I have a yard pond (plastic ones), but seem to have trouble keeping it from going green. what can i do?

Answer 1

You are having an "algae bloom". To avoid algae blooms, you must create an ecosystem within your pond. Don't panic, it's easy. The ideal components are fish, plants, shade, bacteria, and aeration.
1. Fish eat algae. Even cheap 12-cent goldfish will eat algae.
2. Water plants compete with algae for sun. Algae hates shade. Algae loses.
3. Aeration: A small bubbler or sprayer keeps the water circulating. Algae (the kind that make your water green and murky) hate moving water.
4. I use "beneficial bacteria" in my pond. You buy it at a pond store, pour some in your pond every week, and it establishes itself and combats the algae. I use "Microbe-Lift".

All the above may sound like a bit of trouble, but once established, you won't have to muck out a green nasty pond every 2 weeks. Of course, you can always (if you don't want plants or fish) add a small amount of chlorine bleach to the pond; I use chlorine bleach in my fountains.

Answer 2

I suspect this has algae growing on it.

Many ponds require an algae killer to prevent this but it can also be harmful to fish or any other desired life in the pond.

If you have no fish or other desired life in the pond, chlorine can help. Often people use chlorine bleach (approx 5% hypochlorite by weight is laundry bleach) or swimming pool shock solution (about 10% hypochlorite by weight). Remember this is bleach and it will bleach out your clothing so be careful with it.

The water is also static and needs to be exposed to air. A pump that enables circulation and air introduction by creating a water spray can also help. You need sufficient water circulation for this to work and an undersized pump will not be effective; an oversized pump would create too much agitation and also be a problem so pay close attention to pump size.

These are things that can help. Try these carefully.

Answer 3

An inexpensive solution would be to use a product called Water Shade. It tints the water a deep blue, thereby starving the algae of the sunlight it needs to grow.
Make sure you have plenty of plants that shade your water as well, like lilies.
Some may recommend super-charged (expensive) filtration systems with UV lights and whatnot, but I never used anything but a pump and a normal filter. It's summertime, and with the warmer weather algae blooms are pretty much inevitable, but with patience and a little care they'll usually clear up soon enough.

Answer 4

barley will adjust the pH level, to help control the sludgy-green stuff.
If muscrats and other membersof nature move in, they will help control those darn cat tails.

At least the solutions are of a natural sort

Answer 5

ask a nursery or farm supply for an anti algae agent. Or better yet explain your problem and ask what they suggest.