Blanketweed and algae gone overnight!

[kaitkaitkait]

Well, I am absolutely gobsmacked. What was a pea soup has changed overnight to gin-clear water - my wildlife pond got the most algae and blanketweed I'd ever seen this spring.

The only new things I did were to put in some watercress and extra hornwort a few weeks ago.

The hornwort has multiplied at an amazing rate, the watercress less so (watercress was planted in aquatic soil at the margins although I have been told you can just chuck it in, the hornwort has just been thrown in at the deep end). I've also noticed that the water soldiers have suddenly reproduced like mad - are those nutrient-hungry plants?

I had thought to get some sort of blanket-buster stuff, but glad now that I waited. There's also barley straw in a bale which I put in late last year, and that I thought had been a waste of money. Perhaps it just needed to rot down a bit before becoming useful? I'm also noticing a mass of daphnia "clouds" everywhere, which had been conspicuous by its absence this year until now.

At any rate, the soup has cleared and though there is still blanket weed covering stones and the sides of the liner (I think it looks rather pretty and natural - certainly nicer than the brown tri-laminate liner ).

Just thought I'd share this, in case anyone else's pond needs a hand with the green and slimy stuff.

[whis4ey]

The blanket weed on my own pond disappeared like magic too, and I did absolutely nothing
Well .... I DID remove a lot of the Canadian pondweed, but one would have expected the opposite result from that .....

[kaitkaitkait]

Is Canadian pondweed the one that grows in long lengths and has curled leaves?

If so I have some of that... it didn't seem to do anything much other than collect limescale from the water on its leaves, which the water soldier does as well. As I live in a very hard water area I left it in, but it is quite fast growing and isn't native, clearly. Should I hoik some out this autumn?

[steve_nova]

Originally Posted by kaitkaitkait

Well, I am absolutely gobsmacked. What was a pea soup has changed overnight to gin-clear water - my wildlife pond got the most algae and blanketweed I'd ever seen this spring.

The only new things I did were to put in some watercress and extra hornwort a few weeks ago.

The hornwort has multiplied at an amazing rate, the watercress less so (watercress was planted in aquatic soil at the margins although I have been told you can just chuck it in, the hornwort has just been thrown in at the deep end). I've also noticed that the water soldiers have suddenly reproduced like mad - are those nutrient-hungry plants?

I had thought to get some sort of blanket-buster stuff, but glad now that I waited. There's also barley straw in a bale which I put in late last year, and that I thought had been a waste of money. Perhaps it just needed to rot down a bit before becoming useful? I'm also noticing a mass of daphnia "clouds" everywhere, which had been conspicuous by its absence this year until now.

At any rate, the soup has cleared and though there is still blanket weed covering stones and the sides of the liner (I think it looks rather pretty and natural - certainly nicer than the brown tri-laminate liner ).

Just thought I'd share this, in case anyone else's pond needs a hand with the green and slimy stuff.

The algae passes through a period when it is small enough to be held in suspension. Once the strands get to a certain size, they drop out of suspension to the bottom and the sides and magically, the water clears. This cycle will occour a couple of times a year.

Steve.

[djackso]

Originally Posted by steve_nova

The algae passes through a period when it is small enough to be held in suspension. Once the strands get to a certain size, they drop out of suspension to the bottom and the sides and magically, the water clears. This cycle will occour a couple of times a year.

Wow - I never knew that. That's amazing.

[djackso]

Originally Posted by whis4ey

The blanket weed on my own pond disappeared like magic too, and I did absolutely nothing

Same here, although I try never to use water from a hose. I think this helps too.

[whis4ey]

My pond is a natural pond of about 1/4 acre and gets its water from the heavens and possibly a couple of small springs
Yes ... I would 'hoick' out some of the Canadian pondweed. Because it is rooted in the bottom of a natural pond it has been an immense problem for me. If you have it in containers it should be easier to manage. Keep it in check or it will take over

[kaitkaitkait]

Originally Posted by djackso

Wow - I never knew that. That's amazing.

Nor did I!

And I haven't used tap water to top up the pond either.. it's always been rain water apart from the first ever fill. Our drinking water is from an underground spring, so there's no chlorine but it's hard as anything as we live on chalk. Delicious, though

Really interesting about the length of the filament though. I didn't even know that the "soup" algae and the blanketweed were one and the same!

[lindat]

hi new member here just wonderd if you know of a cat fish for my outside pond thanks

[djackso]

Hi lindat, welcome to the site.

To get a better response, try posting a new thread in the water life forums - give it a catchy title.

Good luck with your quest,

DJ

[lindat]

not to sure how to send message on forum can you help

[djackso]

Hi there.

Click "forums" then "water life forums". At the top of the list (above the green menu bars) click "new thread" then write your title and message, then submit.


Hope this is o.k.

DJ

[lindat]

thanks you are a super star

[Blackdogjnr]

The water levels are dropping so much in my pond this year!
I've had to add buckets of water to keep it from drying out.

I have filled from the tap but left to stand for a few days, would you say this is sufficient for nasties to have evapourated off?
I've been waiting weeks for a decent downpour and to no avail.
I'm worried the life in my pond will struggle if the water level gets too low