Pure Pond Bomb, Filter Start, Pure Pond, Stop Sludge from Evolution Aqua
Use Filter Start From Evolution Aqua
Filter Start dramatically accelerates the colonisation of the nitrifying bacteria that ensure efficient operation of all Koi pond filters.
Evolution Aqua Filter Start Tablets help to reduce the length of time that your pond water suffers the effects of New Pond Syndrome. Filter Start boosts your filter and helps to keep it boosted. Filter Start Tablets ensure that your filter is able to neutralise the pollutants which are produced by your fish. Filter Start helps your filter to produce the high quality water that your fish deserve. Contains no harmful chemicals. Safe for all fish, water plants, lilies and invertebrates.
Our biggest challenge as fish Keepers is to create a ‘natural’ healthy environment in our ponds, where the correct balance of beneficial bacteria are allowed to develop and flourish.
The Koi pond and filters in time, will mature to give a balanced ecosystem.If this is not achieved, toxic waste that the fish produce will not be effectively removed and will cause stress to the Koi and Pond fish and weaken their immune system.
This will lead to a reduction in their ability to fight off potential health problems.Growth and development are also adversly affected and in severe cases, fish losses will occur.
Our Koi ponds are often overstocked, over fed and are treated with aggressive chemicals to kill parasites, fungal or bacterial infections. All of these have a detrimental effect on the balance of bacteria we are trying to maintain in our filters.
Evolution Aqua FilterStart contains the correct balance of several groups of bacteria that are best suited to colonise a new sterile filter in conjunction with a stocked koi fish pond. This enables stable healthy water conditions to develop, therefore a healthier environment for your fish.
The brand new product to the Evolution Zone dropped out of the Evolution Aqua stable is an absolute winner and a real Bombshell !!
The Pure Pond Bomb.
Do you need an intensive, fast acting pond treatment? Do you need help achieving crystal clear, healthy water? If yes, Evolution Aqua’s PURE Pond Bomb is the product for you.
What is the PURE Pond Bomb?
PURE Pond Bomb is a fast acting, concentrated version of the Award Winning PURE Pond. PURE Pond Bomb is ideal for use in Koi ponds, ornamental ponds, self contained water features or ponds which do not have conventional filtration, to achieve crystal clear, healthy water.
Inside the PURE Pond Bomb there is a unique combination of friendly bacteria and enzymes, which get to work as soon as the ball hits the water to clean up organic waste and break down the ammonia and nitrite to leave your pond crystal clear and healthy.
How to use the PURE Pond Bomb?
Simply drop the PURE Pond Bomb into your pond filter or directly into the water. PURE Pond Bomb can also be used when starting up a new filter, as the high concentration of bacteria will help to remove the harmful ammonia and nitrite, allowing the filter media to mature. Just drop the PURE Pond Bomb into the biological stage of your filter
Pure Pond Bacterial Gell Balls
Pure Pond Bacteria Balls
Pure Pond gell balls are the very latest new product out of the Evolution Aqua stable, with all the hype of a blockbuster movie this New Filter Aid promises to boost your benificial bacteria levels in your filter and koi pond by slow release and by "on demand" style dosing, quite how it does this is down to the scientists but overall the product gives a visual indication of the state of your filtration system Pure Pond are biodegradable balls, bursting with live bacteria that are slowly released when they are needed most. With over 8,000,000,000 bacteria per litre of Pure Pond Balls, your pond will shine even more than normal, especially if you add them monthly into the Kaldnes Moving bed, or into any other type of filter you may have.
HOW TO USE IT?
When you introduce the Pure Pond balls into the biological chamber of your Nexus, they become one with moving bed, agitating alongside the K1 media, just waiting to smooth out any peaks and troughs of the Ammonia/Nitrite cycle, to give you even healthier, crystal clear water.
500ml For ponds up to 10,000Ltrs
1Litre For ponds up to 20,000Ltrs
Questions and Answers from A Well Known Forum
Wardie -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 9:10:46 AM)
Fishless cycling has been around in the aquarium world since dot. It is poo pooed in the koi world simply because serious aquarium keepers know and understand far more about water than koi keepers.
The bacteria in a bottle or in a ball have a serious problem. This is that for bacteria to be effective in your system it has to be grown on a surface. This cannot be done by pouring the bacteria on to the media.
