This article was in the Sunday paper, thought it was pretty interesting: Like many objects of value, terra-cotta pots take on character as they age. The clay darkens, assuming a whitish cast from fertilizers and the minerals in water. When kept in the shade and watered frequently, the pots gradually acquire a verdant sheen of algae or moss. But you don't have to wait for that look. These six easy techniques help pots undergo a transformation within weeks. Start now and you'll enjoy their vintage charm this summer and for many seasons to come. FERTILIZER Accelerate the appearance of white deposits by filling the pot with a highly concentrated fertilizer solution for a few weeks. Pots aged this way are safe for plants because the salts won't wash from the pot to the soil. Tools and materials: wine cork, candle and water-soluble fertilizer Directions: Plug pot's drainage hole with a wine cork. (A standard cork will fit a 10-inch pot perfectly. For smaller pots, whittle the cork; for larger ones, slice additional corks to fit, and wedge in place.) Light candle. Let wax drip over cork on outside of pot to seal. Let cool. Fill pot with water. (Hard water accelerates aging.) Add five times more fertilizer than package directions recommend. The longer the pots sit, the more dramatic the effect. Remove water, wax and cork. YOGURT One of the most natural-looking patinas can be achieved by simply slathering plain yogurt on a new pot. Yogurt applied to dry pots yields more dramatic results. For a subtler look, first soak pots in water for 15 minutes. Tools and materials: plain yogurt and a 2-inch foam brush Directions: Stir yogurt. Use brush to coat surface of pot with yogurt, covering it completely. Set aside in a shaded place until pot achieves the desired look, at least one month. BUTTERMILK AND MOSS Combining buttermilk and moss to encourage moss growth is a common tactic. The moss serves to hold the runny buttermilk in place and vary the texture, as well as to promote growth. Tools and materials: moss (or sheet moss), buttermilk and 2-inch foam brush Directions: If you've gathered your own moss, remove as much soil as possible. Tear moss into small pieces, removing materials such as bark and pine needles. Pour buttermilk into a bowl, add moss, and combine. Use brush to paint the mixture over pot. Set aside in a shaded place until pot achieves the desired look. If necessary, use a metal-bristle brush to remove any heavy clumps of moss. CLAY SOIL It's easy to make a pot appear as if it had been unearthed in an archaeological dig. Just apply soil found in your backyard. Moist soils with high clay content are ideal, since they adhere to terra-cotta best. Tools and materials: clay soil and flexible wire brush Directions: Rub soil over surface of pot, moistening the soil with a little water if it doesn't stick. Place pot in a shaded area for at least one month while soil bonds. Brush pot to create a varied, textured surface. LIME This method provides instant gratification. The lime solution quickly tones down the harsh orange of many new pots. Tools and materials: hydrated lime (available at hardware stores), natural-bristle paintbrush, spray bottle and 150-grit sandpaper Directions: Dissolve 1 cup hydrated lime in 2 cups water, stirring until no clumps remain. (This amount will age several small pots or 2 large ones. You can make varying quantities of the solution, but always use 1 part lime to 2 parts water.) Using random strokes, brush pot with lime solution, applying thickly in some areas, and thinly in others to simulate the subtle streaks of old pots. Fill spray bottle with water, set it on the "stream" setting, and coat pot in various spots while lime is still wet. This thins the coating for a natural look. Let dry. Sand pot in random directions, wiping dust frequently, until you have achieved the desired look. WATER AND SUNLIGHT Sometimes, the simplest methods bring the most satisfying results. Soak a pot in a tub of water until algae grows on its surface. Algae grows best in the sun, so be sure that vessels sit in bright locations and that water is replenished as it evaporates. TIPS AND TRICKS Although each technique will yield unique results, a few common truths apply to the various methods. Ingredients: It's fine to use dairy products that aren't fresh or have expired. Low-fat products will work, but higher-fat versions tend to be thicker and therefore less likely to drip off. Application: To achieve an authentic appearance, vary the thickness of the materials and the direction of application. Look to true aged pots for inspiration. Storage sites: Shaded locations are ideal for most pots while they "age." Do not stack the pots. Spray them occasionally with water, or place them where rain can reach them. Pots coated with food products may smell strongly for a few days after the ingredients have been applied; keep them away from living areas. Waiting: The longer a pot sits, the more pronounced the effect will be. It's up to you to decide when you think it's ready. Most pots will continue to "age" even as they are being used. Be creative. Try combining methods for different effects. Here is a link that might be useful: OC Register

