Pond Algae, Murky Ponds and Clearwater Pond Articles

Almost every fish pond will go green and murky in warm water high sunlight conditions. The reason is that fish waste makes great plant fertilizer. Because algae are plants (albeit tiny) they grow profusely if the algae are provided with have lots of nutrients or fertilizer especially if water is warm and there is lots of sunshine for photosynthesis. If your pond is murky, or like pea soup then you need an UVC or ultra violet light clarifier. Don't be tempted to use chemicals ... if they work they work for a short time only and create other problems. If you keep heavy fish stocks your murky pond water problem will be worse. Plants help to a limited extent.

Ultra violet light in conjunction with fish pond filters make the difference between success and failure in water garden projects. A Bio Filter and UV is essential in any water garden project involving gold fish or koi ... the easiest to install are the combined units

Pond algae introduction

Pond algae appear as suspended minute blobs causing green pond water. Pond algae also attach themselves to all surfaces in the pond. The worst pond algae grow in long slimy clumps called string algae or blanket weed. Ponds will always have pond algae in one form or another. Dealing with them is important. The good pond algae extends over all the sides and other fish pond surfaces. This type of pond algae grows to about 2 cm ( almost 1) in length. It becomes a haven for microscopic life on which the fish feed happily. It remains this length and is an asset in the pond. Do not try to remove this type of pond algae.

Introduction to pond algae

The UVC and The end of green murky Fish Pond water.

Crystal clear pond water is guaranteed when an aqua ultraviolet pond unit is used in conjunction with a biofilter to kill fish pond algae. It is important to choose the correct uv wattage to match your fish ponds conditions. More fish, more sun means a bigger aqua ultraviolet, uv or ultra violet light unit for effective pond algae control is needed. Only suspended types of algae are effected by ultraviolet light.

More about controlling pond algae

Facts About Ultra Violet Light In Ponds

Ultraviolet light takes full control of green pond algae. That is all it does but it does it extremely well and with total reliability. No fish pond should be without an uv clarifier. No more pea soup fish ponds. The power of uv pond filters as some people call it or rather ultraviolet light as it is more accurately known is a real advantage for the pond keeper. Blue ultraviolet light is generated at a particular wavelength. It is a natural phenomenon and is one of the reasons we get sunburned on the beach.

UV clarifier or sterilizer is one of best pond inventions ever

Fish Ponds and Green Algae .. Take Control. Use Combined UV and Biofilter

Algae Isnt Bad, Is It? Algae can be either beneficial or detrimental to a pond, depending on the owners viewpoint. Algae provide nutrients for newly hatched fry, and indirectly act as a color enhancer. As algae grow in a pond, a population of zooplankton will also develop, on which the fish feed. These natural live feeds help develop the intense coloration desired in most koi. Unfortunately, algae blooms prevent viewing the fish so that sick fish can go undetected for days or even weeks.

Use a combined UV and bio filter unit for guaranteed crystal clear pond water

Pond algae blooms oxygen and carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide pond problems can be controlled by waterfalls, aeration and uv sterilizer lights. Carbon dioxide in pond water results from a number of sources including: 1. waste products decaying at the bottom of the pond ... 2. respiration by pond inhabitants .... fish, insects, plants, algae, Of course all of us think first and foremost of oxygen in pond water as being essential and of course this is very true. Carbon dioxide is also of critical importance. Oxygen and carbon dioxide also work in concert with each other.

This is why ponds go murky and you need to be careful of dense algae blooms

How To Specify UV Clarifier (UVC) or UV Sterilizer

Pond volume, stock density and sunlight intensity is required to specify correctly the size of the Ultra violet (UV) light you need to prevent algae making your pond go green ... For a pond of around 250 gallons in full sun and highly stocked a 4 watt UV will do the job. This will also be big enough for a pond with very few fish and situated in the shade of 700 gallons. This assumes the UV comes equipped with a quartz tube to ensure the UV runs at peak efficiency.

The UV you need depends upon pond volume, fish density and sunlight

Blanket-weed or blanketweed string algae in your pond? ... possible new approaches

The information below was sent to me by John Kinross of the School Of Life Sciences, Napier University, Edinburgh and John has given me permission to publish it. John is an authority on pond algae as you will see by visiting his site. It was in response to a question I posed asking for the latest information on possible blanket weed or blanket weed solutions for ponds. John is without doubt an authority on all matters to do with algae as you will quickly gather by visiting his site. This is John Kinross's reply ..

The scourge of many fish ponds ... blanket-weed

Pond algae on sides of ponds is not blanketweed

ALGAE ON SIDES OF POND IS NORMAL ... Two readers on the same day posed the same question. Both were concerned about algae growing on side of the ponds. They wanted to know how to get rid of it. The answer was very simple ... you cannot get rid of it permanently; and more importantly you do not want to get rid of it either. All garden ponds develop a growth of green algae on pond surfaces ... this includes walls, pumps, pipes, stones on bottom of pond and so on.

Algae on sides of pond is not blanketweed

Ozone as Pond Algae Destroyer

UV sterilizers are not the same as UV clarifiers. Johnnie Schwarz again posed an interesting question about ozone as a bactericide and as algae destroyer. A question on UV's not related to a pond. I understand how they work in a pond and agree on your audio as you described it. My Hot Tub (spa) has a UV system. They say it does kill harmful bacteria. The also say by using the UV in the hot tub I will use less chemicals which is always good. This UV is called an O3 Ozinator. Water does not pass over it. They say it lasts for 5 years not 1 year like a pond UV.

Ozone in ponds to kill bacteria

Maintenance ultraviolet light sterilizers (uv pond filters) needed once per year.

Ultraviolet light pond clarifiers or sterilizers will give you guaranteed clear water so long as the ultraviolet light sterilizers source is changed once per year to ensure good algae control. The quartz tube should also be cleaned annually. Pond algae control using uv sterilizer gives clear water. Pond algae control using uv sterilizers pond lights is simple and absolute. However the uv sterilizers lamp has a finite life of around 8,000 hours. After this length of operating time uv pond filters as they are sometimes called stop radiating ultraviolet light.

You only need maintain an UVC once per year