I can get mature media in 2- 4 weeks brewed in a dustbin. I have totally sussed how to do it. I've also ran many, many tests on the media and what is going on in a filter. Things have come on a way since I made that first post on the subject.
Read on the Internet all you like. The best understanding comes from actually doing. I should know I'm a teacher. Lol lol lol.
fuzz62 -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 9:21:41 AM)
Why cant this be done with the balls then?
how i see it if they are breaking down, which they are, then get smaller and smaller or fall apart, now after looking at how much gets caught in my filter a small object say a ball that has broken up or gone small will eventually get stuck like all other large debris in my filter. If this is stuff does this not mean the bacteria can not transfer?
By the way i have done fishless cycling for the past 5 tanks i have had so yes wardie have tried it
all i am saying is there is too much knocking of this product without anyone have any information!!!! you can not find anyhting other thats whats on the tin, yet because none of use know how it works in relation to other media we say it cant or wornt work ... flat surfaces blah blah
Email jasper, phone him, hell come to wigan and we will all go down and quiz him, then with some understanding some of use might not be as quick to brand this a waste of time, money, space on the internet or what ever you want to call it
Wardie -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 9:39:01 AM)
I have not poo poohed it. Just said it has a serious problem. And no doubt the whole point of the ball is to try to overcome the problem of the liquid.
But for 1 pound fifty for bottled ammonia and pence for bicarb.. The dustbin method is in my mind a winner. I will write a better post for it, as now I have it sussed properly.
al the pal -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 9:59:13 AM)
love a good debate, but this comes up evey year. i all so think pond bacteria is a wast of money , but all to there own. we have all spent on things in life and later on said wot was i buying that for?? [:@]
fishy hands -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 11:13:51 AM)
if bacteria has to eatto survive how does it stay alive in the bottle it comes in? also surely once you have used the balls in the right environment the bacteria well multiply like mad anyway so 1 dose or 2 doses should do!! so why are they saying it has to be put in monthly???
chaos -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 11:35:36 AM)
quote:
Iain like most cheap products under 100 notes they do get given away free with things time to time ... saying that i suppose what you8r saying is this purepond is a rip off as people are giving tubs away free?
Not in the slightest mate, go read the post again! What I'm asking is why add anything to a mature pond that has spot on parameters, doesn't make sense imo
quote:
Rick sorry mate iain has decided that food you are giving away for trial is a load of rubbish
Now you're just talking tosh
jrhartley -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 11:44:31 AM)
I have a few questions related to this thread, I always believed that the bacteria in a filter if conditions were right divided into two then four etc. Now I am sure that most of these bacteria remain on the media they were "born" on but do some either loose grip or get knocked off by larger (but still small) filter dwelling creatures? Do they drift around waterborn until they land on a suitable surface and start off another colony or die trying? How long can they survive in this state? Long enough to do many laps of the pond?
chaos -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 12:19:44 PM)
Bacteria will colonise anything and everything they come into contact with. There will be beneficial bacteria in not only your filter but also covering every surface of your pond and any equipment within.
As for how long they live, all down to their normal life cycle and having enough food to live on (ammonia etc) the more fish in the pond, the more waste and thus more food for the bacteria
fishy hands -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 12:30:45 PM)
but then how do they live in the bottle i buy it in as there is nothing to eat in it ? or if there is i'd imagine they would soon eat it ? also why should i need to top up every month as they will multiply by them selves ??
jrhartley -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 1:02:54 PM)
I have read that single cell algae when it becomes dried, like around lake edges etc can become airborn in this state and if fortunate to land in another body of water can "come back to life". Thats how it gets everywhere. Can filter bacteria do this? Survive in a dried or suspended state and travel with the wind? I would not be surprised if it could. Some bacteria have survived several years in space on satalites and grown just fine on recovery.
alan_t -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 6:25:51 PM)
quote:
ORIGINAL: fishy hands
if bacteria has to eatto survive how does it stay alive in the bottle it comes in? also surely once you have used the balls in the right environment the bacteria well multiply like mad anyway so 1 dose or 2 doses should do!! so why are they saying it has to be put in monthly???
yep exactly to all you said m8.
