How to Treat Pond Algae Naturally and Organically in Australia
Treating algae naturally and organically from your garden or fish pond – in Australia or anywhere – is a task that intimidates many.
There's no questioning it: ponds are much more attractive when they aren't discoloured or overrun by algae.
And the use of chemicals to treat pond algae can be very harmful – to plants, fish, and even people.
However, treating algae naturally and/or organically is not as grimy a job as you might think.
(PSST! Never use chemicals to clean algae out of a pond … it always causes more problems than it solves. Scroll down for organic and natural approaches to treating algae).
What is Algae?
Algae isn't a fungus … and it isn't really a plant, either.
What is it then? Well, it has been described as a “protist” – which is a living organism that isn't an animal, plant, or fungi.
In other words, it's a living organism that doesn't really fit into the scientific categories that we humans have created.
And yet, they are one of the most prominent life forms on the entire planet.
Algae do present qualities similar to plants – but they lack the traditional characteristics (such as stems, roots, leaves, etc).
The best known types of algae are kelp and other seaweeds … but this article is about pond algae.
What Are The Common Types of Pond Algae in Australia?
Green Algae:
This is the algae type that makes ponds look like large bodies of green soup.
Green algae is caused by the sludge at the bottom of the pond (discussed later in this article), and reflects a nutrient imbalance in your pond.
If you leave it unchecked, the increasing algae in your pond will accelerate. And the longer you leave the algae, the more of a stranglehold it will take.
String Algae:
This is the algae that looks like hair when left unchecked, and gets stuck on all your pond features – rocks, waterfalls, and as well as your liners.
It looks ugly, and overtime can block up drains and even strangle your fish.
String algae is caused by similar things to the green algae – especially the nutrient imbalances.
Another cause could be having too many fish in your pond. Some pond-owners buy 5 or 6 koi fish without realising how massive they are going to grow … then, basically, they start dropping larger quantities of faeces all over the base of your pond, increasing the sludge count rapidly.
Why Is Algae Growing in My Pond?
Algae is naturally occurring in ponds, and is actually important that your pond has a bit of algae (this isn't the last time we'll tell you that!).
But large growths of algae – known as algae blooms – are not desirable. And they usually occur due to nutrient imbalances.
Algae blooms often follow a spike in nitrate and phosphate levels, released by too much sludge in the bottom of your pond.
The food increasing your pond's sludge levels is organic matter such as decomposed dead leaves, fish waste, grass clippings, and dead algae.
So having sludge-control methods in place is important. Otherwise, removing sludge from the bottom of your pond every 6 months or so is the best preventative measure for your out-of-control algae. See our “Basic Clean” for more information (scroll down on the link).
How Is Algae Good For a Pond?
Having a bit of algae in your pond is actually essential.
They contributes to proper, healthy water for ponds and can even be eaten as food for your fish.
Here are just a few essential benefits of algae in your pond:
Algae give oxygen and take carbon dioxide;
They are the fundamental centre of your pond's food chain;
Algae actively clean water of pollutants;
And they bring general stability to sediments in the pond.
So – whatever you do – don't go on some hell-bent task to remove and destroy all of the algae in your beloved pond. It will negatively affect its ecosystem – including any fish you might have.
When is Pond Algae a Problem?
Algae is an essential part of your pond, but it can become a problem when it goes through blooms and gets out of control.
It is can be identified as a problem when you start seeing that “green soup” effect in your pond water.
And it can also been considered a problem when it starts sticking to everything (rocks, water features, etc.) and generally not looking very nice.
In short: algae is a problem when your pond is starting to look ugly, and you sense that it is getting overran by algae.
How Can I Naturally and Organically Treat Pond Algae in Australia?
As mentioned already, you should NEVER treat algae with chemicals -- in Australia or anywhere.
They will likely kill your pond plants, and will even stunt the growth of any new pond plants you bring in later.
AND it will seriously harm your fish – perhaps kill them.
Don't do it! Maybe it seems like you're going to save yourself time … but it will only cause you a bigger headache later.
