Natural Algae Control in Ponds

Many people don't want to miss the element of water in their garden. Whether it's a garden pond, swimming pond, stream, or even just a wetland biotope with aquatic plants in tubs and containers – observing this element feels like a mini-vacation for us.

But what do you do when algae proliferate in your pond, not only dampening your joy but primarily clouding your pond water?

Not only owners of noble Koi carp and other ornamental fish want to avoid chemicals here. Is natural algae control possible? Yes, it is. And we'll show you how!

First, you should know that not all types of algae need to cause concern. For plant-eating fish, in particular, it's easy to keep harmless blue-green and green algae under control. You can recognize these algae by the slight cloudiness they create in the water. If you ensure that an excessive amount of nutrients doesn't enter your pond, your water quality will remain good, and you'll keep blue-green and green algae in check.

So, make sure that too much foliage and fertilized soil don't get into the pond. Plant deciduous trees and shrubs at an appropriate distance from the water. If leaves do fall into the pond, you can cover it with a fine-mesh net and remove the leaves with a suitable skimmer. You should also do this with string algae. Additionally, make sure that your valuable soil can't be washed into the pond during rain.

In general, it's important to keep the water temperature, sun exposure, and phosphate content of the water low. It's advisable to be economical with fish food, as fish food and waste are the main reasons for high algae content in the water.

If your pond is infested with the dreaded string algae, you should clean your pond thoroughly. This includes removing existing pond soil thoroughly and replacing it with a nutrient-poor substrate. This is also a good opportunity to prune your pond plants and remove old, dead plant remains. Partially replacing the nutrient-rich pond water with tap water also helps to deprive string algae of their livelihood at the beginning of the season.