steve and lou -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 6:38:02 PM)
also if the bacteria isnt alive in your filter and it will be purely because of the temperature of water so not feeding enough
then adding something out of a bottle it will just die off as well
seems like its a sure fired money spinning winner as no/one can actually scientifiically disprove if they work or not
what is the point in rushing things anyway if your filter aint working then keep up with the water changes and limited food till it is working
big lad -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 6:45:57 PM)
it seems like a lot of you peeps are against this but when i first started this hobby i had a bad time with n.p,s and i lost some nice fish getting ulcers and so on i was advised to add some good bacteria so i added kussuri pink i had tyo brew itr for a week but the outcome was a great one so if peeps say they dont work i say they do for me anyway
Yanbbrox -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 6:48:25 PM)
I also don't buy it. 8 million bacteria in balls that are still alive, living on nothing?
I've been around a few places today and it's everywhere in it's own little displays, I've also noticed there is an aquarium version as well.
I'm setting up a nexus next week so I'll add some with some virgin K1 and see what happens. For EA £8-£9 seems an odd price.
If it works then potentially it could be great for the nexus owners out there, then again there was hardly a massive uptake of the bio chip.
jrhartley -> EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 6:36:37 PM)
Just had a look at a nexus 210 to see how the bypass system works and in with the K1 were these small black balls which contain 8,000,000,000 bacteria per litre and are best added monthly!
koicarp1984 -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 6:39:17 PM)
As it happens i got some today and are in my nexus now will let you no if i notice any change
fuzz62 -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 7:21:38 PM)
i picked some up on friday, most in the pond, some in the qt and about 10 in the aquarium indoors ...thought id start to add these to ensure the filters are 100% bob on, end of the day the advantage of only having a small pond is it costs only 9 quid a month, or free with 2 fish
fishy hands -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 7:24:18 PM)
???? but reading on here it seems that most people think adding bacteria to your filters is a waste of time ?? or is this a different sort of bacteria
alan_t -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:07:14 PM)
cant see these being any different then any other that doe'nt work.
Cloggsy -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:09:22 PM)
quote:
ORIGINAL: alan_t
cant see these being any different then any other that doe'nt work.
They are different; they're EA, so they'll cost more
alan_t -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:10:25 PM)
oh yeh, forgotabout that cloggs.
LCrez -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:12:07 PM)
I wouldn't dismiss the EA 'pure pond' just yet. On the whole EA's products are very good with a lot of time and money spent on research and development and im sure they wouldn't be on the shelves if they did nothing. I have given these a try to see if the claims are true, however i think as they have only been in a couple of days it may be too soon to notice any changes. I would be interested to see other peoples results and thoughts on this product as time goes on.
koicarp1984 -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:12:49 PM)
cant knock em untill youve tryed them out
alan_t -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:13:51 PM)
lol...or some of us just got more sense.
steve and lou -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:14:29 PM)
stick some in a bucket of ammonia and see if they eat it then youll know if they work or not
LCrez -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:16:48 PM)
Good idea, sounds like a test for 'Wardie'. I seem to remember he's into ammonia and buckets and maturing K1. If he has the time, let him take a scientific approach to it and let us know of his findings. I read his maturing K1 thread with ammonia in a bucket and thought it was great.
Cloggsy -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:17:08 PM)
quote:
ORIGINAL: koicarp1984
quote:
ORIGINAL: LCrez
I wouldn't dismiss the EA 'pure pond' just yet. On the whole EA's products are very good with a lot of time and money spent on research and development and im sure they wouldn't be on the shelves if they did nothing. I have given these a try to see if the claims are true, however i think as they have only been in a couple of days it may be too soon to notice any changes. I would be interested to see other peoples results and thoughts on this product as time goes on.
cant knock em untill youve tryed them out
You are both right, after all I have taken the plunge and bought a Nexus 210 [
alan_t -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:23:31 PM)
chris_mad -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:49:47 PM)
Any info on where to buy these balls online
koicarp1984 -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 9:55:58 PM)
bigmel -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 10:30:19 PM)
I really can,t see these working or even needed on a mature pond , but as always will be happy to be corrected .
My pond sat at 0.4 degs at the lowest over winter , i read on here that the bacteria die off at this temp , but its all kicked in nicely with only a day of ammonia at .25 and a nitrite spike of the same , other than that i,m feeding 3 times a day without any problems .
If my nexus ever needs a boost of 8,000,000,000 live bacteria i,ll just put my underpants in the vortex .
