The Top 6 Algae FAQ’s, and Answers to Them

1. Q: What is string algae?
A: It’s a natural plant that feeds off of ammonia and excess nutrient loads in water.

2. Q: How do you get rid of string algae?
A: By cultivating a balanced ecosystem you can control algae, but you won’t ever eliminate it. That’s right, you’ll never have an algae-free pond, but if you have a good circulation/filtration system, a sufficient amount of aquatic plants to compete for nutrition and sunlight with the algae, and plenty of aerobic bacteria to transform debris into plant nutrition, you’ll have crystal clear water courtesy of Mother Nature.

3. Q: Should my pond to be totally algae-free?
A: Algae is part of Nature and you should expect it to be a guest in your garden pond, to a certain degree. What you don’t want is for algae to become emboldened and to go for a hostile takeover of your garden pond. And that possibility is balanced by forcing the algae to compete for nutrition with lots of other plants that you find pleasing and desirable. But a totally algae-covered pond should definitely not be your goal.

4. Q: Should I add string algae prevention products regularly to keep my pond clean?
A: This one’s up to you. Adding such products on a consistent basis will keep your string algae down, but it will also add to the water hardness and could possibly cause scale buildup. Overall, it should be unnecessary to add anything on a regular basis if you’ve created a healthy ecosystem. If for some reason you have a real problem pond, you may want to consider using a good strong brand of flocculent.

5. Q: I used an algaecide, and one day later my fish were dead. What should I do?
A: The use of any algaecide can be dangerous to the aquatic life in the pond. It’s not so much the actual product that’s harmful, but the decaying algae. As algae dies, it sinks to the bottom of the pond where it begins a biodegrading process, which requires lots of oxygen. In severe cases, this may starve the other living organisms of needed oxygen.

6. What about UV sterilizers in the pond? I’m told these clear up problem ponds.
A: As of the fall of 2007 an alternative to UV sterilizers were introduced to the market. Known as Magic Mats, they’re basically conventional filter mats that have been specially treated with a substance that produces the same result as a UV sterilizer, but they’re vastly simpler, vastly more eco-friendly, and vastly easier on your pocket book. They also carry a three year warrantee, can be easily placed into your skimmer box, and all the water that passes through them gets treated and they work wonders in problematic garden ponds.