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Hello,
I've set up my first pond and it is a small one. 100 gal.
I'm having a problem with the green algae (pea soup). I've
been using Pond Care Algae Fix at times double dose with little
or no results. I've tried the water changes from doing only
10% to doing 60%. I do have some live plants with no fertilizer
spikes.
The filter is one that can
handle up to 450 gal. at one ft. high and is cleaned every
3-5 days. The fish are doing fine but I would like to see
them more than at feeding time. I used to feed 2-3 times a
day (very small amounts but have cut back to once a day (
larger amount). The pond is in mostly sun but now I have been
putting up an umbrella to cut back on the sunlight to only
late in the day. Still I can't see more than 3" into
the pond.
I am on city water. Geneva,
IL.
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Please
Well, there's no question that your bioconverter is working.
Ammonia from your fish is being converted to nitrite and then
to nitrate, which is feeding that algae. The small size of your
pond and the abundance of sun all contribute.
Chemicals do not, in general, work
for this problem, and will build up to toxic levels if frequent
water changes are not done. The most effective anti-algae
treatment available these days is a high-intensity ultra-violet
light source. Water from your filter is piped through the
UV device on its way back to the pond, and the algae dies.
This will not work on string algae (AKA blanket weed, hair
algae), which is a whole 'nother problem.
A number of companies have very nice canister
filters for small ponds with UV integrated into the system.
One of those may be just what you need.
Bob
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