Eric would wet himself
johnwandle -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 11:17:16 PM)
Nice one Mel.
chaos -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (2/5/2010 11:30:11 PM)
quote:
I really can,t see these working or even needed on a mature pond , but as always will be happy to be corrected
I think that may be the thing here mate, if you're pond is mature and your filter is working and doing what it's meant to, why add anything to it, let alone on a monthly basis. Furthermore, why add 8 billion bacteria to your filter, if the filter is mature then the bacteria present will be in direct relation to the ammonia being produced by the fish, no point adding more as there won't be enough waste to feed them and thus they'll die off anyway.
I'm yet to be convinced on these I'm afraid and wonder if that's a common theme across the industry and why we're already seeing them being given away as freebie
fuzz62 -> RE: EA Pure Pond Bacteria Gel Balls (3/5/2010 8:50:45 AM)
i have responeded to this a number of times but every time i have done so i find myself asking what the hell. i mean this product has been out a matter of a week or two and yet there are people spouting what they cant prove.
If your filter is running at peak level in these temperatures fair play to you, i know for a fact that mine isnt and wont be until peak feeding at peak season, the when you increase the feeding to those levels the relation of bacteria and ammonia is out of ballance hence water problems, water changes and increase in bacteria then you have equilibriam then winter.
Something designed to stop water probs? cant be a bad thing can it? [8|][8|]
Iain like most cheap products under 100 notes they do get given away free with things time to time ... saying that i suppose what you8r saying is this purepond is a rip off as people are giving tubs away free? ... Rick sorry mate iain has decided that food you are giving away for trial is a load of rubbish [8|][8|][8|]
ffs dude.
For the fishless cycling, man this has been done for many many years and there is way more info on the net than wardie provided, if you search and look through the articles, people have taken full param readings and show comparisons to different water conditions thus enabling you to get the perfect set up is this what they call a control experiment? oh yes thats what you do when you prove things you have a control
Stop Blanketweed from Evolution Aqua
Evolution Stop Blanket Weed
The development of Stop Blanket weed
When Evolution Aqua introduced StopBlanketweed our main objective was to provide a complete solution to combat blanket weed that was safe and caused no harm to fish. The product we have on the market today does exactly what we set out to achieve!
Every Koi keeper and pond owner knows how much of a nuisance blanket weed is. It is a long, thin filamentous algae that can block filters, pumps and pipes, and generally makes your pond look unsightly.
There are many reasons why blanket weed develops in fish ponds, but basically if the algae has exposure to enough nutrients in your pond, in combination with enough sunlight, then it will grow and grow and grow.
It would be natural to assume that by reducing the amount of nutrients in your pond and providing a sufficient level of shade would be enough to get rid of blanket weed, however as every enthusiast knows, things are never that simple.
Safe solution
Evolution Aqua's solution to the problem is a powder based treatment that you mix into your pond water. When added to your pond water, as instructed, the powder is absorbed into the individual cells that make up the weed so quickly that the cell walls are unable to maintain their integrity. The result is that the blanket weed literally falls apart and your blanket weed is stopped in its tracks.
More importantly to us at Evolution Aqua, our StopBlanketweed treatment contains no chemicals that will harm fish, pond water or any other wildlife for that matter.
How to use StopBlanketweed
StopBlanketweed should be added to your pond as soon as you see the first signs of blanket weed forming. We advise that you apply one dose of StopBlanketweed every seven days or until the blanket weed has died. In most ponds this should be about three weeks.
To treat your pond, place 50 grams of powder for every 1500 litres / 330 gallons of pond water in a suitable container. Fill a container with some pond water and mix the StopBlanketweed in thoroughly. Distribute the mixture evenly over the pond surface. If your pond is less than 1500 litres, for example 600 litres, use the following sum:
Pond volume (litres) divided by 1500 x 50 = Powder (grams)
eg: 600 / 1500 x 50 = 20 grams.
For optimum results it is advised that you boost your pond with one dose every month to prevent the blanket weed returning. If water temperature falls below 8 degrees celsius, treatment efficiency is reduced.
The Stop Blanketweed from Evolution Aqua is used in the treatment of filamentous algae, commonly known as blanket weed in koi ponds and garden ponds.
