Don't Be Alarmed -- Algae On The Sides Of a Garden Pond Is Normal
Some people are concerned about the visible algae that tends to grow on the sides of garden ponds and koi ponds. Some write to ask if there's a way to get rid of this type of algae. My answer is always the same: there is no real way to get rid of algae on the side of your pond, and you wouldn't want to even if you could. Now let me explain. All garden and koi ponds are going to develop a layer of this type of green algae on pond surfaces over time. The algae will grow on everything from walls, rocks, pumps, pipes, the bottom surface of the pond, and anything else in the water. This type of algae tends to be up to 1 inch long, but rarely longer than that. And this is NOT the the harmful blanketweed or string algae. This blanket of 1 inch plant material is actually a benefit to your pond ecosystem. It becomes a haven for natural food sources in your pond. If you have fish, and you watch carefully, you'll notice that they "graze" along this layer of algae as they harvest it for food. And there's no sense in trying to eliminate this algae growth. Even if you drained your pond (and found some place to store your fish in the meantime), and scrubbed the walls and other surfaces of your pond, the algae would only grow back in a short period of time. For more on this topic, see the algae article. |
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