[mickeyboy]

hi all just wonded if there is anything i shoild be doing to my raised pond at this time of year?
There is a fir bit of weed and algi on liner and and the bottom is it worth cleaning this off while the water is clear and fish are fairly dormant... if so what is the best way of removing without harming liner or fish???
Thanks all

[Ma and Pa Snip]

Hi Mickeyboy

Can you define this 'weed/algae' that is growing on the liner a bit more for me please.

By 'Weed' ( the unfortunate word attributed to many pond plants) do you mean the hairlike growth that is a form of algae that is known as Blanket Weed.

By Algae do you mean an almost smooth looking green growth on the liner itself.

If the latter, leave it alone. If you try to clean it off the liner it will merely break up and cause an algal bloom on the water.  Green water is a common enough problem to have to deal without causing it by trying to remove fine growth on the liner.
In a way it helps make a pond look more natural by hiding the liner.

If it is the former 'Blanket Weed' then  you can either pull it out by hand or use a bamboo can to 'twirl it' round.

If it isnt excessive  then leave it alone, you may find that as we get into spring and summer the pond will develop its own natural balance.

If the problem persists or gets worse, post again and I will try to answer you in more depth.

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

One of the best "cures" for green water / algae / blanket weed is a UV filter.  I appreciate this is an expensive option and not everyone wants crystal clear water but it may be something to look into, especially if you keep Koi or similar and already have an external filter system set up that you can add the UV filter part to.

Just a thought. 

[Spana]

Cant help with the weed problem, sorry     but did notice the fish rising here yesterday so something has survived the frozen winter  

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

No orange icecubes bobbing around the pond then?!    :blink:

[Ma and Pa Snip]

One of the best "cures" for green water / algae / blanket weed is a UV filter.  I appreciate this is an expensive option and not everyone wants crystal clear water but it may be something to look into, especially if you keep Koi or similar and already have an external filter system set up that you can add the UV filter part to.

Just a thought. 

A UV filter works by water being passed over/around the ultra violet light, this is fine with regard to green water since this is caused by masses of small algae growth forming. The algae itself is microscopic in individual form and will pass through a pump that is feeding the ultra violet light.

Blanket weed is a bigger growth, and in genetic terms is very close to being a plant form. Blanket weed is not small enough to pass through a pump and therefore will not pass through a UV light whilst in a growing form, only once dead will it decay enough to do so.

UV Filters are also useful for parasitic problems.

However they need available electricity (mains voltage as I have not yet come across an effective low voltage model) and as foghorn-leghorn says they also need an effective filter on the return water feed to the pond.

[Spana]

No orange icecubes bobbing around the pond then?!    :blink:

 

I do wonder how they manage to survive such low temperatures.  I think in the 8years we've had fish I've only ever found 3 dead, that i can remember.  Suppose some might sink to the bottom tho  

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

No orange icecubes bobbing around the pond then?!    :blink:

 

I do wonder how they manage to survive such low temperatures.  I think in the 8years we've had fish I've only ever found 3 dead, that i can remember.  Suppose some might sink to the bottom tho  

Goldfish are as tough as old boots aren't they?  Gotta love em.  We've had a foot of ice on our pond this winter at times and I've not seen them for weeks on end but I was looking the other day and they all seem present and correct. 

I remember when my dad used to keep Koi, he would cover and then heat his pond throughout the winter!  Even then it used to be a nail biting moment when he uncovered the pond in spring to see which of his fish had made it.

[mickeyboy]

Hi Mickeyboy

Can you define this 'weed/algae' that is growing on the liner a bit more for me please.

By 'Weed' ( the unfortunate word attributed to many pond plants) do you mean the hairlike growth that is a form of algae that is known as Blanket Weed.

By Algae do you mean an almost smooth looking green growth on the liner itself.

If the latter, leave it alone. If you try to clean it off the liner it will merely break up and cause an algal bloom on the water.  Green water is a common enough problem to have to deal without causing it by trying to remove fine growth on the liner.
If it is the former 'Blanket Weed' then  you can either pull it out by hand or use a bamboo can to 'twirl it' round.

If it isnt excessive  then leave it alone, you may find that as we get into spring and summer the pond will develop its own natural balance.

If the problem persists or gets worse, post again and I will try to answer you in more depth.


hi there thanks for promp and helpful reponse ...
I believe it to be blanket weed mainly around the top of the pond and algae around bottom of pond. have a fairly good pump and uv light which i have tirned down and kept running over winter... however i dont think this is sufficent in summer as its an all in one pump and filter and i need to clean it every three days to keep the water half clear have a few more outputs for electric if needed.
Someone suggested adding grass carp as this would help with controlling the weed?
Only second year with the pond as this is the first winter all fish survived and look very healthy..

[Ma and Pa Snip]

hi there thanks for promp and helpful reponse ...
I believe it to be blanket weed mainly around the top of the pond and algae around bottom of pond. have a fairly good pump and uv light which i have tirned down and kept running over winter... however i dont think this is sufficent in summer as its an all in one pump and filter and i need to clean it every three days to keep the water half clear have a few more outputs for electric if needed.
Someone suggested adding grass carp as this would help with controlling the weed?
Only second year with the pond as this is the first winter all fish survived and look very healthy..