Blanket weed is one of the most hated problems of pond and koi keeping and a nuisance to everyone as it makes your pond unsightly, blocks filters, pumps and pipes. Stop Blanket weed is a unique product which will kill & prevent the regrowth of blanket weed if used as instructed. Stop Blanketweed is easy and simple to use, contains no harmful chemicals and is safe for all pond inhabitants.
Our biggest challenge as Koi and Pond Keepers is to create a 'natural' healthy environment in our ponds, where the correct balance of nitrifying bacteria are encouraged to grow and flourish. The pond and filters in time, will mature to give a balance between fish waste and the filter removing the toxins, If this is not achieved, toxic waste that the fish produce will not be effectively removed and will cause stress to the fish and weaken their immune system. This will lead to a reduction in their ability to defend themselves from potential health problems. Growth, skin quality and development are also adversely affected and in severe cases, fish losses will occur.
Our ponds are often overstocked, over fed and are treated with harsh chemicals to kill parasites, fungal or bacterial infections. All of these have a detrimental effect on the balance of bacteria we are trying to maintain in our filters. Bacterial additives should always be used after any treatments. Even a week on holiday with reduced feeding can cause the bacteria colony to die back. To assist our own eco-system, we can introduce and supplement the correct beneficial bacteria into our system to accelerate and maintain this natural balancing process. This in turn will lead to clear, well balanced water and healthier fish.
Although it's hard to believe there is an advantage in having blanketweed in a fish pond. One of the spin-offs is normally very clear water because the blanket weed is so efficient at removing nitrates that the normal suspended algae don't have much of a chance of growing profusely and the result is clear water.
One other property of blanket weed is that it is a great oxygenating source. When observed closely during sunny days released oxygen can be seen bubbling on the edges of the filaments of the blanketweed. It is the liberated oxygen that allows blanketweed to float on top of the water and create those ugly masses of green string algae.
What makes Blanket weed or String Algae Grow
1. Sunlight is the first condition. Blanketweed is a form of algae which is a plant form and growth is through photosynthesis. This means if there bright sunlight then a good growth condition for blanketweed is met. If the pond is shallow then sunlight can penetrate easily and is even more favourable to string algae growth.
2. Warmer temperatures favour growth of blanketweed so outbreaks are far worse in summer than winter when the problem might disappear completely.
3. Nitrates and Phosphates have to be available in sufficient concentrations to allow the blanketweed to absorb and metabolize. Nitrates are derived from the natural process of denitrification (ammonia to nitrite to nitrate) that takes place in all pond environments by the action of aerobic bacteria within a pond filter. Rain water and municipal water supply is another source of nitrates. Removal of either of these two nutrients will significantly eliminate blanket weed growth. Removal of Nitrate and Phosphate is the main method of most treatments available today.
4. Overfeeding fish. Almost all pond keepers overfeed their fish and this results in concentrations of nitrates being at higher levels and more suitable to blanketweed growth.
What is blanket weed or string algae?
Blanket weed is an alga, it is a relatively primitive form of plant life that is very successful at colonising and dominating an environment under favourable conditions.
Blanket weed spreads and recolonises vegetatively, by branching off and breaking off parts of its own structure which will then colonise new areas. Biologically speaking, this can be a risky strategy, as if the environmental conditions change, it does not have extensive means of adapting to the changing environment. However, where the environment provides consistent conditions, (as in a koi pond), and the blanket weed is adapted to those conditions, it is a very successful strategy, allowing it to thrive and spread rapidly.
Are there different types of blanket weed.
Blanket weed (also referred to as string-algae) is a collective term given to a number of very similar algae that both look and behave identically. The most common genera are Cladophora, Oedogonium and Spirogyra.
Cladophora means 'branched plant' and when viewed under the microscope, it is possible to see the regular-branding filaments, each of which is divided by cross walls. Absorption of light and nutrients is very efficient in such small structures and so growth can be incredibly rapid. They reproduce both sexually (releasing gametes that unite and develop into new plants), and asexually (releasing small motile spores or simply smaller fragments that break off from the main body).
Does it pose any health risks to koi?
We don't resent blanket weed's grip on our ponds because it poses a direct threat to the health of our koi, as in fact, it can actually lead to improved water conditions. When there is a thin, beard-like covering on areas of the pond, koi will browse and graze on the soft, lush growth. However, koi find it less appealing when the beard has grown into lengths of weed several feet in length (hence its other names such as hair or thread algae). Blanket weed will also provide an excellent nursery, both feeding and protecting developing koi fry. If your pond also contains sterlets, blanket weed can prove to be a real hazard for these weak swimmers.
