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Pond algae
I have a pond which I built last year, about 800 gallons, in a very open
part of our yard in Southern California = a lot of sunlight. The
surface is at least 70% covered with water hyacinth and water lilies,
and I've tried to grow as many submerged plants as possible, the most
successful being large Vallisneria (I thought it was Sagittaria but
according to what I read Sag doesn't grow to 2-3 feet long. The water
temperature is currently around 80 F. It has 8 Golden Orfe &' or so,
and around 25 goldfish totalling some 100" at a guess. It is 2' deep.
I thought that with the surface coverage I have, and the submerged
plants I should not have any algae problems. In fact the water is
always very clear, but there is algae growth over the bottom, over the
plants, the posts etc. that looks like it starts as blue-green and then
develops masses of bubbles, attracts debris, dirt etc, and starts to
drift to the surface, where it forms 'blobs'. I fish them out daily -
If I stir one it breaks up into many small brown 'dirt' particles that
disperse. There is also 'proper' blue-green slimy algae that sometimes
drifts to the surface, and some plants have this on them, and this type
of algae also collects beneath the water lily leaves in large volumes
and then drifts out.
I have a large 2.5' x 1' x 9" sponge filter on the pump intake part of
which goes to a waterfall and part recirculates.
My guess is that there's too many phosphates or fish or decaying plant
matter. Does anyone have any suggestions how to stop this algae?
carpe diem
Peter