The issue with barley straw is fairly complex. It's not certain exactly how it works. If it was nothing but the release of low levels of hydrogen peroxide then it would be possible to set up a chemical dosing pump to add very small volumes over a long period of time. Although there are numerous discussions on the topic, that it has been researched in Great Britain, etc. -- there does not seem to be a single, peer-reviewed scientific paper where they have actually measured what it is released (and there are some exceptionally sensitive assays for peroxide and peroxide metabolites out there). The website below presents a discussion as to what may be going on, where they have conducted side-by-side studies. However, it too is not a peer-reviewed scientific study although several papers are cited (they do not have any measurements of what is being released). Regardless of all of that...adding barley straw is, as far as I am concerned, another of those "do no harm" things. You can add it and it may help. It won't hurt unless you decide to carpet your pond in barely straw!!! :-)) As to using vascular plants (water hyacinths, water lettuce, etc.) --- these will do double duty to provide shade and act as a phosphorous sink. You can help them to compete against the algae by adding no more than 1/2 tablespoon of potassium nitrate per 1000 gallons once a week (it goes under the name of "tree stump remover" in most gardening centers - if in doubt ask for the MSDS sheet on the product which they are required by law to be able to get for you). The use of water hyacinths, water lettuce, etc. will also provide a very large surface area/root mass which will harbor a variety of "critters" such as daphnia that will go after the algae as well. Hope all this helps. ---David Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Purdue University, Dr. Lembi article/discussion

Hi Gran, here is some information I found at:http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/algae-control/pink.php Pink algae is not really an algae, it is a type of bacteria. When the bacteria colonise a surface you will notice it in the form of a pink or clear slimy layer. Pink algae (i.e. pink bacteria colonies) are not very common in aquariums but they do occur. The main place where you can encounter pink algae is instead in swimming pools. Swimming pools located near the ocean seem to be at especially high risk. It is also possible to contaminate your pool with pink algae if you do not thoroughly clean swimsuits, under water goggles, water toys etcetera after a visit to the sea. As mentioned above, pink algae will form slimy pink or clear layers over various surfaces. Brushing it off is normally fairly easy, but simply removing the slime is rarely enough to put a halt to the problem. If a serious infestation occurs, it can turn the water cloudy, almost like milk. Algaecides and other anti-algae treatments are often inefficient against pink algae since the pink slime is caused by bacteria, not by true algae. There are however formulas that will kill both algae and most types of bacteria. The most common form of treatment against pink algae in a swimming pool is to use chlorine in combination with special anti-pink algae products. Most pool stores will offer some type of anti-pink algae product, but the exact content varies a lot from manufacturer to manufacturer. This is one example of a commonly used pink algae treatment: �Clean equipment, swimsuits, toys etcetera with diluted bleach. �Brush all effected areas thoroughly (this step should be repeated frequently throughout the cleaning process). �Purchase an anti-pink algae product and follow the instructions from the manufacturer. �Make sure that the pH-value is in the 7.0-7.2 range, since this will make the chlorine more effective. �Superchlorinate the pool. �Add a sodium bromide product to the water. Bromine is known to be especially effective against pink algae. �Let your toys and pool equipment (brushes, nets, hoses and so on) soak in the superchlorinated water. �Turn off the filter and clean it meticulously. �Circulate the water continuously and back-wash the filter. �Once the problem is under control, continue to back-wash the filter and clean it out again to remove any pink bacteria colonies that might be living inside the filter. �A clarifier can be necessary to remove dead algae and organic debris from the water. �Resume normal filtration and chlorination. Your's Koily, Lorraine

I did find out that after a few waterings the balls didn't seem to be as floatacious as they had been - quite a relief. I think they just float a lot when they are brand new / very dry. Here is what I have now: - 5 gallon bucket as the res. - I find it takes only 2 gallons to completely flood to the overflow level, and as was said, I am only flooding to about half of that height b/c the rest will wick and stay moist. So it's probably only about 1 gallon to flood the tray. This is great! Saving $$$ on nutes in my small system with an efficient reservoir and flood tray. - I put the air stone back in the res. after charlie little's comment. I was afraid to because I don't have a lid for the bucket (yet!) and a little bit of water drops tend to jump out of the bucket. I put some black/white poly on top of the bucket as a temporary lid and it's working fine to keep the water droplets inside. - I am considering drilling a hole very near the top of the bucket and attaching a fitting so that I can easily make a light-tight reservoir by routing the hoses through there. The power cord for the pump would be a challenge though, unless I can get an air lift to work, then there would be no bulky end to a power cord so it would be easy to set up. - I put black/white poly in between the plants so that you can't even see any of the clay balls. I think I need to set the timer down to maybe every five hours instead of 3 as I think there will be ample moisture in there. - Tomato seedling leaves are curling really bad and I think it may be because they are too wet so I didn't irrigate at all today and will cut the timer back more for tomorrow when I go into the office. - Once the seedlings take off a little more I will try to post some pics. - I am not using organics yet but want to try at some point in the future.