Algae Control... Oxymoron?

No, algae control is not an oxymoron like 'military intelligence' or 'deafening silence'. Can it be very elusive... yes! I wish there was a one size fits all answer, but maybe the answer is just that. Each pond has a specific eco system that does not translate across the country or across the lawn from your neighbor's landscape. Plant types, fish amount, natural water pH, and so many other factors make the best blanket answer, just that, there is no one size fits all answer.

Each pond has it's own signature that must be discovered. One treatment may answer your friend's pond, but it won't necessarily answer yours. Don't get frustrated too quickly, there are so many possibilities you can figure something out that works for you.

An Ultra Violet Light is probably the closest thing to a magic bullet when properly fitted, but it does nothing about string algae. Certain algae-cides are great, but they can harm fish especially on warm days, and often times they either feed the next generation of algae or need a second type of treatment to break down the dead algae.

My experience has been that a combination of Aqua-One and barley extract/pellets is the best answer for the most people. A1 is a natural treatment that kills algae and also breaks down the dead algae, and I have found that extract/pellets work better than bales of barley since they don't have to decompose first. Ultra Violet lights are great also, but they must be properly fitted according to flow and wattage, as well as doing nothing for string algae, which you need barley for anyway. Also - if you have a UV, turn it off for 24 hours after treatment with natural treatments or else you are killing your beneficial bacteria.

With all of this being said, plants and a healthy balance are the only true answer. The above mentioned treatments are just that, a treatment or a band-aid. If you want a healthy pond you don't have to continually treat, get plants, plants, and more plants!