I am posting this in case someone does not know of this.
If I had not seem it myslef,, I'd still be skeptical, (from reading on other
groups)

you use Koi Clay!!

yesterday I noticed I had hundreds of strands of this stuff growing, ( there
were only a couple LONG pieces last week, but I ignored them), so I figured
I better do 'something'.
I put in Koi Clay last night & *WOW* it has all dissapeared! I am stunned!!
(other ponders say it takes several days to get rid of it)

it was suggested for 2 Tablespoons per thousand gal. ( I only put in 1 T.
per thousand) and have read different directions as to every day or every
other day.

Koi Clay is supposed to be very beneficial for your pond ( besides the
Koi).

(I bought mine last year , but it was packed away all winter, ebay is a good
source, Calcium Bentonite)

the best way , i found ,to deal with string alge is the roll up your
sleaves and start pulling.

On Thu, 27 May 2004 16:39:42 -0400, "*muffin*"
wrote:

I am posting this in case someone does not know of this.
If I had not seem it myslef,, I'd still be skeptical, (from reading on other
groups)

you use Koi Clay!!

yesterday I noticed I had hundreds of strands of this stuff growing, ( there
were only a couple LONG pieces last week, but I ignored them), so I figured
I better do 'something'.
I put in Koi Clay last night & *WOW* it has all dissapeared! I am stunned!!
(other ponders say it takes several days to get rid of it)

it was suggested for 2 Tablespoons per thousand gal. ( I only put in 1 T.
per thousand) and have read different directions as to every day or every
other day.

Koi Clay is supposed to be very beneficial for your pond ( besides the
Koi).

(I bought mine last year , but it was packed away all winter, ebay is a good
source, Calcium Bentonite)

Hi Muffin

JFYI the reason you have string algae in the first place is probably from
suspended nutrients in the water column, more than likely elevated Iron
levels, hence the string algae. The reason Koi clay helps to combat string
algae is because the clay will bind the iron! The iron has probably come
from water runoff or from pot plant/garden soil. Next time you plant some
more pots in your pond put a layer of clay at the bottom, this will further
help to reduce suspended iron and your plants will go gangbusters for it.
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**


"*muffin*" wrote in message
...
I am posting this in case someone does not know of this.
If I had not seem it myslef,, I'd still be skeptical, (from reading on
other
groups)

you use Koi Clay!!

yesterday I noticed I had hundreds of strands of this stuff growing, (
there
were only a couple LONG pieces last week, but I ignored them), so I
figured
I better do 'something'.
I put in Koi Clay last night & *WOW* it has all dissapeared! I am
stunned!!
(other ponders say it takes several days to get rid of it)

it was suggested for 2 Tablespoons per thousand gal. ( I only put in 1 T.
per thousand) and have read different directions as to every day or every
other day.

Koi Clay is supposed to be very beneficial for your pond ( besides the
Koi).

(I bought mine last year , but it was packed away all winter, ebay is a
good
source, Calcium Bentonite)

Hi Happy 'Cam'per

Thank you for solving the mystery! We don't have a lot of direct sunlight
on our stream but always are fighting string algae. In the pond too but not
as bad. Nitrates are not even showing on the tests but still the string
algae. We have well water and there is a high concentration of iron in the
water. Thank you for telling us about that relationship.

I don't have Koi but I'll try the Koi clay stuff if I can find it and see if
that helps.

Heather




"Happy'Cam'per" wrote in message
...
Hi Muffin

JFYI the reason you have string algae in the first place is probably from
suspended nutrients in the water column, more than likely elevated Iron
levels, hence the string algae. The reason Koi clay helps to combat string
algae is because the clay will bind the iron! The iron has probably come
from water runoff or from pot plant/garden soil. Next time you plant some
more pots in your pond put a layer of clay at the bottom, this will
further
help to reduce suspended iron and your plants will go gangbusters for it.
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**


"*muffin*" wrote in message
...
I am posting this in case someone does not know of this.
If I had not seem it myslef,, I'd still be skeptical, (from reading on
other
groups)

you use Koi Clay!!

yesterday I noticed I had hundreds of strands of this stuff growing, (
there
were only a couple LONG pieces last week, but I ignored them), so I
figured
I better do 'something'.
I put in Koi Clay last night & *WOW* it has all dissapeared! I am
stunned!!
(other ponders say it takes several days to get rid of it)

it was suggested for 2 Tablespoons per thousand gal. ( I only put in 1
T.
per thousand) and have read different directions as to every day or
every
other day.

