I recently moved into a house in rural SE PA. There is a rather large pond that has a lot of green algae floating on the top and what I would call a seaweed growing up from the bottom. The pond is about 70 - 80 ft long and about 15 ft across with an average depth of 4-5 feet. I have tried barley straw bales that have been in about two weeks, I tried the use of an algaecide, but so far no positive results. I really would like to clear it asap as it sits in my 1.2 acre yard and what should be a beautiful focal point is currently an eyesore. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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You can try a copper sulfate algaecide.
some pond advocates say that by adding extra plants, they will suck up the oxygen and make things harder for the algae. Plants also remove waste material that algae feed on. Some examples are Water Lettuce, Irises, and Cattails for the spring and summer. Also animals: water snails and tadpoles reduce the amount of algae in the water and prevent growth of additional pond scum.
If you actually have nothing living in your pond that you actually want in it (and don't plan to anytime soon) then your best bet is to add1 pound of rock salt per 100 gallons of water. This will kill everything.
Also, a biological pond filter can remove the ammonia from metabolism byproducts that help algae thrive.
also, check your water's pH. High pH and Phosphorous levels are the leading cause of string algae.
more ideas here nualgiponds.com/
homeguides.sfgate.com/
I have a ton of frogs & tadpoles... but green floating algae and seed weed . I tried barley straw and a wildlife free algaecide but with no luck.
You may want to check with the Penn State program and see what works best for your zobe/area. extension.psu.edu/
I am in South West PA and find our local branch very helpful. Almost makes me wish I was a nittany lion.
Good luck!!
First decision to make is whether you think that you will ever wish to have fish or frogs live in your pond as many things mentioned will prevent that from happening for many years in the future. It is a very sad site to look across a pond and see lovely fish dead/floating due to a known/unknown algae "remedy".
You might want to think about a fountain to oxygenate the water and to create movement. Not only will that reduce the growth of algae but also the mosquito larvae that like to grow on still water surfaces. Sometimes doing something without the use of chemicals is better for our environment. Once your water gets cleaned up a bit you should check to see what type of fish would aid in the cleanup. Check with your local Penn-State Extension for more ideas. extension.psu.edu/
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