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Barley Straw from PondPumpsDirect
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Barley Straw , when Bio-degrading gives off certain algae toxins, that are effective against the single cell algae (that when combined with the conditions prevalent in garden ponds in the Spring and Summer) causes unsightly and potentially harmful green water. Our Barley Straw Pouches as well as being harmless to plants and wildlife, are also effective in many cases in the control of Blanket Weed.

Barley Straw has become a very popular natural method of controlling green water & blanketweed. It decomposes in the water through the activity of microscopic bacteria and fungi that produce hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct and it is this that inhibits the growth of both blanketweed and green water.

Since the bacteria and fungi are oxygen-loving species, Barley Straw will only be effective in very well-aerated water. It takes several weeks for the bacteria to become established on the Barley Straw , so this is not the short-term remedy for blanketweed. As the release of hydrogen peroxide is based on a decomposition process, be sure to monitor the water routinely for the presence of pollutants, notably ammonia and nitrate. Some farm purchased Barley Straw is treated with fungicides (so only used Barley Straw Pouches purchased from aquatic specialist). Farm bought barley straw is therefore unsuitable for the Garden fish pond. Blanketweed begins to grow early in the year, as daylength increase through late winter and early spring. Ideally, start any treatment at about this time of the year, when it will effectively control the growth of the nuisance algae.

In recent years, magnetic and Electronic Blanketweed Devices have been marketed for the control of blanketweed. The success of these devices would seem to be variable; in some cases they certainly do control the growth of this nuisance algae but in others the blanketweed continues to grow. It is quite possible that the success rate of such devices is improved when they are installed on a new pond and before the blanketweed has become established. If you use electronic device that emits magnetic pulses, be sure to turn off the unit in the winter month, otherwise the weed may mutate and build up an immunity to the specific level of waves, rendering it ineffective. Some Electronic Blanketweed Controllers produce randomly changing magnetic pulses that prevent the blanketweed adapting to their effect.

Buy Electronic Blanketweed Controller Click Here

Phosphate in the water is utilized by the algae and as the algae die back in the late summer and autumn, the phosphate can become locked into sediment, typically the type of material with which many filters become congested. In the spring, bacterial activity in these sediments releases the phosphate into solution, making an available source of nutrient for the blanketweed, a process that proceeds rapidly under low oxygen conditions. Well-oxygenated water helps to keep the phosphate locked into the detritus, but regularly cleaning and maintaining the filtration system is equally beneficial.

Blanketweed does not thrive so well in brackish water, so in extreme cases where the weed is out control, you can introduce pond salt or aquarium salt at the rate of 1.6gm/ liter (0.25oz per gallon).

Reproduced by permission of Blagdon / Interpet. KOI (A celeberation of beautiful ornament fish) is 205 pages of readable Koi information and hints and available from Pond Pumps Direct Book section.

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