Koi Clay is supposed to be very beneficial for your pond ( besides the
Koi).

(I bought mine last year , but it was packed away all winter, ebay is a
good
source, Calcium Bentonite)

"B Ghostrider" wrote in message
...
the best way , i found ,to deal with string alge is the roll up your
sleaves and start pulling.



why on earth would you want to do physical work, when you have the option
NOT to???

"*muffin*" wrote in message
...

"B Ghostrider" wrote in message
...
the best way , i found ,to deal with string alge is the
roll up your
sleaves and start pulling.

why on earth would you want to do physical work, when you
have the option
NOT to???

When in doubt (about anything added to pond
water), I'd rather do physical work first until
I'm sure of the safety of a product. I know you
didn't ask me, but I agreed with B Ghostrider.

And another point: at my age and given
arthritis in all joints, any gentle physical work
I can do in the garden is a GOOD THING!
Pulling string algae definitely falls into that
category.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8

yes, but this is not one of those foreign chemicals.
koi clay is GOOD for the pond & well, especially for the fish!

this is just an added benefit of this item.


"Gail Futoran" wrote in message
...
"*muffin*" wrote in message
...

"B Ghostrider" wrote in message
...
the best way , i found ,to deal with string alge is the
roll up your
sleaves and start pulling.

why on earth would you want to do physical work, when you
have the option
NOT to???

When in doubt (about anything added to pond
water), I'd rather do physical work first until
I'm sure of the safety of a product. I know you
didn't ask me, but I agreed with B Ghostrider.

And another point: at my age and given
arthritis in all joints, any gentle physical work
I can do in the garden is a GOOD THING!
Pulling string algae definitely falls into that
category.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8

It was your statement (copied from below):

why on earth would you want to do physical work, when
you
have the option
NOT to???

that kinda set me off. You seem to be suggesting
there's something wrong with physical work.
Most ponders, like gardeners, actually *enjoy*
physical labor! Else why bother digging large
holes in fine clay... (mutter mutter mutter).

I.e., there's no harm in recommending a product
you've had good luck with, but the way you're
going about it is a bit of a turnoff. For me, at
least.

Different strokes...

Oh, and by the way, "natural chemicals" can
be just as harmful as "foreign chemicals".
E.g., a lot of common garden plants are
poisonous to cats. My neighbor's hedge
consists of shrubs that are highly poisonous
to humans. And too much of just about
anything is harmful. So let's not assume "foreign
chemicals" (whatever that means) are necessarily
better/safer than ... um, native chemicals??

Gail

"*muffin*" wrote in message
...
yes, but this is not one of those foreign chemicals.
koi clay is GOOD for the pond & well, especially for the
fish!

this is just an added benefit of this item.


"Gail Futoran" wrote in
message

...
"*muffin*" wrote in message
...

"B Ghostrider" wrote in message
...
the best way , i found ,to deal with string alge is
the
roll up your
sleaves and start pulling.

why on earth would you want to do physical work, when
you
have the option
NOT to???

When in doubt (about anything added to pond
water), I'd rather do physical work first until
I'm sure of the safety of a product. I know you
didn't ask me, but I agreed with B Ghostrider.

And another point: at my age and given
arthritis in all joints, any gentle physical work
I can do in the garden is a GOOD THING!
Pulling string algae definitely falls into that
category.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8

"Gail Futoran" wrote in message
...
It was your statement (copied from below):

why on earth would you want to do physical work, when
you
have the option
NOT to???

that kinda set me off. You seem to be suggesting
there's something wrong with physical work.
Most ponders, like gardeners, actually *enjoy*
physical labor! Else why bother digging large
holes in fine clay... (mutter mutter mutter).

ok, (chill,, lol)

myself is getting OLD, I do not relish the idea of crawling in a pond in 10
yrs when I am 60!

