Control and prevent algae in your pond

Thread algae, also known as filamentous algae, is a type of algae found in ponds and other bodies of water. They are long, thin threads that stick together and form a dense layer. This can give an unsightly appearance to the pond and affect water quality. Excessive growth of filamentous and floating algae can reduce oxygen levels in the water, which can be dangerous to pond fish and other aquatic organisms in the pond. Fortunately, thread algae can be controlled by properly landscaping the pond by adding enough oxygen plants to the pond and using pond substrate as the foundation of the pond, also add pond bacteria to the pond water. For more information, check out our pond planting plan.

Thread algae is a type of algae with a thread-like structure and looks like long, thin threads that are tangled together and can form a dense layer. The color of filamentous algae can range from green to brown or even reddish. It often grows in shallow areas of the pond and can give an unsightly appearance to the pond. When there is excessive growth of filamentous algae, it can also affect the water quality of the pond and reduce oxygen levels in the water, which can be dangerous to fish and other aquatic organisms in the pond.

Thread algae occurs in the pond due to a combination of factors, including excessive amounts of nutrients and sunlight in water and insufficient oxygen plants. You know you have enough oxygen plants in the pond when you choose an oxygen plant kit from us that matches the contents of your pond. When there are too many nutrients, sunlight and not enough oxygen plants in the water, these are factors that encourage the growth of filamentous algae and all kinds of other algae and cause them to expand rapidly. To keep sunlight out of the water surface, it is essential to add some water lilies to the pond, as their leaves block sunlight. Also, lilies are the perfect hiding place for all kinds of pond animals, which also directly promotes biodiversity in your garden.

Is your pond already constructed and you are suffering from a filamentous algae infestation? Then try to restore the balance with good bacteria. These single-celled organisms ensure that string algae have less chance to grow. To combat filamentous algae with pond bacteria, use our in-house developed product: Bacta Clear. A product with a unique formula, consisting of two different strains of bacteria. When administering Bacta Clear, the bacteria attach themselves to the pond substrate. The enzymes secreted by the bacteria filter the water. In this way, the water in the pond returns to balance and the filamentous algae no longer have a chance to grow. By the way, most ponds are filled with tap water. Unfortunately, this does not succeed in controlling and removing string algae, because tap water contains a lot of lime and lacks the right bacteria.

Float algae, also called phytoplankton or water bloom, is a type of algae that can occur in all types of ponds and can turn the water a murky green color. These algae float freely in the water and can multiply rapidly under favorable conditions, such as warm weather, plenty of sunlight and nutrients in the water. When they grow excessively, they can turn the water cloudy and green, preventing sunlight from penetrating the water properly. This can lead to lack of oxygen in the water and health problems for pond fish and other pond animals. It can also hinder the growth of aquatic plants . To prevent or reduce floating algae, it can help to limit the amount of nutrients in the water, maintain adequate water circulation and oxygen levels, and use adequate aquatic plants that removes nutrients from the water.

Float algae don't just appear in your pond. The biological balance that is supposed to be there is disturbed, and that provides an opportunity for these and many other types of algae such as filamentous algae. There are several factors present in the pond that need to be in balance with each other. If this is not the case, the clear water turns into an opaque green mush. This often occurs in improperly or newly constructed ponds, where the balance has not (yet) been found. The most important factor to keep an eye on if you want to control and prevent floating algae is: Oxygen plants. Make sure you plant enough growing oxygen plants in the pond. They absorb nutrients from the water, preventing floating algae from using them and thus preventing their further development and eventual death.

Introduce enough CO2 into the water. You do this by placing various types of aquatic plants that release CO2 into the water at night. Think pickerel weed or flag iris. And also choose plants that take CO2 from the air, such as water lilies and marsh plants. Another option is to add, for example in spring, good pond bacteria that promote the amount of CO2 in the water.

For quick and clear results, it is important to add pond bacteria to the pond water. Bacta Clear contains 2 different types of bacteria that ensure that the pond water becomes and remains clear. This is also important for the start-up of the pond. Simply add Bacta Clear 2x a year to the pond water by pouring the bacteria directly from the bottle into the pond.

Diatoms are a type of algae found in freshwater and saltwater environments, including ponds. They are often seen as a positive presence because they serve as an important food source for small aquatic organisms and produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Diatoms are recognizable by their glass shells, which consist of silica and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. In the pond, diatoms are often present in small numbers and have little effect on water quality. In some cases, however, diatoms can multiply in large numbers and cause what is known as a "bloom." This can negatively affect water quality and lead to murky water and oxygen depletion in the pond.

Diatoms occur

To prevent a diatom bloom, it is important to limit the amount of nutrients in the water and have a good balance of aquatic plants and bacteria in the pond, these factors are essential to keep diatoms in check.

Blue-green algae

Blue-green algae, also called cyanobacteria, are bacteria commonly found in freshwater, such as in ponds. They can be recognized by their blue-green color and usually float in large groups on the surface of the water. However, blue-green algae can produce toxins that can be dangerous to humans and animals. Excessive growth of blue-green algae can occur when there are too many nutrients in the water, such as phosphates and nitrates, and high temperatures and low water circulation. A bloom of blue-green algae can lead to oxygen depletion in the water, fish death and health problems in people and animals who come in contact with the water.

Preventing blue-green algae

To prevent a blue-green algae bloom, it is important to limit the amount of nutrients in the water by planting enough aquatic plants in the pond. It is important to choose aquatic plants with different functions. For example, oxygen plants add oxygen to the pond water, marsh plants filter the pond water with their roots, and water lilies provide shade in the pond with their large leaves, reducing the heating of the water.

Instead of asking yourself how to fight algae, you could also ask yourself how to prevent algae. You can save yourself a lot of misery with the following tips:

• Keep the water from heating up too much. Pay attention to the placement of the pond and put water lilies in the pond. the large leaves of these beautiful pond plants reduce the sun's ability to warm the water.
• Provide plenty of oxygen plants.
• Ensure adequate water hardness; algae grows well in soft water.
• Remove incipient algae growth from the pond manually, this will make it harder for the algae to spread.
• Make sure no leaves fall into the pond in the fall. When these leaves decay in the pond, they provide food for algae. A simple way to prevent this is to stretch a net over the pond in the fall.
• Make sure there are not too many fish in the pond. Too many fish produce too much waste, which also makes the pond water more nutritious for algae.

A good biological balance reduces the chance for algae to proliferate in the pond. A good biological balance depends on a number of factors. This starts, of course, with proper pond construction. Simon has developed a roadmap with the 4 most important points for pond construction and the 6 most important points for pond design. By paying attention to the right location, depth and planting and adding bacteria at the right time, you will no longer need a filter or pump and the pond will keep itself in balance.