Now that spring is underway, Art of the Yard in Denver would like to take a moment to share with you a few tips on controlling the algae growth in your pond. Because out of control algae can certainly cause headaches for you in the future, it’s important to be proactive. Our experts recommend prevention, as it is so much more efficient than dealing with it after the fact!
The Right Equipment
The first thing on the list for controlling the algae growth in your pond is to have the right equipment set up to make this whole process a lot easier. A pump to keep the water moving is a must as well as a filter running 24/7 to keep the water nice and clean.
If you have a water garden (a pond with lots of plants and only a few fish), you need a pump that can move about half the pond’s water volume in an hour. If you have a koi pond (a pond with few plants and quite a few big fish), you are better off with a pump capable of moving the pond’s entire volume of water once an hour.
The Right Construction
If you had a pond built by a reputable company like Art of the Yard, then you should already have the proper depths built-in to your pond. If you want to double check the depths, you should have 40% of the water’s surface area over water that is at least 2 feet deep for a water garden and 3 feet deep for a koi pond. Another 30% should be somewhere around 1 ½ feet – 2 feet deep with the final 30% being 1 – 1 ½ feet deep.
The pond should also be set up in such a way that rainwater runoff does not go into the pond. This stuff carries lots of yummy organic debris just ripe and ready for the algae to start feasting. If you notice that rainwater runoff is running into your pond, simply dig a little around the pond to shape the landscape until you have all sides sloping slightly downward.
The Right Maintenance
Even with taking all the precautions in the world, you will start to notice a certain amount of debris buildup. Less than ¼ inch isn’t too big of a deal, but any more than that and you should clean your pond. You can use a pond skimmer to collect debris before it sinks, a net when you have lots of large pieces floating around, and a pond vacuum if you find a lot of fine debris. Adding the right mixes of bacteria and enzymes also helps break this stuff down and slow the building up process.
Remember, you don’t have to be a pond expert to go about controlling the algae growth in your pond successfully. You can always talk to our experts here at Art of the Yard in Denver to find out exactly what to do for your particular pond to keep your hands-on maintenance to a minimum. You want to enjoy your pond, not work on it all the time – let us help with the heavy lifting!