Algae In Garden Pond

By taking the following measures you can prevent the growth of excess algae and enjoy the beneficial effects of the algae, which should be in any pond: Excessive algae growth or even green water is always caused by a surplus of nutrients. Avoiding excess nutrients in the water is the best prevention measure. This starts with the design and construction of the pond. We hope you started off correctly and did not use over-rich plant substrate such as garden soil, but instead used the low-nutrient pond soil available from pond suppliers. The edge of the pond should also be 5-10 cm above the level of the surrounding garden to avoid fertiliser seeping into the pond.

The introduction of algae nutrients can be kept to a minimum by feeding the pond fish with a balanced range of feed which meets the nutritional requirements of the fish in the different seasons i.e. the PRO NATURE CONCEPT from JBL. All you need is the right “touch” when judging the correct amount of feed to give, do not be over-generous. Give your fish as much feed as they can consume completely in about 5-10 minutes.

Provide the algae with competition for nutrients by planting as many aquatic plants as possible e.g. curly pond weed. Encourage the growth of the underwater plants by adding the fertiliser JBL Ferolon, which is free of algae nutrients such as phosphates or nitrates.

By using the JBL products Humovit and Pro Pond 6 with black peat algae growth can be avoided. These products also add a slightly yellowish hue to the water, filtering the light to the disadvantage of the algae.

JBL Clerolon can be used to remove any green discoloration of the pond water (water bloom) caused by a massive increase in floating algae. This preparation causes the algae to form clumps, which sink to the bottom of the pond or can be removed by the pond filter (clean frequently). The causes of excess nutrients, which lead to water bloom, must be removed naturally. JBL PondClear is a special filter material, which binds all excess algae nutrients such as nitrate, nitrite and phosphate. Simply place one or more net bags of JBL PondClear in your pond filter or in a position with good water flow (e.g. the course of a stream). JBL PondClear remains effective for about 3 months, after which time it should be replaced.

A very smart method of removing green water, or preventing it occurring at all, is to use the UVC algae clarifier, JBL AquaCristal UV-C. This device operates on the physical principle of UV-C rays, and does not alter the pond water with additives in any way. It is recommended for use in conjunction with a JBL PondBio 6000 or 12000 pond filter. If excess thread algae forms a blanket on the pond, it can be easily removed with a pond net.

As a last resort, algae-eliminating preparations such as JBLAIgoIon can be used. However, these should only be applied in an absolute emergency, as the causes are not rectified and the dead algae may add further pollution to the water.