yesterday I noticed my stream is filling with string algae. So far the VF and the main pond are just fine, crystal gin clear to the bottom. So I am starting to wonder...maybe SA is not so bad when in the right place? BV. |
String algae & water quality issues
Janet,
My test kit measures one drop KH is one degree of hardness or 17 ppm, which would make your KH 85 rather than 50. With your pH, you can safely add all the baking soda you want. There is a calculator at Roark's site http://www.click2roark.com/cgi-win/w...ocument=index2 which does require a logon, but it is free. I would add a pound per 1000 gallons and recheck the KH. The Kh should be at least 6 or 7 drops. -- RichToyBox http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html "Janet" wrote in message ... I am at my witt's end these days. The string algae is incredible. It's completely taken over the stream and is slowly choking out plants in the main pond. Oddly though, the VF is really not affected. I've been experimenting with the kitty litter and it's only mildly effective. It does seem to knock it back but it comes back with a vengence. We picked up a new master test kit tonight and here are my readings... PH-9 GH- 4 drops, 80 KH-5 drops, 50 ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 I know my GH and KH is low but for the life of me I can't remember the formula for adding baking soda. Can someone please offer some guidance to a very frustrated PORG. :o) Janet in warm and clear Niagara Falls. -- |
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