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Post by blackrose on Apr 11, 2007 20:23:10 GMT
my wee pond seems to be doing ok with quite a few bugs now living in it but I think there may be too much algae it even covers the water soldier and Mr Snail is trailing it behind him at times, is it ok to use chemicals to clear it a bit without disturbing the wildlife that has came to stay. Water boatmen etc
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2007 20:27:29 GMT
I would say no CB - it's not unusual for ponds to go green at this time of year - the little creatures won't mind at all, it's us humans that prefer to see crystal clear water. Once your plants have settle in and become more established the algae will soon go.  |
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Post by madonplants on Apr 12, 2007 18:43:17 GMT
I would agree with Rita. If you can try and remove some by hand I would do, but leave it by the edge to allow any critters to come out and go back in. You could try some barley straw, which helps as it releases chemicals that inhibit the growth of algae. You need to suspend it below th ewater surface or actually I think you can get it in liquid form now from aquatic dealers. I have the same problem in my new pond. I just take out as much as I can, but know, once the lillies are up, things will settle down. Mine will get better, once I get a filter rigged up, but without a filter, ponds can take upto 3 years to settle. Something Charlie Dimmock said years ago on one of her wildlife programmes and she should know!!!
Is the lily coming up, yet, mine are starting to get near to the surface. Any more photos?? Sorry I missed this last night, was watching the footie and littlun was throwing up. Probably too much chocolate!!
Keith
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Post by andy on Apr 12, 2007 18:55:21 GMT
I use cloverleaf blanketweed answer on both my main koi pond and my ornamental pond.
It is a white powder and turns the pond white for a week but my god did it get rid of the blanketweed for the whole season
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2007 20:39:00 GMT
CB are you talking about green water or blanket weed?  |
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Post by madonplants on Apr 12, 2007 20:49:41 GMT
Andy, how does this stuff work? Some products kill the weed and it falls to the bottom to be taken out by a filter. If you don't have a filter, will the dead weed fall to the bottom, decay and cause algae again, so need more product?
Thanks in advance.
Keith
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Post by blackrose on Apr 15, 2007 7:44:30 GMT
Hi folks just came in, thanks for the response.
Rita I'm not that sure, initially I thought it was just silt that had settled but when I went to brush off the soldier it was a bit slimey and the leaves of the soldier were starting to decay a bit. it is also trailing from the shell of the big snail in there, I have now added more snails to try and munch through it. Some of the oxyweed is dying off too. My water mint isn't doing too good but everything else seems fine.
The lilly is on its way to the surface.
I had even thought of draining it and digging it out a bit deeper, it doesn't look as deep as it was when dug out.
Will go and get some pics.
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Post by blackrose on Apr 15, 2007 8:32:03 GMT
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Post by madonplants on Apr 15, 2007 10:42:03 GMT
Looks not bad CB. Don't dig it again, it just needs time. That lily coming up will help and regarding the oxy weed, some species do better than others, so you may have to try something else if it doesn't do well. Give it a few months and see how it goes. My mint doesn't look brill either, give it time, Rome wasn't built in a day!! Wait for the spring to really kick in, then re-evaluate, if things are not doing too well. If they aren't replace with somethng else. I couldn't grow Mare's tail in a previous pond, but here it is doing OK. Then there is the Starwort that gets eaten by the fish in the big pond, but is rampant in the tub garden.
Stick with it and thanks for the pics!
Keith
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Post by madonplants on Apr 17, 2007 12:23:13 GMT
Well Andy, how does that Cloverleaf stuff work, I am intrigued? It states it is not a chemical, but at £15.99 for 2000 gallons, it sounds expensive? Keith |
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Post by andy on Apr 17, 2007 13:04:33 GMT
Don't know how it works keith but it works goooooood.
With all chemical algicides (and i include cloverleaf in that). it's always benificial to remove as much of the blanketweed as possible.
Otherwise, when the BW dies off, it will decompose. Now this generally isn't a problem but the decomposition process removes loads of oxygen from the water and therefore reduces pH.
There's a thread going on a koi forum about it and everyone is pretty impressed (it's one of those websites that won't let you link direct to threads). The owner of Gatwick koi in sussex said nearly all his customers were using it and all were very satisfied.
Personally, £16 for a year of blanketweed free ponds is an absolute bargain
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Post by madonplants on Apr 17, 2007 13:32:46 GMT
Don't know how it works keith but it works goooooood. With all chemical algicides (and i include cloverleaf in that). it's always benificial to remove as much of the blanketweed as possible. Otherwise, when the BW dies off, it will decompose. Now this generally isn't a problem but the decomposition process removes loads of oxygen from the water and therefore reduces pH. There's a thread going on a koi forum about it and everyone is pretty impressed (it's one of those websites that won't let you link direct to threads). The owner of Gatwick koi in sussex said nearly all his customers were using it and all were very satisfied. Personally, £16 for a year of blanketweed free ponds is an absolute bargain Thanks Andy. Atm I don't have a filter, so if I were to use it, would I then have to take the 'dead' stuff out, before it poluted the water. I know in koi ponds with venturis and waterfalls the oxygen should get replenished, so was just wondering how does it effect ponds without filters? In koi ponds do you have to keep using it throughout the year? Sorry to ping this up earlier, just thought you must have missed my question!! Thanks again, Andy. Keith |
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