Instead, follow these methods:
1. Starve Algae of Nutrients and Sunlight Using Plants
If you add a lot of pond plants that create shadows in your pond, it will destroy algae by starving it of sunlight.
Water lillies, for example, cover a lot of a pond's surface, blocking sunlight from reaching the inn-er-body of water.
Some plants will also eat the nutrients algae feed off, contributing to a reduction of your pond's long-term algae levels.
Not only do pond plants beat down your algae; they will also add some natural beauty to your pond.
We sell an array of wonderful pond plants all across Australia!
Take a look at our collection.
2. UV Lights
Humans are relatively advanced with technology, these days. And there's no reason pond-owners can't benefit from that!
UV lights control bacteria in a pond and keep it generally “clean.” It is a fantastic, low-effort way to treat and maintain your pond.
We sell industry standard UV filters created by PondMAX to all of Australia.
Take a look at them in our store now.
PSST: Don't expect a UV filter to do all the work for you … they are great! But they aren't magical solutions to all your ponds problems.
3. Remove Sludge and Algae Manually
If things are really out of hand, then maybe you should roll your sleeves up and pull on those heavy duty gloves.
Depending on the severity of your case, you might only need to remove the string algae by hand and vacuum the sludge from the bottom of your pond. We call this a Basic Clean.
If you don't have a pond vacuum, contact us for more information. We don't sell them ourselves, but we can help you to source one.
Alternatively, if you'd prefer not to buy or stock a pond vacuum, contact us to vacuum your pond for you! (Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast only)
What to Do When Algae Has Taken Over Your Pond...
In extreme cases, however, you might need to perform what we call a Deep Clean.
This requires your pond to be drained of all its water, fish kept in a temporary home, and the pond's innards manually scrubbed.
When a Deep Clean is performed once, you shouldn't need to drain your pond again. You will only need to perform 6-monthly (our recommendation) Basic Cleans (scroll down on this link for more information).
If you want professionals to do the hard work for you, we are an experienced and competitively priced team. (Serving Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast, only)
Conclusion:
Pond algae, in Australia or anywhere, is extremely normal. And it is nothing to worry about.
But without treating pond algae, your pond might start to look awful.
And the treatments to ponds overrun by algae, in Australia and elsewhere, are not as challenging as you might think (and should NEVER include dousing your pond with chemicals!!).
So there are no excuses! Treat pond algae naturally and organically today – in Austrlia and beyond!
If you need any other advice, contact us directly.
And if you are based in Brisbane, Gold Coast, or Sunshine Coast, and you want some professionals to do the job for you, give our experts a call:
How To Clean Your Garden Fish Pond After a Flood
This is a quick, simple guide for how to clean your pond after a flood.
The question of how to clean a fish pond after a flood is not a particularly common question...
...but when it is asked, an answer is usually required quite urgently.
Floods contaminate the ecosystem of garden and fish ponds. They wash out fertilisers and food.
Floods also introduce new, inappropriate nutrients and bacteria which encourage algae growth. This will turn your pond water green, brown and/or dirty rather quickly.
Hence, your pond will require a deep clean as soon as possible.
The problem? Most people don't have knowledge for how to do this.
So this guide serves to simplify the process as much as possible. So that you can DIT clean your garden pond after a flood.
Cleaning Your Garden Fish Pond After a Flood: 6 Simple Steps
Before explaining the simple steps, it's important that you understand what you need.
When your pond is contaminated to the levels that flooding causes, a deep clean is essential – which includes the removal of the pond's water. Therefore, it's not going to be an easy job if you don't have a water pump capable of removing the water.
Without further ado...
Step #1: Temporarily Re-Home Fish and Plants
This first step requires that you find a temporary home for your fish.
It is extremely important that you don't put your fish in just any old container with any old water. It is dangerous to change all your fishes' water. Fish are sensitive. So getting this step wrong and drastically changing the ecosystem of their water could be fatal for them.
You should ensure, then, that you use clear pond water (NOT tap water and air from an air-maker) for their temporary homes. If your pond water is too dirty, then wait for the dirt in your pond's water to settle.
