My biggest algae problem is strong sunlight in the summer, when it clings to the oxygenator, rises to the surface and becomes a bleached blob difficult to remove. Scissors is the only answer.
The smaller the pond the more the problem. Rainwater, although recommended for other reasons, comes loaded with spores. Espescially as it will have passed over some type of roof.
But the blanket weed does keep the water clear. One rarely gets both types of algae.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Well that'll learn me for not reading the instructions.
I’ve got quite the layer of sludge at the bottom of the pond, would it be ok to empty it to clear that out? I can keep hold of most of the water and I’ve got plenty of rainwater to fill back up with. No frogs or newts in there either
I use an old 1L measuring jug on the rare occasions I de-sludge. Just drag it slowly over the bottom and gently take it out of the water. Pour it beside the pond as there's sure to be invertebrates that will get back into the water. Sludge is an important part of a w/l pond so only do it if you really feel there's a need.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
With considerable success I have used Nishikoi Clear Water, a Which? best buy and a product that can be used all year round.
There is, though, a caveat. For the past few years my water lilies have performed poorly and have had looked weak. I tried all possible solutions - repotting, fertilising, getting the correct depth, using an appropriate planting medium. Nothing improved matters and so I contacted a gardening pond specialist and a retailer of pond plants and he was reasonably firmly of the view that the water treatment powder was the culprit. This year I’ll forsake additives and use instead my scoop net and the fat bottle brush attached to an extendable aluminium pole.
In the past I’ve found Blagdons Sludgebuster really good for breaking down the sludge that forms at the bottom of the pond after treating Blanketweed. It doesn’t harm the wildlife etc.
I wonder how natural ponds deal with blanket weed? You don't see many that are choked up with weed but garden ponds seem very prone to it. I've got a tiny rake head on a long handle that's great for removing blanket weed so I just use that a few times each year. I've got a big flat stone that's half in the water and I dump it all on the edge to let the bugs slither back in.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Posts
The smaller the pond the more the problem. Rainwater, although recommended for other reasons, comes loaded with spores. Espescially as it will have passed over some type of roof.
But the blanket weed does keep the water clear. One rarely gets both types of algae.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I’ve got quite the layer of sludge at the bottom of the pond, would it be ok to empty it to clear that out? I can keep hold of most of the water and I’ve got plenty of rainwater to fill back up with. No frogs or newts in there either
Just drag it slowly over the bottom and gently take it out of the water.
Pour it beside the pond as there's sure to be invertebrates that will get back into the water.
Sludge is an important part of a w/l pond so only do it if you really feel there's a need.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
There is, though, a caveat. For the past few years my water lilies have performed poorly and have had looked weak. I tried all possible solutions - repotting, fertilising, getting the correct depth, using an appropriate planting medium. Nothing improved matters and so I contacted a gardening pond specialist and a retailer of pond plants and he was reasonably firmly of the view that the water treatment powder was the culprit. This year I’ll forsake additives and use instead my scoop net and the fat bottle brush attached to an extendable aluminium pole.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.