Taking a close look at things living in your pond

 

1. Decrease the nutrient input. Don't let fertilizers drain into your pond.2. Don't overfeed your fish - that is the worst thing you can do.

3. Decrease the amount and size of your fish.

4. Shading - lots of lilies and other pond cover will help slow down the algae growth.

5. Use biological filters, mechanical filtration systems and/or skimmers. Water hyacinths are very good filters.

6. Keep down organic debris from plants falling to the bottom of the pond.

7. Barley straw won't eliminate algae, but it will help prevent algae growth after you once get rid of it.

8. Be patient - leave the pond alone and let it balance itself out.

Diana, who lives in Lawrence said she and her husband have an 11,000 gallon pond in their front yard. They have a bog that filters the pond and they don't like to use chemicals.

Clint used test tubes and slide pictures to show the various bugs, beetles and flies that live in our ponds. We were all surprised to see what all lives in our ponds that we can't see with the naked eye.

Both speakers gave beneficial and sometimes very technical information to us about the algae and bugs that live in our ponds.