# algae eaters for ponds



## awesome kid (Jun 10, 2005)

i have a pond that is about 1500 gals. it has alot of algae, what can i do? :help: 
thanks for info :chair: (the algae is driving me nuts)


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## Celeste (May 13, 2005)

scrub. once it's off in the water, the filter should take care of it in a few hours, and the fish might even eat some. you may have to put on some shorts or swim trunks and take a dive though. really, there aren't any fish or snails or anything that will eat enough algey to make a difference, or counterbalance how much waste they produce. snails are probably even dirtier than goldfish........

yup, i suggest getting a plain old toilet brush, a NEW ONE, that is designated only for pond use, and just get scrubbing. if your filter and pump are good enough, they should clear up the water in a few hours.


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## ijedic (Jan 18, 2005)

Do you have a plant nursery in your area?? If so, call them and ask if they sell bales of barley straw. When the bale is put into the water, as it breaks down, it emits a chemical that naturally combats algae. If you can not find some locally, you can find some at www.drsfostersmith.com (or www.liveaquaria.com ) I think they are the same place though.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Finally, you can try adding some American Flagfish, Jordanella floridae. These guys are ravenous algae eaters.

One thing to consider, though, is that getting rid of a bunch of algae is going to result in a lot of waste. Celeste gave you the best advice so far in that the stuff has to be physically removed first. I would suggest a massive water change after giving everything a good scrub, and running the filters at full blast while cleaning them a few times a day to get rid of all the algae possible. ( while keeping the fish and plants somewhere else for a few days ) 
After that, put the plants and fish back, and employ any of the other methods described. The barley straw works very well, and you can even get a liquid extract version for faster results. The flagfish will look fantastic after a season in the pond, and you could sell them back to the petshop once they're in full color with ease.
Like Celeste said, fish or snails can't get rid of a big algae buildup, but they can certainly keep it mowed down after you first get rid of most of it yourself. 

Chemical Algacide-- no. This would only turn your pool into a toxic pit of rotten goo and ammonia. Again, it might work AFTER the algae was removed.


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

Barley in the filter, uv sterilizer, more lilly pads, less feeding, more water changes ... the answers are almost endless


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