cleaning up a pond

[curly_kate]

We have a long neglected pond at the new place that is pretty much covered with algae. What are the best ways to clear it out? DH tried doing it by hand, but didn't make much progress that way. People keep recommending copper sulfate, but I'm not sure what the ecological ramifications are on that. Suggestions?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Man-made or natural pond?

The best way to keep the water clear and discourage algal growth is to have plenty of water plants. You might try clearing some of the algae by hand and then introducing something like duckweed, which will multiply and you can then use as a cheap animal feed.

 

[curly_kate]

I'm not sure which. The point where it is on the property would be a natural place for water to collect, as it is the low point.

After googling copper sulfate, we are definitely NOT going that route!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Are there pond plants in it? I seem to recall in the photos you posted last week that there were? Algae usually grows when there are too many nutrients for the existing water plants to make use of. The duck weed would both help get rid of the extra nutrients and also shield light from getting in the water and making a hospitable environment for the algae. Duck weed spreads fast.

You might want to look and see if there is any obvious source of run-off from either fertilized land adjacent to the pond, or animal paddocks adjacent to the pond. That could be contributing to the excess nutrients in the water.

Good idea to avoid copper sulfate.

 

[curly_kate]

Will the duckweed just end up taking over, like the algae did? Pretty much the only thing growing in the water is algae. There is a field adjacent that someone has been renting to grow corn/soybeans. I'm guessing he loads that up with fertilizer. I thought it would be nice to have some ducks or other waterfowl, but since we're not living there right now, I don't want something we have to keep an eye on.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Duck weed will spread like wild-fire in the summer, but it will die back in the winter. I'm not 100% sure what it would do in your climate, but here it will actually drop to the bottom of the pond, so it doesn't freeze and then comes back slowly in spring. It is fairly easy to scoop out and feed to livestock. It sits on the surface of the water and I think that makes it easier to clean up if you decide to get rid of it. But it would probably be hard to get rid of it entirely. If you have ducks or geese, they could probably get rid of it for you. But of course, they would also introduce more nutrients, so you would need to come up with another way to keep the water clean . . . .

 

[big brown horse]

Would duckweed work in my little pond? It is shaped like a bath tub, two feet deep in the deep end.

What other livestock eats it?

 

[Wifezilla]

You might try clearing some of the algae by hand and then introducing something like duckweed, which will multiply and you can then use as a cheap animal feed.

I am doing this in my little backyard pond

The problem I have is Shelley, my Welsh Harlequin, is an escape artist. She breaks out of the pen, books to the pond and gobbles up as much duckweed as she can before she gets busted. She did it again TODAY!!! I am TRYING to get the duckweed to take over so I can scoop some out and feed the ducks on a regular basis.

So anyway...2 things promote algae growth. Light and nutrient balance.

Having water plants will pull excess nutrients out of the water.

Lily pads and duck weed will block some of the light. You can also plant trees along the bank that will shade the water from direct sun.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

The problem I have is Shelley, my Welsh Harlequin, is an escape artist. She breaks out of the pen, books to the pond and gobbles up as much duckweed as she can before she gets busted. She did it again TODAY!!! I am TRYING to get the duckweed to take over so I can scoop some out and feed the ducks on a regular basis.

I have had that problem before. You could always try growing it somewhere they have no access to (on top of a roof in buckets or glazed pots without drainage holes?)

Yes, BBH, duck weed is small and it will grow just about anywhere. It is fun and easy to grow. Jerry feeds his pigs duck weed as a supplemental feed. I'm not sure if ruminants would eat it. I think chickens will eat it though.

 

[big brown horse]

cool!