Quite surprisingly, blanketweed is beneficial to a pond in that it will very actively take up minerals and nutrients from the pond water (just like a vegetable filter), the only difference being that this one is in the pond! So vigorous is the growth and uptake of nutrients by blanket weed that should we find a way of confining it to a vegetable filter, it would be our number one plant choice. Unfortunately, like all other weeds, blanketweed does not know its right place and freely enters any koi pond, doing so at its own risk, as its presence is likely to be challenged.
Another redeeming feature is that blanket weed is a very effective oxygenating plant. Its fine filament structure and submerged position lend it to producing a ready supply of microscopic oxygen bubbles. So intense may be its aerating effect that in strong sunlight, rafts of blanketweed will rise up to the surface, buoyed up by the mass of oxygen bubbles caught within its filaments.
What does it need to grow?
Blanket weed is not some sort of aquatic curse that we all fall under for keeping koi. We only have ourselves to blame, because blanket weed will only grow where it finds suitable conditions (these conditions just happen to be similar to the conditions found in most koi ponds). In fact if we wanted to farm blanket weed, we would probably provide it with the same conditions in which it thrives - a koi pond!
The 3 factors that enable blanketweed to thrive.
1. Clearwater that sunlight can penetrate.
It is no coincidence that blanket weed problems have increased in line with the sale and use of UVCs. Mud ponds in which koi are farmed are characterised by their murky water, and even though they represent a nutrient-rich environment, will rarely suffer from blanket weed. Although blanketweed is present in mud ponds, it is out competed and shaded by a combination of the turbid conditions created by the suspended clay and the blooms of single-celled algae. In a filtered and clear koi pond, we have removed the clay and the algae from the equation, leaving ponds exposed and ripe for blanket weed attack and colonisation. The sunlight is required to fuel the process of photosynthesis which allows blanket weed to manufacture food for new tissue growth. By providing clear water conditions for koi we are leaving ourselves exposed to an unhindered blanket weed attack.
2. Nutrients
Algae will readily absorb nitrates and phosphates to satisfy their need for nitrogen and phosphorous as they grow. These are readily available in tap water or indirectly through fish metabolism. Wherever nutrients abound, so will this opportunistic algae, being the first to capitalise on ideal growth conditions.
By killing green water with UVCs, we are perpetuating the imbalance that Mother Nature is trying to fill. The nutrients will continue to accumulate, until an opportunistic algae (such as blanket weed) can take advantage of these conditions. If blanket weed was also susceptible to UVCs then it too, like green water would not be a problem in koi ponds. - Unfortunately it is not.
3. Heat
A warmer temperature will accelerate algae growth considerably and blanketweed growth will be greatest in the shallower areas such as cascades and waterfalls and along the pond perimeter. In winter, the cooler water (and shorter day lengths) prevent blanketweed from growing. Unfortunately, it will only die back, ready to thrive when suitable conditions return in spring.
Why can a pond that has been free of blanket weed suddenly succumb to it?
Even though blanket weed needs specific environmental factors to be in place for it to grow, and these factors are usually unavoidably provided in a koi pond, there are instances when blanket weed will not proliferate in a specific pond.
This can be mystifying as blanket weed is like any other living organism in that it has specific requirements for growth, and will only grow under the correct conditions. So even when two ponds provide these conditions and only one is afflicted by a green plague, it is clear that other factors are coming into play.
Blanket weed does tend to form tougher structure in more alkaline and calcium-rich water, while deeper, shaded ponds that take longer to heat up are less accommodating to blanket weed. What can be even more puzzling is when you have (rather smugly) managed to keep your pond blanket weed-free for years, only for it to succumb this year.
If this happens, try to retrace your steps and look at any of your pond keeping practices that may have changed your water chemistry. Different pond additives, treatments, water sources and food can be the most likely causes of change to a pond that will lead to a blanket weed to bloom.
Does it affect any particular area of a pond?
For the reasons discussed earlier, blanket weed growth can be considerably greater in shallow areas of the pond, particularly waterfalls. Blanket weed will thrive in fast-flowing shallow water, benefiting from the higher light intensity and warmth of water temperatures. Water flow will also 'tease out' the blanket weed encouraging it to grow in greater lengths.
