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Ponds
Quick answer
This is caused
by algae; it can be a problem if tadpoles are in the pond as the
water becomes deoxygenated.
Further
information
Green water is caused by algae (microscopic plants) which can
cause problems for other pond life by blocking out sunlight and
using up vital nutrients. Although some algae is beneficial to
the pond (tadpoles feed on it), a sudden algal bloom can be
devastating - the water becomes deoxygenated and tadpoles die.
Algal blooms are more common in new ponds and will usually clear
naturally once the pond has settled in. In more established
ponds the causes can be too much sunlight or an excess of
nutrients (e.g. from the use of fertilisers on surrounding
land). In the long term, a healthy pond should be able to avoid
persistent algal blooms by maintaining the right balance of
plants - these will use up available nutrients, block out a
little sunlight and provide plenty of oxygen. If you are keen to
treat the problem then adding silt from a nearby pond may help
as it will contain insects like water fleas (Daphnia)
which will feed on the algae - though we're wary about
recommending this as
you could potentially introduce invasive plants, diseases or
animals to the pond. Another option is to purchase Daphnia
from an
aquatics/garden centre.
One recommended treatment is barley straw or barley straw
extract. There is still a lot of debate over how effective this
is but it is probably worth a try as it will not cause any harm
even if it doesn't help. There are plenty of other
treatments for algae available to buy and if you do decide to
try them opt for 'natural' or 'bio active' products. These may
not be an ideal solution as even wildlife-friendly products can disrupt the natural balance of the pond and cause
more problems than they solve; they may also be only a temporary
solution.
Pond plants.
Just Add Water.
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