Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Ponds, blanket weed & filters

Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
in Problem solving
As most of you know, we started up a new pond in the spring of 2017.  So this is our second summer.  We are really enjoying watching it evolve and the wild life that has arrived so far, with I am sure much more to come.  However one problem we have is blanket weed.  Our water lilies have double in size since last year (we have 3) although we haven't had very many flowers this year - just 6 or 7 altogether.  The blanket weed covers about one third of the surface of the pond and we twiddle out a huge amount each week.  However I have just read in a book called The Rock & Water Garden Expert that blanket weed will continue to cause a problem if you have a pond filter which we have.  It says that the filter will remove the free floating algae and actually encourage blanket weeds.  What we want to know is can we introduce more free floating algae naturally and how other pond owners with filters combat this continual problem.
«134

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Do you actually need the filter for a wildlife pond? Could you remove the filter, or use a less fine filter media and just run the pump?
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited June 2018
    Hi GD
    I've used Cloverleaf Blanket Answer in my fish/koi pond for many, many years.
    For me, I find within 7-14 days of treatment all the blanket weed is dead and falls to the bottom of the pond, where it needs to be removed before it rots, or you can use a sludge-buster. You'll need to clean the filter often at this stage. But once it's gone it rarely returns.
    The only pant (because of the koi) in my pond is a huge waterlily and in Spring before the lily gets going the pond has a lot of blanketweed. This time of year the lily covers 75% of the surface. The water is crystal clear throughout the season.
    The pond rarely need more than 1 treatment in a year despite changing about 10% of the water each week.
    When you first pour in the mix, the pond water looks like milk for 3-4 days, then clears over then next few days. No need to turn filter off.

    More info here - do note the bit a about how to use it if you have tadpoles etc in your pond

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Thanks for the info Pete and I have looked at the link - which so far looks very positive. We do have young newts, dragon and damsel fly larvae and probably some other vulnerable creatures. We will certainly look into this and the next hurdle will be to find a local supplier.
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    We have a filter and don't have a problem with blanket weed.  We get a bit but then we only have a relatively small pond so it's no bother to twiddle with a can occasionally.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    I could twiddle all day Yviestevie - but there are not enough hours in the day for that leisurely pastime. Our pond is quite large, and quite a high percentage of it is covered in b.w. I had to remove some of it to encourage the lily flowers to find room to open up.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited June 2018
    I get mine from Amazon GD - link here
    and for the sludge-buster - link here


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Hi Pete, I have only just seen your message - we can't buy this product locally, so it may be we will have to use Amazon too. Many thanks.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2018
    We bought some pond snails online about three years ago ... since then we've had no problem with blanket weed or duckweed ... they eat it all ... haven't had to use the Barleystraw stuff or Sludgebuster  for the past two years and the water's as clear as a bell ... I've just been laying on my tum gazing down into the pond watching frogs, newts, snails, dragonfly nymphs etc ... wonderful  :)

    But prior to that Blagdon's Barley straw extract and Sludgebuster were wonderful. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Thanks Dove, we have Barley straw and snails (although we were told our dragonflies and newts would eat them), the water is clear - we can see the bottom of the pond 3 - 4 foot deep, but the large amount blanket weed detracts from the overall effect of the pond. I do enjoy the pond, but the effort removing the darn blanket weed just spoils the over all enjoyment slightly. 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    That's interesting @Dovefromabove
    Can I ask where you got your snails please? I'd like some in my little pond 

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Sign In or Register to comment.