What we generally refer to as blue-green algae is actually a complex collection of micro-organisms known as cyanobacteria and these guys are bad business. Generally appearing when your aquatic ecosystem is experiencing a period of imbalance, algae can quickly take over and consume all available oxygen and nutrients from your water. This can create a lot of issues for your fishy friends and aquatic plants that you actually want in your pond, as they also rely on the water to provide them with what they need to live.
When left unchecked, algae can smother the entire ecosystem resulting in a mass die off of your fish and plants. Not only can this be incredibly distressing, but it also exacerbates the issue as your poor defenseless flora and fauna are now functioning as food for the invading cyanobacteria. This is why we often suggest treating algae biologically as well as physically removing the infestation to ensure your ecosystem gets back to a healthy state as quickly as possible, therefore hopefully saving your fish and plants from a nasty fate.
The best way to avoid having this happen to you, is to ensure that your pond has adequate aeration and filtration in order to support overall water health. Algae hate well circulated water so they’ll be far less likely to move in and the extra oxygen injected into your pond will also help your fish stay in peak health. Following this, you’ll want to make sure that you have enough good bacteria hanging out in the water to consume the organic waste and excess nutrients that allow algae to take hold. This is why we so commonly recommend our Biostim range and nitrifying bacteria treatments.
