How Can I Prevent Algae In My Pond?

Are you making sure that the fish in your pond do not overpopulate?

Do you have aquatic plants in your pond?

Do you treat your pond with beneficial bacteria?

Do you use a pump or an aeration kit to aerate your pond?

Fish overpopulation can lead to uncontrolled algae growth. Overpopulated ponds contain more fish waste from which algae take up nutrients. Try to keep your fish population at one or two koi or two or three goldfish per 200 gallons and the algae won't have enough nutrients for uncontrollable growth.

Plant some aquatic plants in your pond. Like algae, plants feed on the nutrients in a pond. The more plants you have, the less food there is for algae. Plants can also help shade your pond from direct sunlight, which can help to keep algae at bay. Keep in mind that you’ve got to remove dead plant material from the pond. Otherwise, there will be more organic material for algae to grow.

Consistent treatment with beneficial bacteria can keep algae at a minimum. These microorganisms break down excess nutrients that thrive in highly oxygenated water. These nutrients include nitrogen and phosphorus, and they’re essential for algae. When you consistently add beneficial bacteria to your pond, you’re establishing and strengthening an ecosystem that limits the nutrients for algae.

The right filtration system helps keep the water clean and keep the algae from overgrowing. Filtration is especially important for ponds that have lots of fish or tend to attract a lot of debris.

They live underwater, but fish still need oxygen. And a fountain or waterfall might not do enough to oxygenate your pond. An aeration kit or a pump will get more oxygen into your pond. Aeration is also helpful with beneficial bacteria which will be more active and do their job better.