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  • Results 1 to 19 of 19

    Thread: Free floating algae particles

    1. #1
      nilesh's Avatar
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      Free floating algae particles

      With the temps in the low 90s my water is not green but there are tons of free floating tiny algae particles. I can only see my koi about 3 feet and the total depth is 7 feet.

      The evo 55 is controlling the green water but my seive and mc-50 cant keep up with these particles. I normally scoop about 4 cups of algae out of the seive once a week.

      Should I just let this one ride out for the summer? Fish seem to be happy

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    2. #2
      vipertom1970 is offline Senior Member
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      Same problem here in So Cal, those free floating algae break apart when you touch them. with my air on they move to the two corners of my pond then I skim them with the 5 gallon bucket and feed plants.

    3. #3
      jimmyjammer is offline Senior Member
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      I heard about people putting quilt batting in their skimmers I have never done this but wondering if that would help.

    4. #4
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      Quote Originally Posted by vipertom1970 View Post
      Same problem here in So Cal, those free floating algae break apart when you touch them. with my air on they move to the two corners of my pond then I skim them with the 5 gallon bucket and feed plants.
      I bought this, works awesome and the price is right! http://www.lochnesswatergardens.com/...y-skimmer.html Funny, I had been doing the 5 gallon bucket as well.

    5. #5
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      Here in Pa. I'm taking algae out of my sieve the size of a large cantaloupe every other day. This is just a Partial scoop from two days.
      Attached Images Attached Images  

    6. #6
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      Wow why do u think your getting so much to much sun?

    7. #7
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      My pond is in full sun most of the day

    8. #8
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      Maybe some shade will help nilesh, several people here have posted about shade sails. I have morning sun and shade by mid day and I don't really have algae problems... I do have organics from my shade trees, but that is another story.

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    9. #9
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      Actually, it really doesn't make that much difference whether you have full or partial sun or even shade. I actually get more string-type algae in my totally shaded qtank than I do in the main poind which, during the middle of the day, is in roughly 65-75% sun. I too have had this algae Nilesh is talking about. One dose of Alagaefix and it hasn't come back. I know, some don't like it or want to put chemicals in their pond, but I've NEVER had one single problem with using the Algaefix. I think most who have stated problems are probably not "positive" about the total gallons in their systems and therefore, over/under dose. Like with anything chemical, knowing your actual gallons in the system and not giving it an "approximate" is paramount to success. Can you imagine the ramifications if this was PP?!?
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    10. #10
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      I have algae fix on hand and have dosed small amounts of PP...some improvements were noticed but still cant see my bottom drain

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    11. #11
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      Here's what I use.

      http://www.zingerseries.com/
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    12. #12
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      Also you need lots of aeration when using Algaefix, and you need to net out or otherwise get out the dead algae as soon as you can. The filter will take care of the rest, and then clean the filter in 3 days.
      The other problem people can have is that dead algae uses up a lot of oxygen, so don't use it on hot days, tons of aeration and pull out as much dead algae as possible.

      I had that floating particle algae, so much that it looked like green pea soup algae, but when you took some water out in a glass it was clear, but with tiny to small clumps of algae. It's a slimy kind, I think it's blanket algae, the kind that floats in islands in a lot of ponds, and was like that in my old pond, but I have so much current and air that it doesn't get to congregate into larger clumps and float, so it instead flows around as little bits.

      3rd day into Algaefix treatment and I can see almost 4' down in a 5' foot pond. Three days ago it was about 8" of visibility.
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    13. #13
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      Just a quick update: As the temps got cooler, the water clarity progressively got a lot better within a weeks time. This only lasted about 2 weeks, and not the entire pond wall surface is coated in green algae. I know this is good algae that the koi love to eat. The seive does pick up alot of this bright green algae. Due to all of this algae growth, the water clarity is slowly going back to what i had orginally.

      My future plan is to add 2 S/G filters during the winter months, so hopefully, this will solve this clarity issue

    14. #14
      thefishlady is offline Senior Member
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      Wow, can I ask a candid question? Do you all have UV's? Also, I really do not recommend using any algaecide, listen to Mother Nature first. Algae is the result of either too many fish, too much food, poor maintenance, filters too small, UV, water changes not performed on a regular basis and basically too high content of nutrients. Algae can exist because of it, reduce where you can, increase filtration a/o flow - oxygen and turn off your darn UV's to allow the essential micro-organisms to live, survive and proliferate. They have a symbiotic relationship with the beneficial bacteria, take them out of the equation and your system will never be right. Also check your KH asap.

    15. #15
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      Most UV filters used on Koi ponds are not strong enough to kill bacteria.

      What KH do you recommend to reduce algae. I've not heard of a relationship between algae growth and KH, could you explain?
      Regards,BarbJ
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    16. #16
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      Quote Originally Posted by BarbJ View Post
      Also you need lots of aeration when using Algaefix, and you need to net out or otherwise get out the dead algae as soon as you can. The filter will take care of the rest, and then clean the filter in 3 days.
      The other problem people can have is that dead algae uses up a lot of oxygen, so don't use it on hot days, tons of aeration and pull out as much dead algae as possible.

      I had that floating particle algae, so much that it looked like green pea soup algae, but when you took some water out in a glass it was clear, but with tiny to small clumps of algae. It's a slimy kind, I think it's blanket algae, the kind that floats in islands in a lot of ponds, and was like that in my old pond, but I have so much current and air that it doesn't get to congregate into larger clumps and float, so it instead flows around as little bits.

      3rd day into Algaefix treatment and I can see almost 4' down in a 5' foot pond. Three days ago it was about 8" of visibility.
      What is your nitrate level?

    17. #17
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      At the time of that post, it was 10. Here's all the numbers;

      Amm. 0.25
      NA 10.
      NI 0
      pH 8.0
      KH 107.4 / 6 drops
      GH 179 / 10 drops
      Last edited by BarbJ; 10-14-2013 at 04:44 PM.
      Regards,BarbJ
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    18. #18
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      Quote Originally Posted by BarbJ View Post
      At the time of that post, it was 10. Here's all the numbers;

      Amm. 0.25
      NA 10.
      NI 0
      pH 8.0
      KH 107.4 / 6 drops
      GH 179 / 10 drops
      Ok, your description sounded a lot like the blue green algae I had a problem with. It was caused by a lack of nitrates but if your nitrates are at 10 then it probably isn't the same stuff.

    19. #19
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      You dont say if you have plants in your pond?
      Biological filtration will produce nitrates from amonia,nitrates are a feed for plants, without competition from plants, algae will thrive.
      Strong sunlight will promote algal blooms, increased phosphates in water also aid algae.,
      your algae growth is probably a combination of the above.
      If strong sunlight is an issue, try shading your pond.
      If you opt for an algaecide, remove as much algae as possible by hand, turn off uv during treatent, and if you already have plants, use a selective algaecide.
      Salt wil kill algae at 0.5 ozs per gallon (uk) but don't use if you have plants.
      In all cases increase aeration.
      good luck
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