The Causes and Controls
A real problem for many goldfish pond keepers is Algae and how to keep algae under control. You wake up one morning and there it is, a real “pain in the neck” that can give you headaches for months if it’s not kept under control. So what is algae, what causes algae and how can you take control of this pond water problem?
What are the two most common forms of Algae?
Plankton algae are microscopic, floating algae that gives your goldfish pond that green color, better know as “Green water Algae” or the dreaded “Pea Soup Algae”. In order to be healthy, all goldfish fish ponds need a good growth of plankton algae. However, when the plankton algae really starts to bloom in the warm summer and becomes over populated that’s when the dreaded “Pea Soup Algae” occurs which makes your water so green that you can not see your goldfish.
Filamentous algae are the worst algae of them all! Better know as pond moss, hair algae, string algae or just plain “Pond Scum”. Filamentous Algae begins growing on the bottom of your gold pond in the early spring and looks likes a green carpet on the rocks in your goldfish pond. As the green carpet grows higher it breaks away from the bottom and floats to the top causing the “pond scum”. This type of algae is of no value to the health of your goldfish pond in fact, in can actually hurt your goldfish.
How can an over growth of algae hurt my goldfish pond?
A light green algae color of your goldfish pond water will not harm your goldfishfish. In fact, it’s very healthy for your goldfish and koi pond. The problem begins when the green algae is so numerous that your goldfish pond looks like “Pea Soup”, or when your goldfish pond becomes covered with filamentous algae. Not only does this give your goldfish pond a bad appearance but it can cause serious pond water problems.
During the day the algae grows by using sunlight and carbon dioxide and the algae releases oxygen by a process know as “photosynthesis”, but at night the algae uses the oxygen in your goldfish pond water to continue to grow. Too much algae can bring the dissolved oxygen level so low that it could kill your goldfish overnight. An overnight goldfish kill due to low oxygen levels because of excessive overgrowth of algae is not uncommon.
There are three major causes of Algae Growth, what are they?
1. Too much sunlight:
Goldfish Ponds with no shade have problems with excessive algae growth especially, in the summer when the days are the longest.
You can reduce the sunlight by adding a blue dye that helps keep the sun from penetrating the water.
Add floating plants to provide shade.
A proper sized U.V will reduce the Plankton algae “pea soup” color of your pond water,
however it will do little to control the Filamentous algae.
- Too many nutrients in your goldfish pond water:
Algae thrives on nitrogen and phosphorus. And what are the sources of these two culprits? Nutrients which are caused by, goldfish waste, fish food, decaying waste like grass clippings, leaves and branches that lie in the bottom of your goldfish pond. Any run-off from land around your goldfish pond can add nitrogen and phosphorus to your pond water. All this makes great food for algae to grow.
The best way to remove nutrients from your pond water is by using a “natural bacteria” like Aqua Meds Sludge Remover which quickly breaks down and digests
organic waste in your pond. The natural bacteria in Aqua Meds Sludge Remover actually uses all the “sludge” in your goldfish pond as a food source and clears your goldfish pond with NO Chemicals and is very safe for your goldfish and wildlife.
Stopping the “run off” from the land around your goldfish pond with a barrier to protect your pond water from nitrogen, phosphorus and dangerous pesticides will really improve the quality of your goldfish pond water and reduce algae growth.
Low oxygen levels in your goldfish pond water:
Low oxygen levels are caused by the amount of oxygen it takes to break down the waste in your goldfish pond which is cause by goldfish waste, fish food and other decaying waste that lie on the bottom of your pond. However, this is not the only cause. Algae can be a big cause of low oxygen because of its life cycle. When algae dies it produces dead vegetation which causes even more oxygen depletion.
A goldfish pond depleted of oxygen will “come alive” when you add the proper aeration to the pond water! Plenty of pond water aeration is algae’s number one enemy!
Plus, aeration will greatly enhance the growth of the “good bacteria” in your goldfish pond which will help keep your goldfish happy and healthy.
solving your algae problem with the use of non-chemical
methods is much safer and much less stressful on your fish. Getting a “head start” on your algae in the spring, by following the above natural methods before it becomes a problem, is the secret of success.