Sorry for this epistle, but it goes into detail so anyone reading it might care to get an cup of tea, or something stronger, before reading on.

last point first

Grass Carp !!!!!! Ouch.
When the blanket weed has gone (if they choose to eat that before attacking fresh young plant growth) they will destroy other plants in the pond. They are not a indigenous specie of this country and have become a pest on some waterways. Not the answer for a garden pond despite their availability in some retail outlets.

Back to UV lights, over time they lose effectiveness. The light still works but does not have the same effect as when new. The bulbs therefore need replacing before they stop working.

The other thing about a UV light is getting the correct flow of water through them.
Too fast and they dont kill off either the green water algae or any parasites which might attack the fish.
Too slow and the algae and the parasites can grow faster than the uv kills it off.

There is generally no need to leave a uv on over winter, consumes electricity to no usefull purpose.
As you enter winter, and come out of it, it is worth leaving it on to reduce the risk of parasitic infection brought on by the changes in temperature between warm days and cold nights.

I suspect the 'weed' you refer to at the bottom of the pond is probably also the onset of blanket weed.
It could of course be the inital re-growth of any oxygenating plant you put into the pond.

The risk of green water algae bloom can be reduced by giving the pond surface area some temporary cover from the sun until the natural balance created by this years growth of plants  takes effect. Anything which floats without eventually sinking will achieve this.
Don't use it unless you have to, but if you get green water then do so until natural plant cover of the surface takes place.

There are numerous products on the market for both green water algae and blanket weed, however its worth trying one of the more  'organic'  methods first.

Step one, remove as much blanket weed as you can by hand.

Step two, speak to wife/ girlfriend or whoever you know that wears tights or stockings (unless the pond is huge you only need one leg) and ask them for the next pair they ladder.

Step three, Loosely pack about half of one stocking leg with Barley straw and tie the stocking in a knot just above the straw.
You dont need a full size bale of Barley Straw, a farm would probably be cheapest place to get enough to do the job, if not then a pet store should have mini bales.

Step four, Attach a piece of non rotting string to the top of the stocking leg

Step five, place stocking leg  full of straw into pond, in a place that is accessible but not displeasing to the eye and attach the sting to something at the pond edge so that the stocking leg full of straw is retrievable. To help it soak up water quicker push it under the surface a few times.

Wait until straw sinks, this will take a few days. ( no I dont mean you have to wait by the pond til it sinks  )

Step six, once the straw has sunk, lift it back out the pond on a weekly or 2 weekly basis throughout the summer and shake it well. This is to keep introducing oxygen into the straw.

Step seven, once straw is almost disintegrated, cut open the stocking or tights leg, dump any remaining straw on the compost heap and refer to step 2 onwards

If step seven hasn't happened before winter sets in, remove it anyway and refer to step 2 onwards if you need to next year.

The above is the cheapest method to use Barley Straw, alternatively go to a specialist water garden outlet and pay through the nose for a couple of peanut bags full of their magic blanket weed barley straw that will last a couple of months. (Its not magic, its the same stuff you get from the farmer)

I hope all this is of some help

[Ma and Pa Snip]

and now I need a drink !!! 

[mickeyboy]

im sure youbdo!!!!

Thank you very much for such a comprehensive break down....

I dont have any plants in pond as i wanted to keep it as clear as poss to see the fish. I do however cover one end of the pond during the hot summer months so the fish have some shade..

Shall avoid the grass carp and try the barley straw method as per your advice.... Also intend to introduce a sturgeon i believe i have to wait til the weather warms tho..

Thanks for all your help

Mike

[Spana]

.... Also intend to introduce a sturgeon

  is that a joke or are you serious

[Ma and Pa Snip]

.... Also intend to introduce a sturgeon

  is that a joke or are you serious

Spana, 'Freshwater' sturgeon have been on retail sale for many years in the UK.
Personally I doubt many actualy survive for very long.

Unless someone is a specialist fishkeeper, or wants to become one, my advice to anyone would be stick with the varieties of the more 'hardy' species that are available for ponds, i.e. types of goldfish and maybe a  green tench, although tench can be a problem IF you have to treat other fish in the pond for disease.

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

im sure youbdo!!!!

Thank you very much for such a comprehensive break down....

I dont have any plants in pond as i wanted to keep it as clear as poss to see the fish. I do however cover one end of the pond during the hot summer months so the fish have some shade..

Shall avoid the grass carp and try the barley straw method as per your advice.... Also intend to introduce a sturgeon i believe i have to wait til the weather warms tho..

Thanks for all your help

Mike

The lack of plants in your pond will contribute to the blanket weed problem as the fish waste is not being used by any plants, thus allowing blanket weed to grow rampant as it uses all the nutrients from the fish poo.

It might be worth considering adding some marginal plants to your pond that can aid nutrient absorption without hiding your fish from view too much.  Another option is to grow plants in part of your filter system to absorb excess nutrients.