Dear Dillip, Keep weed growth ...

Dear Dillip, Keep weed growth and algae under control = clear, clean healthy water. That answer is the enhancement of the decaying process by the natural action of beneficial bacteria.There is no more cost effective solution to managing nuisance lakes weed and algae growth .It is a two-fold process that has proven to work best. It is done by adding mature healthy bacteria to the pond and giving it the means to survive. As plant life grows it absorbs carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen. The oxygen is needed by other life forms, (fish, bacteria etc.). Animal life also feeds directly off the plant life and this life becomes food for other life. When the plants and animals die, this dead organic matter sinks to the bottom and begins to decay. Bacteria begin to do their job. They turn the organic matter into ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and finally into nitrogen. Besides nitrogen, other plant nutrients (potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus etc.) also are produced in order to keep the life cycle on going. Nitrogen basically is plant food. The nitrogen provides the means for new plant growth. The life cycle of algae works the same way. Bacteria eat the dead algae; small animals (zooplankton) eat the algae and the bacteria, which in turn is eaten by other life forms. Death is not a bad thing because it provides food for the living. Therefore in a balanced pond or lake the process provides each life with the means to survive. If this balance is disturbed in some way the entire ecosystem is affected. To illustrate, let us look at a pond that is out of balance or becoming unbalanced. The first signs of an out of balance pond are an overabundance of algae and weed growth. This happens because the available bacteria are not absorbing the decaying organic matter from previous growth at the natural cleansing rate. If the bacteria cannot keep up and dissolve (decay) this heavy loading of organic matter the pond begins to deteriorate. Left unchecked, sooner or later the pond fills with dead plant life and becomes a swamp. Side note: Actually this also happens in the natural order of things. Natural pollution can cause a pond to become a swamp, then a bog and finally a meadow. But that is on Mother Nature’s time line, which may not be what we want. AND we can slow this process way down or even stop it all together. Again without getting overly technical, in nature as plants die and sink to the bottom, they serve as additional plant food. As the organic load builds it robs the pond of oxygen. Stagnation sets in. Without oxygen the beneficial bacteria cannot live. As more and more of this process takes place the pond begins to die from the bottom up. It is Mother Nature’s way, but we can slow the process or increase it. Which brings us back to manmade pollution. Add some chemicals, which stimulate plant grown and you greatly; increase the prospects of the pond dying. On the other hand, add beneficial bacteria and oxygen (for the bacteria to flourish) and the dying process slows or stops. Herein lies the answer to how we can restore and/or maintain our ponds and lakes in a clear, clean healthy state. Following Disadvantages. 1. Blue-green algae can cause illness and sometimes fatalities in pets, livestock and wildlife. 2. Exposure to or ingestion of blue-green algae can also lead to a variety of discomforts in humans. 3. Algae contamination can discolour drinking water and create unpleasant odors and tastes. 4. Excessive algae growth can also impart distasteful flavour to fish. 5. Algae decomposition can deplete oxygen in bodies of water and kill fish. 6. Excess algae can impede water intake from fire ponds and irrigation systems. 7. Algae can elevate organic solid content and the biological oxygen demand in wastewater oxidation ponds. 8. Excessive algae growth can quickly change lakes, ponds, lagoons and shorelines from scenic to unsightly. Advantages of Algae Healthy lakes need algae. Algae are important to the productivity of a lake or water body. Algae are primary producers. They use sunlight (through photosynthesis) to produce carbohydrates and are eaten by grazers such as protozoa and zooplankton (little animals like water fleas and rotifers). The zooplankton are, in turn, grazed upon by fish, which are eaten by bigger fish, and on up the food chain. A productive lake produces large fish and good fishing for humans as well as supporting food and habitat for wildlife and waterfowl. In this context most algae are desirable for lakes. Regards, Prem Baboo