Algae problem

[Jaxom_Ruatha]

Okay, so I don't want to use chemicals, I doubt that plecos would work since I have no indoor aquariums.

So is there any type of fish/water creatures that would do fine in an outdoor pond with a few comets/common goldfish that would eat the string algae?

If not then what is this barley straw pellet stuff? What do you do with it?

 

[TCTFish]

Hi fin banded cats (loach actually) are nice looking fish that survive the winters. They eat hair algae. Also, I hear that American Flag fish are good at eating hair algae. They may or may not be able to keep up with the growth rate of the algae. The barley straw will help. The mats can go right in. The pellets may need to go into a filter bag and put in the filter or dangled in the pond where water can flow through. An alternative method...

There's a bio based additive called Blanket Out by Cell Pharm. Environmentally friendly which means safe for everything. The bio it is made of tricks the algae cell into killing itself. It's very specific in targeting algae and nothing else. It's effectiveness takes awhile to build (there is a series of doses that have to be made), but once it gets going, does excellent. The more algae it needs to work on, the longer it will take to kick in, but it's worth it from what my customers tell me.

 

[SoylentGrundy]

I've had success with S.A.T. (String Algae Treatment). It's a bacterial treatment for string algae. You could try that.

 

[Jaxom_Ruatha]

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into your suggested treatments.

Are these the hi fin banded cats you were suggesting? http://www.csupomona.edu/~jskoga/Aquariums/myxocyprinus/myxocyprinus.html I don't think they'd like living in a 500 gallon pond if they get to be three feet long.

The American Flag Fish seemed perfect, but I don't think they'd survive they winter here where it gets as low as 30 degrees farenhiet. and I found out that, "American flag fish are also said to eat hair algae but cannot survive below about 50 degrees F."

 

[frog girl]

Jaxom I am facing this same dillema. I am trying to control algae this year with nutrient removal more shade & perhaps a vegetative filter. I know most people say plecos won't survive the winter but I have read a post from someone up north who has successfully overwintered them in ponds with ice cover. Sorry can't remember the source but you might try a search & corresponding with the person.

I looked up the banded hi fin cat too but it gets soo huge. Rosey Barbs are also supposed to be good at eating hair algae & I have toyed with the idea of keeping them in a movable net so they could graze one section of the pond at a time. That way you could easily take them back to your LFS at the begining of winter.

 

[Jaxom_Ruatha]

That is a good Idea, but I am not sure if I'd want that kind of look in my pond especially when it's main purpose is to be a relaxing sight. But if you were to do that, why not just get a banded high fin cat and just return it when it gets too big? Personally I would get too attached most likely.

 

[frog girl]

Yeah I am more into the pond as a habitat so I don't mind too much. Last year I was raising tadpoles & had a cage floating around in it all summer. I think my pond will always be a work in progress.

Can you imagine returning a 2-3 ft. heavy bodied fish to a pet store when it had started out only a few inches long 8O . I think you would have to euthanize it if you wanted to get rid of it or maybe try to pawn it off on a large public aquarium. Besides I have breeding pupfish in my pond in the summer so it would be nice to know that the algae grazers where not eating their eggs.

 

[Jaxom_Ruatha]

LOL, yah I see your point. So far (the past year) my pond has been a work in progress also. I just hope I complete it some day. :?

 

[frog girl]

Don't worry Jaxom. Even if its always a work in progress it will get more beautiful every year as your lilies multiply & mature & your landscaping too. I will post a pick of my pond this summer when it really looks cool. Right now its in winter mode (still looks cool but not as glorious).

 

[Jaxom_Ruatha]

Okay so the algae has dropped to a bearable level, but now hair algae is strangling my water plants. How do you guys keep the algae off of your plants?

By the way I have almost given up hope that there are any algae eating fish out there that can survive in my pond. Which is located in the zone 8B of Oregon (in the USA), and still suprisingly every fish I have tried has died. But there are a few I would like to try. Does anyone know if any of the following water creatures would be compatible with dojos, goldfish, and mosquito fish and could stand minimum temperatures of around 40 farenheit: Amano Shrimp, Bumble Bee Shrimp, Pingi Logsucker, or Trap Door Snails?

 

[Guest]

Barley...
Straw...
Pellets!

100% natural, no man-made chemicals. They have natural chemicals produced within the Barley plant. These chemicals do something pretty good to break down string/hair algae. I hear they also work on green water, but I don't have that problem, so no exp. with it. My fish thrive. All my plants (submerged, lillies, and marginals) thrive. Only the algae is affected. The barley doesn't get completely rid of it, but reduces it to a great degree. I recommend them highly.

If not then what is this barley straw pellet stuff? What do you do with it?

Follow the directions on the bag, sprinkle the pellets here, there, and everywhere throughout the pond. The pellets are light brown, and darken as they break down. At first they just look like pebbles in the pond, then they pretty much blend in with the liner color.

I apply them in the early spring (pretty soon), then again in mid summer.

The small amount of algae that does grow, I remove when trimming off dying liliy leaves.

 

[Jaxom_Ruatha]

I am hesitant about using barley, because I am afraid I might accidentally overdose and I don't want to kill any of my plants or fish. But seeing as how highly reccomended it is, I guess it is my best option. But still it would be nice if any of you know whether or not the amano shrimp, bumble bee shrimp, Pingi Logsucker, or the Trapdoor snails (Question: Are these the same things as Mystery Snails?) could live with goldfish and dojos/weather loaches.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Fishinapond]

tadpoles (toad and frog) seem to work well for me. I see them hovering around a green tinted rock and when I go back it's sparkly clean.