Year Round Pond Algae Control Strategies

Algae growth in your pond can begin in the winter to early spring and can cause havoc throughout the summer if you don’t start preventative measures early in the season.

The key to having great water quality and preventing algae from getting out of control is to provide your pond with the right balance of oxygen, nutrients and beneficial bacteria throughout the year.

Identifying Algae

The first thing you want to do before treating your pond is to identify the type of algae that is growing. The types of algae you have growing in your pond vary based on the season, your location and how much run off your pond receives.

Once you are able to identify the types of algae that grow in your pond, you will be able to execute control methods to attack and kill any unwanted algae and prevent algal blooms in the future.

Understanding Algae Life Cycles

Algae begins its growth on the bottom of your pond from late winter to early spring, typically in water that is less than 4 feet deep. As spring wears on, the sentiment from the algae growth will start to turn green and almost fuzzy like. The algae will then begin forming mats of floating algae, including string algae, that break loose from the pond floor and come to the pond water surface.

During the summer months, the warmer pond temperatures make it easier for small organisms to move throughout your pond allowing for algae to float to the surface of the pond. As the algae floats, it’s able to absorb more sunlight and promote more algae blooms as water temperatures begin to rise.

Towards the end of summer, the water of your small pond has reached its highest temperature of the season.

In the fall, the water that was previously at the bottom of your pond is buoyed up, bringing with it the supply of excess nutrients that accumulated on the pond floor throughout the summer. This large supply of phosphorus, nitrogen and organic matter is the perfect storm for a late bloom of algae in the fall.

Now that we understand the life cycle of algae, we can effectively get rid of your algae problem by using the right solutions at the right time.

Controlling Algae in Winter Months

In the winter months, there is not a whole lot you need to do to control algae. The colder weather and lack of sunlight, especially if you live in a snowy area, reduce the contribution of oxygen and nutrients algae needs to flourish.

However, keeping water moving throughout the year helps over the long term to control algae. A dock de-icer will move warmer water on the bottom of the pond to the top and keep nutrients moving.

Controlling Algae in Spring Months

In the early spring months it is crucial to get the water in your pond moving as soon as the ice is off. This will slow algae growth by processing nutrients faster and limiting the rapid warming of shallow surface water.

The Aqua Thruster is a great tool to help get the water moving around your dock if you are dealing with a larger pond and are only concerned about keeping algae away from your area.

If you are looking to control algae in a small to medium sized pond, consider a tool like the Airstream Pro. The Airstream Pro is a float mounted aeration tool with a circulation range of up to 120 feet and can easily be moved around your shoreline.

Additionally, pond fountains are a great choice for medium to smaller sized ponds. Pond fountains provide your pond with the surface aeration it needs to starve out the negative nutrients algae needs to grow and prosper.

For larger ponds where the depth reaches greater than 8 feet deep, you may want to consider the Robust-Aire diffused aeration system. This system can be customized to the layout of your pond to ensure there is enough water movement to help prevent algae from thriving.

Controlling Algae in Summer Months

The high temperatures of summer and stagnant pond water is a breeding ground for algae. Stagnant water that warms up quickly creates excessive nutrients that can stimulate algae growth.

If you maintained your pond this spring, you may be able to manage your pond throughout the summer with some muck tablets, a lake weed cutter and a lake rake.

For property owners who live on a pond, the Aqua Thruster can help clear and protect up to 150 ft from debris, algae and muck to help maintain a clean and sandy area to play in.

For larger pond management, you may need various tools like the WaterBug. The WaterBug is a remote controlled harvester that skims and cuts lake weeds from up to 5000 feet away.

Early summer is also a great time to set up an aeration system to keep the water moving.

The solution to getting your pond algae under control depends on the size, the type of algae growing and the results you are looking for. Contact us, our team of lake and pond experts can help you find the right solutions for your pond.

Controlling Algae in Fall Months

As fall sets in, the surface of your pond begins to cool and sink towards the bottom of your pond. This is when your water columns mix and can stimulate a late algae bloom.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to have a good aeration system or aqua thruster in place to keep the water moving.

Because algae blooms in the fall can be very toxic, we recommend getting the water tested before proceeding with any type of algae control management. Your water test results will provide you with the answers on how to get algae under control in your pond.

Long Term Algae Control

The worst cases of algae always start to appear when water columns mix and nutrients are distributed throughout the pond.

The key to long term algae control in a pond is to keep the water moving year round. By keeping the water moving you will have less temperature fluctuation and less nutrients mixing when the water columns do mix.

Along the way you may need a few additional tools to help keep algae under control, but for the most part your pond should look and be healthy.

Conclusion

Algae is largely an unwanted lake weed in many ponds but can be managed quite simply once under control.

Preventing excess nutrients from sitting on the bottom of the pond is key to reducing algae when water columns mix.

Using water aeration systems helps keep excessive nutrients from reaching and sitting on the bottom of the pond.

This constant movement of water results in the water temperature from the top of the pond and the bottom of the pond being closer together than without aeration.

Additionally, constant water movement prevents excessive mixing of nutrients from the bottom of the pond to the top of the pond all at the same time.

Need help with finding a solution to controlling your pond algae? Contact us and let us know how we can help.