I pulled out almost 20 lbs of it the other day, I am replacing my filter media come spring but again if anyone can help or know of any remedy please let me know. I thought with the cold temps it would die off but it has just thrived.. I am sure I am not the only one.. thanks again for any help as I am sure you would be helping others with the same problem..

I brought forward "bumper crop of string algae" that I posted previously and thought it might help with your question.

Here is a link that might be useful: My pond

I would like the magic answer to this problem. I have read that plants like anacharis helps to control algae. But mine seems to be making my string algae grow more. Or that's where most of mine is and growing on the bags of barley straw. My fish are getting caught in it and I'm having to rescue them every couple of days. Has anyone had success with Koi Clay? I'm about to resort to the $800. Sonic contraption to see if it will work. Anyone tried it yet?? Glenda

I have tried the koi clay and some enzyme granules which are light brown in color, dont remember the name off hand and no help. I have to clean out my filter every three days, I removed 1/3 of the media and the filter is still clogged. Its all over the walls some places at least a foot long. Not sure about your bumper crop post as I have not seen it.. Barley Straw doesnt sound like it works either.. Looks like another weekend of pulling pounds of the stuff out by hand, wish it was warm enough and I would take a swim, would be easier to clean out.

This has been covered several times here in the forum, so an informative article has been posted in the FAQs area (see link below).

It's important to remember that green (or suspended) algae (the stuff that makes your water look murky and...green) is different from string algae (the long, stringy stuff). Since your water is crystal clear, then you don't have suspended algae. In fact, the string algae is probably helping your water stay clear, because it's using up nutrients (fish waste, plant material) that aren't otherwise being used up by growth of pond plants in the cooler winter months.

Once the pond plants begin another growth cycle, they will aid in your string algae problem. The more plants, the better. The more water circulation, the better. The more fish, the better the filtration should be.

No matter what you use to kill the string algae, you still have to remove it when it dies.

Brenda

Here is a link that might be useful: What do I do about algae or green water or string algae?

When it first appeared I was a bit happy as I thought it was good and actually pretty. Then it took over and clogs my filter to a crawl. Having to replace all media in the filter in a month or so. I guess I can use a bit more baking soda. Hopefully when it dies it easier to remove as netting it off the sides does not work. I have only a few lilies in the pond during spring and summer; no other plants, and 12 mid size koi. I may add 1 or 2 in the spring. I read several post and articles and I didnt see a magical fix like I had hoped. Metal brush would work real good if my liner was concrete..

You are pretty much stuck pulling it out on your own, unless you can come up with a good recipe for string algae. Then share it with your neighbors,and tell them where they can get all they want.
Once the fish get their appetites back that should solve your problem.

I removed half my filter media and now I get ok flow... I put some of the algae in my boo flowerbeds so hopefully I get nice big canes this spring..

Well since everyone who posted so far is from the warmer states I'm just curious . I'm in zone 7 NJ and see it starting to grow at this time of the year but as soon as the water temp rises my koi just seem to eat all of it . Dont your koi eat this for you ? I also have 7 ponds some without filters and it always disappears in the spring time even in the ponds with small fish . I dont do anything to treat it .

They eat some, but I have so much, and the pond is almost over run with it.. the media in my bead filter actually had new algae growth and it was becoming large so no way it could of come through the pipes.. this stuff is amazingly aggressive. Will do another clean this weekend.. not sure how to get it off the walls as the toilet brush is not brittle or hard enough to tear it clean off.. Water temps have been up and down too. One day have to feed them and the next I do not.. One day its 65-70 degrees outside and the next its 30.. urg!!

I had a terrible time w/ algae. I spent more time in my pond w/ a toilet brush then my bathrooms,LOL. THEN, mid summer I started using hydrogen peroxide. Viola, no more algae! My husband was amazed! I'd go to Wally-World, buy 2 big bottles, my pond is 24'X18'x3'. It really works! I'm already stocking up for this summer -- it beats all scrubbing and pulling and netting that green garbage out. Hope it helps you guys!

Barley Straw will prevent string algae (blanket weed), but not kill it. I use it with great success. I use lots of plants to take nutrients out of the water. The early spring seems to be the time that plants aren't growing yet and the barley straw is least effective and the string algae starts growing. I use a one shot treatment of PondCare AlgaeFix in the early spring. Then I put in a fresh bale of barley straw directly over my aerator bubbler. The aerator bubbles up through the bale. The bale must be loose since air must pass through it.

I have 3 large metal stock tanks. Over the years I have never had any problems with string algae until last summer.

My oldest stock tank that is over 20 years old started growing lots of string algae. That sort of surprised me since it had never happened before?

I have often wondered if the zinc in the metal prevented the growth of the string algae in some way?

Neither of my other stock tanks had a problem with algae at all. However, I have changed this older tank somewhat. A couple of years back, it developed some small holes in the bottom of it. So I painted the bottom with swamp cooler tar, completely covering the metal.

So a lot of the surface metal was covered over and there was less zinc to get into the water.

Now I don't know if it was the zinc or not, but something is preventing the algae grow in the two newer stock tanks.

Have any of you that have metal stock tanks noticed not having a problem with string algae or do you have a problem with it?

I have one metal tank and you're right, it gets very little to no string algae. My water hyacinths also don't do very well in there.

In my other ponds, I use a combination of the toilet brush removal, adding water hyacinths, and black pond dye. I don't run a pump or filter, so don't want to try the peroxide or barley straw because it's supposed to be aerated and I don't want to hurt my fish, even though they're "only" mosquito fish.

watergal, I have also had very few problems with fish diseases over the years in my metal stock tanks.

I have often wondered if it was the zinc that prevented the diseases?

catfishsam,
Seeing you mention zinc reminds me that it is something that I am sure could help with diseases. I say this because of the products on the market such as Zicam for colds. I can tell you for a fact that if I get a cold and use these products it does knock them out quickly (because of zinc) so why not other effects like on fish.

Here is a link that might be useful: My pond

Interesting idea. Our family has had good luck with the zinc lozenges, and a pharmacist friend said there is probably some real effect from them. Maybe we should just go soak in our stock tanks instead? Of course, I'd need an icepick since mine is frozen solid right now...

Cheeky75- How much of the hydrogen peroxide to you put in your pond to rid it of string algae? How often do you put it in the water? Is it poured in the pond water or over the surface walls where you see the string algae?