green pond water - Knowledgebase Question

pittston, Pe
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Question by boyer241
June 28, 2009
i have a pond about 2'x31/2' and 4 foot deep. the water is very green is there something i can use that will not effect my dog when she drinks the water.


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Answer from NGA
June 28, 2009
Actually, you don't need to do anything except wait for it to go away, as hard as this may be! This type of algae bloom is typical for a pond that receives sunlight and it should clear on its own if you have included a good mix of plants in your pond. You should have surface covering plants such as water lilies to cover about three quarters of the surface, under water oxygenating plants in a generous quantity (this is the group many people skimp on) and finally some bog plants or marginal plants. All of these work together to shade the surface and keep sunlight from penetrating into the water and also to use up the nutrients in the water -- nutrients are contained in plant soil and fertilizers, in fish excrement, and sometimes in the water itself. Excess fish food will also contribute nutrients, so if you have fish, be careful not to overfeed them. Try to be patient, allow time for the plants to grow and use the nutrients, and give the pond a chance to "come into balance". You may find that the pond does this each spring for a short period while the water temperature rises and the plants take a little time to catch up with and outcompete the algae in the water. I am not aware of any product that you can use to kill the algae that is safe for pets but you might check with your Vet.

Best wishes with your pond.

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