The pond goes green to begin with, then, when all the chemicals that this algae feed on in tap water are exhausted, it dies off and sinks to the bottom. Blanket weed forms over the first year or so due partly to the high level of nitrogen produced especially by fish and with the energy of direct sunlight. Fish keepers may use barley straw, barley extract, or something like water hyacinth (?) basically floating plants that multiply,grow quickly and take up nitrogen, although very hi-tec filtration would be favourite to remove the nitrogen. A pond like this, especially if shaded shouldn't have a blanket weed problem as there are no fish producing nitrogen (from the food they are fed) and the whole thing will become balanced, it takes time but it will sort itself out in a few months.
I have a small pond (bathtub) and just pull out the blanket weed by hand. I think the oxgenators don't use up many nutrients (although I could be wrong). Watercress is supposed to be a great "water conditioner" per Puddleplants and you can just buy some from a bag in the supermarket, put a few pieces in water until they root and then put them in grit in your bucket pond. Maybe in a plastic fruit container-- the kind with holes for drainage. Nice to have some greenery (the good kind) and it has little white flowers eventually and mine stayed all winter. Don't use too much though as it grows and grows.
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The pond goes green to begin with, then, when all the chemicals that this algae feed on in tap water are exhausted, it dies off and sinks to the bottom. Blanket weed forms over the first year or so due partly to the high level of nitrogen produced especially by fish and with the energy of direct sunlight. Fish keepers may use barley straw, barley extract, or something like water hyacinth (?) basically floating plants that multiply,grow quickly and take up nitrogen, although very hi-tec filtration would be favourite to remove the nitrogen. A pond like this, especially if shaded shouldn't have a blanket weed problem as there are no fish producing nitrogen (from the food they are fed) and the whole thing will become balanced, it takes time but it will sort itself out in a few months.
I have a small pond (bathtub) and just pull out the blanket weed by hand. I think the oxgenators don't use up many nutrients (although I could be wrong). Watercress is supposed to be a great "water conditioner" per Puddleplants and you can just buy some from a bag in the supermarket, put a few pieces in water until they root and then put them in grit in your bucket pond. Maybe in a plastic fruit container-- the kind with holes for drainage. Nice to have some greenery (the good kind) and it has little white flowers eventually and mine stayed all winter. Don't use too much though as it grows and grows.