How can you prevent your pond from getting blanket weed?
This is the million-dollar question. For reasons discussed earlier, blanket weed growth is affected and controlled by a number of factors. Blanket weed will find your pond. It is adapted to finding and colonising new environments - so why should your pond be the exception?
The answer to controlling blanket weed lies in reducing one of their 3 key requirements; sunlight, nutrients, and a suitable temperature for blanket-weed growth. As we want our ponds to be as warm as possible (to stimulate koi health and growth), we should look at reducing sunlight and dissolved nutrients.
Sunlight.
Sunlight penetration can be reduced in a number of ways. a) Shading. Erecting shading on a pergola will reduce sunlight straight away and reduce blanket weed photosynthesis. It can also help against heron predation. b) Adding dyes. Several blanket weed and algae controls work by adding dark vegetable dyes to the pond, filtering out the sun's rays. This will give the water a tint, and will need to be topped up when the natural dyes are broken down by the filter, but proves effective as a long-term control of blanketweed.
Compelling natural evidence that shading works is evident when a pond suffers from green water. The microscopic single celled algae that turn a pond into a 'pea soup' out compete and shade blanketweed out of its valuable light. Blanketweed and green water have a mutually exclusive relationship, where ponds tend to suffer from either one or the other. Unfortunately, one of the side effects of installing a UVc (which is a guaranteed method of clearing green water), is that blanketweed will proliferate unhindered in the crystal clear, nutrient rich pond water.
Nutrients.
Several pond treatments are available that control blanket weed growth by locking up or removing the vital nutrients from the pond water, starving the growth of blanket weed. Upon adding to the pond, they will bind up nitrates and phosphates. Other additives will act indirectly, but achieve the same ends using micro-organisms rather than chemicals to ultimately reduce the nutrient levels in pond water.
Other methods of control.
Algicides.
While all other methods simply control algae growth, the addition of algicides (chemicals that kill algae), work by interfering with vital biological processes. These products are the only ones on the market able to clearly state they kill algae - all others control or reduce it.
Barley straw is a green method of controlling blanketweed and green water. Upon its degradation, which can take several weeks, a cocktail of humic acids are released which react to release hydrogen peroxide, reducing algal growth. To speed this 'natural' process up, barley straw extract is now available.
Electronic controllers.
This method is reported to work on most ponds that have a suitable water chemistry by interfering with calcium ions. This apparently upsets algae metabolism, reducing blanket weed growth.
Top tips for blanket weed control
Adopt the strategy of prevention is better than cure. If you continue to treat blanket weed (which is a symptom of an unbalanced pond) then it will always return, once the treatment has worn off.
Try to determine the factors that are the problem in your own pond:
a. Is it the high levels of nutrients? - Test for nitrates and phosphates.
b. Is it excessive sunlight?
Once you have assessed the dominant factor that is making your pond hospitable to blanket weed, act accordingly: - If the nutrients are high, identify the source(s) of the nitrates and phosphates. (is it tap water?)
Also, for back-up, use nutrient-removing remedies (and re-test your water to see what effect they are having on your pond's nutrient levels).
If your pond is completely plant-free, but suffers from blanket weed, feel free to use an algicide (the only type of product that can claim it kills blanket weed) as there is no risk of affecting other aquatic plant life.
If you prefer a completely natural remedy to blanket weed, use those that offer a 'greener' remedy
Stop Sludge from Evolution Aqua
The Stop Sludge Liquid quickly breaks down the organic waste which can coat all of the surfaces in your pond, pipes and filters.
The Stop Sludge Liquid contains a mix of enzymes and bacteria which will aid the decomposition of organic waste (sludge). Stop Sludge from Evolution Aqua is 100% environmentally friendly and is not harmful to humans, plants or animals. Sludge, mulm, waste matter uses up available oxygen in your pond. Stop Sludge Liquid helps to remove this harmful by-product and should only to be used for the treatment of sludge build-ups in Koi and fish ponds, their pipe work and filter systems. Stop Sludge contains no harmful chemicals. Stop Sludge is safe for all Koi, fish, water plants, lilies and invertebrates.
some imformation on this page is used from here www.watergardenersbible.co.uk
