Bales are an environmentally friendly way to control algae in your pond while ensuring your plants and fish are not harmed.

An interesting method of safely controlling algae is the use of barley straw. Other varieties of straw do not work nearly as well. This method works best on suspended algae and has less of an effect on hair algae.

How barley straw controls algae:

As barley straw decomposes in water, it releases lignins. These are oxidized to humic acids in the presence of oxygen. If sunlight then shines on the humic substances, hydrogen peroxide is formed. The peroxides in turn inhibit the growth of algae. They have no effect on existing algae. Because hydrogen peroxide is dangerous in high doses and is highly unstable (it does not last long), adding hydrogen peroxide directly to the water would not work and could harm the animals and plants. Straw releases a constant supply of low levels of hydrogen peroxide which is safe and effective.

By scheduling the use of Pond Balance thoughout the pond season you will find that blanket weed (hair algae) will no longer be much of a problem in your pond.

Works great in conjunction with Microbe-Lift to prevent the problem long term.

Treats 1,800 Gallons

Pond Block®

offers an easy, effective way to control and help prevent the growth of algae in your pond. It can help keep your pond clear from algae when used regularly.

Note: This is a slow release algicide and may interfere with the growth of floating and underwater plants.

Pond Block® comes in a package of four (4) 1 oz blocks.

Safe for fish.

Details: Replace when fully dissolved (usually after 30 days). For best results, place the block in an area of the pond that is calm. Not recommended for Water Lilies and Hyacinths.

Chlorine is known to react with organic matter in the water to form trihalomethanes (THMs), a suspected carcinogen. Using Sodium Thiosulphate you can create a home-made mixture to remove chlorine from your pond water.

Recipe:
Make a solution consisting of 4 ounces (1/4 lb) Sodium Thiosulfate crystals (photo or technical grade) dissolved in 1 gallon of distilled or deionized water. Use 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of the solution for each 10 gallons of makeup water to neutralize up to 3.75 ppm chlorine.  One cup can be used for each 500 gallons. (The entire one gallon of solution will treat about 7500 gallons of tap water.) The shelf life of the solution is about six months when stored in a cool location. The crystals will keep for several years if kept dry.

NEVER use chlorinated tap water to clean your bio converter (filter) media unless you are actually trying to sterilize it.  Water from the pond is a much better choice for this task.