Ponds anyone know how to get rid of blanket weed.

[The PIT]

Tried everything so far bar emptying the pond and leaving it dry for a few months. The damn thing is supposed to die of in winter anyway but it's still growing.
The pond is filtered has UV but the blanket weed carries on regardless.

[Rob(QG)]

Barley Straw seems to be a popular cure. Apparently it is unsightly though.

These people sell some stuff supposed to kill it, too:

http://www.aquatics-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/aquarium_supplies_BLANKET_WEED_PROBLEMS_168.html

[Brian Ellis]

Depends what else you have in the pond. If you have fish or other animals, then they will have to be evacuated for a chemical treatment. Plants are more difficult to evacuate. Copper sulfate is a good algicide (I presume your 'blanket weed' is an alga). It does not affect higher plants in small doses (in fact, it is used for treating mildews and other fungi on roses, grape vines etc).

The problem is finding the minimum dose. I suggest you try 0.01% (100 g/m3) to start with. I think it would be better to experiment with small quantities of the pond water and weed to see how it works.

The trouble with algae is that they produce millions of spores and there's no way that you can kill them off with UV faster than they're produced. They can often survive long droughts, so that draining may not even be an answer, as they will restart as soon as you refill.

The best way is to find some form of animal that likes feeding off the stuff. Tilapia fish may be a good bet, but they don't like the cold. Caddis fly larvae may also eat the stuff but they tend to have a bad reputation with gardeners, as they also like some roots of higher plants. They also make good food for some fish, so you would have to strike the right balance.

[Umfriend]

But he, if you heat the pond a little, u can grow the Tilapia and have a nice dinner when it's done!

[Brian Ellis]

Yup! Theyre delicious: had them in Egypt where they abound in the irrigation canals in the Nile delta.

[The PIT]

No fish and sadly Barley straw doesn't work. Got four lots no floating around in there. Just added two more. The others are no doubt are covered in blanket weed.
One thing the blanket weed has done though and thats cleared the duck weed.

[KvHagedorn]

Drain the pond and fill the hole with rock salt and bleach.. that should get rid of it.

[Brian Ellis]

But have you tried Tilapia? These beasts feed exclusively on fresh water algae (if it is an alga). Most other fish do not eat algae.

It is a
genus of fishes belonging to the family Cichlidae (order Perciformes), represented by numerous, mostly freshwater species native to Africa. Tilapia species are perhaps best known because of their potential as an easily raised and harvested food fish. Their commercial advantages include fast growth, resistance to disease, and a diet of readily abundant algae and zooplankton. The use of Tilapia in warm-water aquaculture systems dates back to the early Egyptian civilization. They have since been introduced into freshwater habitats in many warm parts of the world.

[ALBPM]

I agree with brian - tilapia are delicious

How big is the pond???