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Use an ultra violet light and control algae in your garden pondThese types of lights are also known as Clarifiers (UV's for short)If you want to improve the year-round appearance of your garden or fish pond, or other outdoor water feature, the one single piece of equipment you need is an ultra violet light. Controlling algae with a UV light is easy, foolproof, and cost effective. Ultra violet lights are also sometimes referred to as ultra violet sterilizers, or UV filters (although not a physical filter of the traditional type). UV lights do one job, and very effectively: They kill suspended algae in ponds and other outdoor water features. They're 100% effective and reliable so long as they're used
properly. About the only maintenance required is to change out the
lamp every 8,000 hours or so (or about one year of continuous use). So how does a UV light kill algae in a garden pond? Well, algae are plants, and like any plant, they require food, oxygen, and sunlight in order to grow and survive. And the more of these three ingredients that are present, the faster the algae will grow (that's why you'll see more algae if your pond receives direct sunlight). Under the right conditions, algae will multiply at an alarming rate -- up to 30 times per hour! This is what causes the pea-soup green appearance in your pond, and it may not go away even after changing out the water (the algae re-appears very quickly). And this will occur even if you have a biofilter installed in your pond system. This green/brown cloudy water is typically caused by millions of these algae living suspended in the water. Each of these algae is microscopic in size (about 4 microns, or 4 millionth of a meter). This is why a traditional biofilter cannot remove them from the water. But a UV light kills off even the smallest algae, and should be
used in conjunction with a biofilter to keep your water clear and
free of harmful chemicals. Algae is a serious problem in fish ponds You will normally see the most algae growth in the summer, when conditions are most suited for their growth -- lots of fish food in the water, warm water, and strong sunlight. Be aware that when a pond has a serious algae problem, your fish may begin to die off very quickly. Because algae are plants, they produce oxygen during the day but then release carbon dioxide at night by taking oxygen out of the water. So your valuable fish basically suffocate from lack of oxygen in the water. And this situation is especially common during a heat wave, because water at higher temperatures can hold less oxygen anyway.
For more on this topic, see the fish feeding and algae control articles. |
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