My pond is full of purple slime - please help

[acrossley]

Thanks all.

The only chemicals I've used on the pond are First start dechlorinator when I had to put some tap water in, and then In pet blanket weed killer when we had a bit of blanket weed. Also used that as it is meant to get rid of excess green algae - I know algae is good but we could not see even an inch into the water!

It seems to be clinging onto my oxygenators and hay bale most of all, so I reckon it is some kind of bacteria - I think it might be killing some of the snails but not affecting the newts and frogs (caught a couple this morning to make sure). The fish seem fine also.

I'll take a sample to the pond/fish place this afternoon and I'll let you know what happens!

Thanks a lot - let me know if you have any other suggestions!

Andrea.

[galanthus]

I'd suggest avoiding chemicals altogether, you don't find them in nature and what we see as a perfect pond, (crystal clear), isn't always what wildlife need.

I round up some of the algae once weekly with a net, leaving most of it in as this supports the micro life things thrive on.

[Munteo]

Could it be a bacteria that produces a bioslime called violaceum. Certain bacteria that do this include Janthinobacter (formerly Chromobacterium violaceum). Janthinobacterium is a water and soil bacteria that can be dangerous, but is also used to extract gold, create an antibiotic, save frogs from a certain fungus.

[animartco]

The first thing I would do is attack a third of the water at a time with a high pressure hose to see if I could clear it off the pondweed before it dies. (minding the fish!) The weed will die off if it remains covered in purple slime. And then remove the hay bale. I don't think they are supposed to stay in the water for long. You probably used the wrong algae remover. It seems very likely that this caused the problem. Green slime, or spiragyra (hope I've spelled it right) is easy to remove by winding it round a stick like spaghetti.