3 Ways To Remove Algae From Your Pond Without Harming Your Fish

Pond algae is perfectly natural and small amounts of algae is actually good for your pond as algae provides food for some of the many animals that may inhabit your pond.

However, too much algae can have a negative effect on your pond life. So, how do you remove algae from a pond without harming your fish?

Well, you can choose one of three ways to remove algae from your pond without harming the fish;

• Firstly, you can remove pond algae and debris by hand either using a rake or a pond vacuum – read more.
• Secondly, you can use pond plants to naturally counteract the algae – read more.
• Thirdly, you could use barely straw as a natural remedy for pond algae – read more.

What Is Pond Algae?

There are over 150,000 different types of algae. The more common types of algae found in UK ponds include blanket weed, green water algae and string algae.

Algae is not just one plant, but instead it is a name given to a group of plants ranging from small microalgae to large macroalgae (similar to seaweed). Algae can also come in many different colours like red, brown, green and bluish-green. Therefore, knowing the different types of algae can be challenging.

You must be careful with algae in your pond as some algae can cause massive problems. These problems could be causing your pond to change colour, create a thick layer of green growth under the surface of the water or cause green scum build up along the edges of the pond.

These problems can be difficult and troublesome as algae can lead to deoxygenation of the pond water. It is also important to note that if the conditions of the pond are a certain way, then algae can spread very quickly and this in turn can harm your pond animal life.

Having algae is not always a bad thing however. All ponds need algae of some form as a pond without algae does not equate to a healthy pond. Overall, you do not want to completely get rid of the algae in your pond, but instead find ways to control and manage the growth of the algae.

What Causes Pond Algae

There are many different causes of algae in your ponds. Although do not worry there are many ways to also remove the algae. If your pond does get algae growing in it, do not panic, most ponds will have problems with its algae at some point.

Algae thrives off ponds that are in a sunny position that does not have a lot of plants that act as shade for the pond. Algae can form for many reasons, one being that there are too many nutrients in the water.

The increase in nutrients can happen for a variety of reasons. It could happen because of a build-up of organic matter or sludge that can be found at the bottom of the pond. Another reason could be because of fertilisers are leaching into the pond. Lastly, it could be because of debris that enter ponds such as fallen leaves, weeds, and fish faeces.

Another simple reason that causes algae to grow is using the wrong water. If you use tap water to fill up your pond, then this could be a reason your algae is building up. It is recommended that you use rainwater to top-up or fill up your pond.

Identifying which algae is affecting your pond can be difficult as different species of algae have different conditions in which they thrive.

Most algae are seasonal – but this depends on the type of pond that you have. The biggest factors that can influence algae are light, temperature, the type of nutrients, presence of animal grazers and pathogens.

It is important to identify the underlying problems of what is causing your algae before you try and remove it otherwise you may find your consistently have the same issues.

How To Remove Pond Algae Without Harming Your Fish

Removing algae from your pond without harming your fish and pondlife can be challenging but with these 3 simple ways you should be able to do this. It is important to remember that some algae in your pond is normal but if you are having trouble with it, try one of these three ways.

Remove Algae and Debris

The first way to remove pond algae without harming your fish is to remove the algae and the debris in your pond. Take your garden rake and try and rake away as much of the surface algae as you can. Although be careful not to damage your pond liner by accidentally tearing it as you clear away, especially near the bottom of your pond.

You also may need to remove debris from your pond. This could include fallen leaves and dead plants that have found their way into your pond. You can use a rake to get the debris off the surface of your pond, but you may need to use a pond vacuum to get the debris off the bottom. Although if you do use a pond vacuum you need to move slowly and carefully so you do not harm your fish.

Although you may want to get rid of all your algae in your pond, not all of it is bad. So, when removing it, it is important that you leave some as long as it is not harming your fish. Having some algae in your pond can help to improve the ecosystem and how your pond works.

Use Pond Plants

The second way in which you can remove pond algae without harming your fish is to plant free floating aquatic plants.

If you are going to plant floating aquatic plants to help remove algae from your pond, then you need to ensure that 50-70% of the surface of your pond is covered. For these plants to work you need to put them directly into the pond water.

From there you need to cover the soil in aquatic plant containers. After that you place heavy gravel around them and then you put them at pond level. This allows the plant foliage to float around the surface of your pond. Some people place bricks in the pond to allow the plant container to stay at the correct level.

Free floating plants can be really helpful in removing algae. This is because the plants absorb the excess nutrients and act as shade for the algae. This can help to keep the water cool and as a result reduces the sunlight that can access the surface of the pond.

Use Barley Straw

The last way that you can remove algae from your pond without harming your fish is by using barley straw. One bundle of barley straw treats about 1,000 gallons of pond water. So, depending on your pond size you may need more than one.

Barley straw works by placing the straw on a large upside-down plastic pot. You then place this pot into the pond so that the bundle is submerged underneath the water. As the barley straw breaks down, the algae will slowly start to disappear. Barley straw breaks down when it is exposed to the sunlight and oxygen.

If you do not have a large plastic pot, then you can put your barley straw in a mesh bag that floats in your pond. The best time to put your barley straw into your pond is in early spring. You should then remove this when the straw starts to turn black (which is usually about six months later).

It is important to know that if you incorrectly use barley straw, then it can make your algae problem worse. To reduce this, you should follow these steps to try and stop this from happening.

You should apply your barley straw to your pond twice a year. This usually happens in early spring, as this is before the algae starts to grow, and then again six months later in early autumn. Also, you need to ensure that your straw is loose so it can allow water to pass through it easily.

When you put your straw in your pond you should support it by floats so that it does not submerge more than 1m below the surface. However, in small ponds, it is best to put your barley into a mesh bag and use stone or bricks to help your barley to sink.

Importantly, if your barley straw starts to smell then this is an indication that it is not working, and you should remove it. This happens if there is too much straw for the amount of water.

There is a type of algae that is hard to control once it has formed a floating mat. Filamentous algae are notorious for rapid and aggressive growth. You should rake this out first the best you can. However, to treat and prevent these algae growing you should put your barley straw in the pond around once month before it grows. This is usually around early spring.

Conclusion

In conclusion, algae is essentially a name given to a group of plants. There are over 150,000 types of algae and treating them all can be difficult.

There are three easy ways to remove algae from your pond without causing harm to your fish. These three ways are to remove the algae and debris from the pond by raking them out. Planting free-floating plants to the surface of the water to provide shade to reduce the growth of your algae. Or lastly, to use barley straw, this breaks down and causes the algae to disappear.

Any of these ways can be used to remove algae from your pond if you follow the correct steps. Ensure you follow the correct guidance, especially for barley straw, so that you do not create further damage to your pond. If you use barley straw incorrectly, you can create more issues that what you started with.