Controlling Algae Growth with Oxygenating Plants
Controlling algae growth naturally in a pond requires a balance between plant and animal life that must be established and maintained. If this is not done, the water will become murky, deoxygenated and smelly and any fish living in the pond will die.
The cause of murky water is algae that are microscopic plants that thrive in sunlight and feed on decaying organic materials, such as leaves, dead plants, twigs and other organic materials that may find their way into the pond. For this reason, it is important to try to keep the pond free of leaves and other foreign organic materials.
It is, of course, impossible to remove all decaying organic materials from a pond since this is a natural process that happens, but adding waterfalls and oxygenating plants to a pond can greatly increase the clarity of the water naturally. Waterfalls recirculate and naturally re-oxygenate pond water while oxygenating plants starve out the algae in the pond by consuming the mineral salts, produced by decaying organics, which the algae thrive on. Oxygenating plants also create shade in the pond, which diminishes the amount of sunlight entering the pond and in turn reduces algae growth.
Most oxygenating plants, such as Elodea canadensis and Cabomba caroliniana, can be bought in bunches of unrooted clippings since the root stalks of these plants develop quickly. The unrooted clippings can be easily added to ponds with soil-covered bottoms by weighting them down with sinkers, such as those used for fishing (try to use ones that are lead-free). Clippings of oxygenating plants may also be planted in soil-filled containers amongst water lilies and other shallow-water plants or they can be placed in containers of their own and submerged into the pond.
Oxygenating plants are essential in any water garden because they maintain the ecological balance of the pool. In addition to replenishing the pool with oxygen, they create shelter and spawning places for fish and, by competing with algae for sunlight and nourishment, they help keep the water clear. Using oxygenating plants is an effective way for controlling algae growth the natural way in your outdoor pond.
By Garden Supplies Plus
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