I do all the other stuff, right now, planting etc, but there WILL come a day
I will be unable,, then what,, fill it in?
there are enough things to do with a pond, and anything that can help , why
is that a problem? ( I do have a physical problem now that limits me, to
some extent, and am lucky I can do what I can get accomplishedthat is
beside the point)

I see many people (post) who clean out their ponds each year/ empty, haul
out the crud & refill,, others say use BZT or the like,, so by what you are
saying , no one should use BZT? they should just empty it & shovel out all
the crud?

I put my comments about the string algae on this group because I read MANY
many posts about it, and most say to use algae fix or something,, now that
would be something I would think you & others would be up in arms about. I
was trying to be helpful and suggest a natural method.
but if your idea is going in & swilling string algae around a 'collecter'
all the time, you must have a heck of a lot of energy & free time.
I'd rather use that time for the other upkeep I need to do.

Oh, and by the way, "natural chemicals" can
be just as harmful as "foreign chemicals".
E.g., a lot of common garden plants are
poisonous to cats.


I have never heard/read anything harmful about Koi clay. everything I have
read say it has very beneficial properties. we are not talking plant
extracts here ,, from poisonous plants. If you know what it is used for &
harmful for, then there should be no problem.

(Of course a horse etc eating a yew is NOT good,, you need to check these
things out beforehand. goats love poison ivy,, but not good for human
consumption ,,would you eat mushrooms from your woods?? I doubt it.)

foreign chemicals= algea fix etc, etc

B Ghostrider wrote:
the best way , i found ,to deal with string alge is the roll up your
sleaves and start pulling.

Easiest way:

Tadpoles! *grin* Now that we have had taddies for two weeks there's no
algae to be seen in the pond.

Susan
shsimko[@]duke[.]edu

Thanks for the tip as I have been fighting this string for years and tried
lots of stuff that only seems to keep it from getting rampant and not
killing it I will go out and buy some and give it a try if it works and
doesn't kill my plants its the best tip ever for me :-)

"*muffin*" wrote
[snip]
but if your idea is going in & swilling string algae
around a 'collecter'
[snip]

My hands. Sometimes a stick (I suppose that's
what you mean by a "collector"). But mostly my
hands. That's also how I clean up dead waterlily
leaves, dead stems & the like. I'm 61 and retired
and hope like hell I can still be doing "physical work"
in the yard when I'm in my 80s, like a good friend
of mine who still does most of her own yardwork
even though she can well afford to pay someone
else to do it.

Gail
near San Antonio TX

My Mother is 90, still does her own yard work and walks from 20 to 30 miles
a week. Gardening and walking are supposedly the best health choices you
can make.

"Gail Futoran" wrote in message
...
"*muffin*" wrote
[snip]
but if your idea is going in & swilling string algae
around a 'collecter'
[snip]

My hands. Sometimes a stick (I suppose that's
what you mean by a "collector"). But mostly my
hands. That's also how I clean up dead waterlily
leaves, dead stems & the like. I'm 61 and retired
and hope like hell I can still be doing "physical work"
in the yard when I'm in my 80s, like a good friend
of mine who still does most of her own yardwork
even though she can well afford to pay someone
else to do it.

Gail
near San Antonio TX

I didn't know that clay would bind the Iron to cut off nutrient to the String
Algae. My experience with clay and SA was that the clay bond to the SA and
block off the light. The SA would disappear after a few days.

You don't need Koi clay. I used clay marketed as plasticizer for thin set
mortar at OSH before. I always used it to clarify my aquarium, until I ran
out. My latest accidental discovery is that Koi shifting through 5 bag of
Special Kitty litter have the same effect.

jbjrfan wrote:

Thanks for the tip as I have been fighting this string for years and tried
lots of stuff that only seems to keep it from getting rampant and not
killing it I will go out and buy some and give it a try if it works and
doesn't kill my plants its the best tip ever for me :-)