Want to know the secret to keeping a pond clean and clear of algae problems?

It can be easier than you think, and you can often do it without using chemicals, like copper based algaecides.

Pond Aeration Is Part Of Our Algae Control Method

We like to work against algae in a two step process, at least to start with, and it works quite often.  First you must aerate the pond  And by aeration we're talking about using either a sub-surface aeration system, like the Kasco Robust Air, or in shallower ponds of say, less than six feet deep, we might use a surface based aerator or fountain.

Aeration will, first of all, add or increase oxygenation in the water.  Dissolved oxygen is often very low in deeper ponds, and yet you need and want good oxygen levels throughout the water column.  This is good for fish of course, but in relation to algae, we must optimize the population and vitality of good microbes that reside in ponds quite naturally.

Good Microbes Need Good Oxygen Levels

The interesting thing about these little critters is that many of them are aerobic, which means they need oxygen to thrive.  Without it they go dormant, or get lethargic and die off.  Copper based chemicals will kill them off too, which is why we don't really like to use them.

Once disabled or diminished, the biological cleaning processes in the pond come to halt...and by that we mean the natural, beneficial bacteria remedy to keeping nutrients in check (hint: these feed algae), and they also help break down organic material in the pond (another hint: this too feeds algae, just like compost in your garden grows your veggies), get knocked back.

So maintaining these microbes is really useful and important, and the best way to do that is through aeration.

Sometimes Aeration Alone Does The Trick

This is why some people actually add aeration to their problematic pond, and lo-and-behold, it gets clearer.  It's because the naturally occurring, good microbes have now started working better!

So, what if you've used chemicals, or oxygen has been so low in the pond that you don't have any good microbes left to stimulate?

You supplement them in for a time.  It's as simple as that.

We have several bacteria products that we've used for years to good effect, and one of them, probably the most popular one, is called the Biosphere Pro.  It's our front-line choice when we're trying to clean a pond up, or get ahead of algae issues in the first place.

Non-chemical Algae Control Makes More Sense

It's worth a try in your pond if you're having problems.  We normally suggest to have the aeration going 24/7, then treat the pond with one, appropriately sized sphere per month, for two months back to back.  You can often evaluate it's effectiveness off of that short a time period.

Our goal is to get the pond to a clearer point...to indicate that the nutrients are indeed dropping, and then we either halt the microbial supplementation, and rely on aeration alone to maintain things, or we add bacteria later on as needed if algae starts to creep back in.

Managing an algae problem in a pond, at least holistically, is all about nutrient reduction and control.  If you take away the food source for the plant, or reduce it enough, the algae just can't bloom well.

And you can enjoy a much cleaner and clearer pond, safely, and without chemicals.