Algae in pond

[stoneydee]

I haven't added any marginals to my 160 gallon pre-form yet this spring. I have some floaters (water hyacinth and azolla) but they take up probably less than 40% of the water surface right now. So I have algae. I've toyed with the idea of adding a pleco to the pond (water temp is holding at 62 degrees F right now), but I know I'd have to overwinter it in a tank in the house, and that would mean buying another pretty large tank. Adding tanks in the house has gotten to be an issue, because it's getting to the point where I'd have to get rid of furniture to do it (I have a small house).

I know I can use an aglacide, like Accu Clear, but the longer I'm in the hobby, the more I hate adding chemicals to water in tanks or the pond. I am wondering if a pleco could overwinter in a rubbermaid tub (with filtration, of course) in the house, as many fancy goldfish fanatics do when they run out of "up on a stand" space. Or would it just be better to go ahead and use some algacide till I get all the plants in?

[RogerMcAllen]

The tub will work.

http://www.worldwise.com/durbar.html

Durabarrels. Plastic 1/2 whiskey barrels, look very realistic, no liner required. I love them. Use as Planters, mini water gardens, and you can bring them in and overwinter stuff too. I overwinter a tropical water lilly every year in a Durabarrel. I think I paid 30 bucks each for them at HD. I have 4.

Ok, back to your algae issue, have you tried barley straw? it works to get rid of most string/hair, greenwater algaes, but it takes a while to get working strong (like a month or more). I've ordered some barley straw pellet things, going to try them this year instead of the straw. No chemicals this way, all natural.

[stoneydee]

No I haven't tried barley straw. . . where are you getting it? I'm open to anything natural. Thanks for the idea about the durabarrels.

Pond supply places sell barley straw, but its in tiny bales for too much money (Idon't recall size or price offhand, sorry). I was lucky, when I first learned about barley straw, I called some farm supply places near me. One of them had full-size bales for cheap, real cheap (again, not sure what I paid, I'm thinking roughly 5 bucks). That much straw lasted me several years, I would still be using the same bale, but my shed got a leak, and the straw got moldy. I live in suburbia, so sadly, that farm place has gone out of business. I haven't been able to locate anymore places that sell whole bales of barley straw, just wheat straw. that's why this year I ordered the barley pellets (Drs. foster&Smith). Haven't received them yet, let alone tried them. I've also seen barley straw liquid extract online at pond supply places. As I have not tried these things, I can't say if they work or not. Good luck, hope you can find some in your area.

[stoneydee]

Thanks for the information. Now, back to the pleco. . . I've seen pond posts before where people say don't put a pleco in a pond - even though they can survive and grow, it's not the optimum environment for them. I've also read that plecos need to have driftwood in their diets. . . how do you do that in a pond without taking your pH dangerously low? I have five goldfish in the pond, and I know they can take a pH as low as 6.4, but they are more comfortable with a higher pH.