And do your best to save as much of this clear water as possible, too! Store it in containers for the fish's temporary homes, and also save as much extra pond water as you can to put back into the pond later. The more of the old pond water you can save, the better.
DON'T store your fish (or even saved pond water) in containers that have been used to hold any chemicals, washing powder, paint, etc. This would be awful for the fish, and highly likely to kill them.
A child's paddling pool would be fine! Or a basic, large tub. If you happen to have a large aquarium tank spare, then that would be great.
In any case, a body of water large enough to hold your fish while also remaining open to let oxygen naturally into the water is important.
And once you have prepared this temporary home for your fish, you can simply net your friends out of the pond and into the containers.
Step #2: Pump Out the Water
Unfortunately, in the case of a flood, the water in your pond will be too contaminated to clean without draining. Therefore, pumping the water out is essential.
As mentioned in Step #1, saving as much of the clear pond water as possible is preferable here.
And when draining any excess water away, you should save the sludge, debris, dead leaves, etc. They are great fertilisers for trees, bushes, and plants.
The easiest and fastest way to pump the water out of your pond is by using an industry-standard water pump. If you don't want (or can't afford) to buy a water pump, then you can either outsource pond cleaning services from pond cleaners who have their own equipment.
Or you can drain your pond with a more long-winded method, such as siphoning. Be warned, though! Siphoning will take a very long time to drain a whole pond.
Step #3: Remove The Sludge
Your pond lining is probably going to be covered in sludge, grime, debris, and dead leaves.
How you remove all this mess is entirely up to you! You can do it by hand, with a spade or an improvised scooper (just be careful not to damage the pond lining!), or using a pond vacuum. In general, we recommend doing it by hand.
Whatever the method, make sure you get all the gunk out of there before moving onto step #4.
And try to save the sludge, too! As mentioned in step #2, pond sludge is an excellent fertiliser for trees, bushes, and plants. If you don't want to use it all for your own garden, then you might find someone locally who would like to use it.
(Don't just wash gunk down the drain – it could cause blockages).
Step #4: Clean The Pond Thoroughly (including the lining, rocks, water features, and filters)
It is a rare opportunity that your pond would be so utterly empty – so make the most of it!
You will want to clean the pond to the best of your ability, of course (this can be done by hand if you choose, but we recommend using a pressure cleaner ... never use chemicals!!).
But this is also an opportunity to address things that you might not have chance to address for a while.
While your pond is empty, we recommend that you:
Inspect the pond lining for any damage or weak spots
Clean out your pond pumps and filters
PRO TIP: If you are unable to save much of the clear pond water, then don't scrub out ALL of your pond's algae. Leaving a small amount of algae in the pond will encourage the right kinds of bacteria to regrow in your pond. This is especially important when you have fish who loved the previous pond's chemistry.
If you have managed some save a fair amount of your old pond water, though, then scrub away to your heart's content.
Step #5: Refill The Pond and Treat New Water
If you are using tap water to refill your pond, then you will require the reintroduction of pond nutrients into the ecosystem.
And before that, the chlorine from your tap water will need to be neutralised before putting your fish and plants back in.
There are several products you can use for this process. For example, water conditioners such as this one.
Step #6: Put The Pond Water, Fish, and Plants Back
This sixth, final, and most satisfying step in this process is reintroducing your pond to its old inhabitants. The pond water you have saved, the fish who live there, and all of your plants.
After that, you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful, newly cleaned pond!
Conclusion
Cleaning a fish pond after a flood is a fairly straightforward process; but that doesn't mean it is easy.
It requires a lot of time, energy, and work. If you have these in surplus, and don't mind getting your hands dirty, then you will manage just fine.
But if you don't have these in surplus, then you might want to consider outsourcing pond cleaning services.
We provide pond cleaning services (as well as pond health checks, water feature cleaning, and water tank cleaning services) for the Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast metropolitan areas.
Contact us for a free quote, if you are looking for some help.