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Nelson Water Gardens
1502 Katy Fort Bend Co. Rd.
Katy, Texas 77493
Office: (281) 391-4769
Fax: (281) 391-8626
HOURS:
Sunday Hours: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Monday-Saturday: 9:00am - 6:00pm |
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Anita Says... |
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More Thoughts on Algae
Posted on: Wednesday, January 17, 2007
It has always frustrated me that no one has ever been able to sum up algae control in one succinct sentence. Well actually there is one, the highly unsatisfactory "be patient". Doesn't work for me does it work for you? We all want to solve the problem immediately. In the past two newsletters we've discussed several strategies for algae control. In this newsletter let's look at what's going on in the pond. To do this here are some metaphors and analogies to help communicate, without a lot of scientific terms, the dynamics of a pond ecosystem.
"Most people stock their ponds as if they were trying to maintain a herd of cows in their backyard." Pretty dramatic huh? But it's true! For the most part water gardeners grossly overstock their ponds with fish. Is this OK? Can this be done? Absolutely! But you,ve got to give Mother Nature a hand and that's where Filters, UV Clarifiers and/or Aeration systems come in.
"Underfiltering your pond is like trying to vacuum your house with a dustbuster." This is true, you can clean your house with a dustbuster but you'll have to work harder and longer to get the job done. Same with a small filter system. Futhermore, it has been our experience over the past 20 years that most filter manufacturers grossly overstate their filters capacity. If your budget allows spend the extra money for a larger system. Do it, you'll never regret it.
"If you think a fish will eat the algae in your pond then you'll need a humpback whale in the backyard" Newsflash! Fish do not eat algae in any significant amounts. In fact, fish are little fertilizer factories---and you are the one supplying the fertilizer! (in the form of fish food.)
"Most people react to green water as though the Swamp Thing had invaded their pond." There is no need to panic, drain the pond and start all over when the pond goes green. As I stated last summer it is the equivalent of stopping in the middle of a marathon and starting over. What have you accomplished? Expending a lot of energy and frustration, that's all. When you are at the green water point you are halfway there!
"If algae can grow on eyeglasses and under the ice in Antartica why do you think it won't grow in your pond?" Algae is a very opportunistic plant and will grow wherever it finds a toehold. But algae cannot compete with plants. Wherever there are high populations of plants, algae can't grow.
One last thought..."Ponds are like children, each is unique and special, and just as children grow and change so do ponds." That's why there is no magic pill that takes the problem away. You've just got to be patient and try these strategies!
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