Trying to eliminate the algae on our pond. 

The copper sulfate is certified organic, so it can be used used in organic food production. When added to the pond it acts like an algeacide. It is also commonly used in farming as a fungicide. I hope you enjoy the video.

The problem is not the algae. Algae is the symptom or outcome of high nutrient load. You feed ducks and fish and they poop. There is no plant life to absorb and use all of that nutrient. In addition, you feed your lawn which invariably will run off into the water. In the absence of fresh clean water being added by an active stream or heavy rain, the heavy nutrient load will overwhelm the system and cause oxygen to be depleted. Cooper sulfate has its uses but never in an aquatic system because copper is lethal to the beneficial biological life that should help break down all that nutrient into safer components (which still need to be dealt with with biological microscopic life and lots and lots of aquatic plants. See if you can rig up a device that floats which has some kind of air-driven propeller that spins in the wind (a cup anemometer). There should be some kind of “oars” that spin at the surface of the water. At least this is one way of keeping the surface of the water moving and getting water surface oxygen to dissolve in the water. Keep all water moving clockwise or counter clockwise to create a current. All in the same direction.

Here in the UK we use large bales of Barley straw in the early Spring and this helps to prevent algae

an air pump, solar powered, is a much more effective way to control the algae and moss. I have a lake that covers 8 acres and is quiet deep. I use 3 such pumps and have not had any algae grow at all, in 3 years

I don't know what I'm the most jealous up in this video, the rain or the pond 😂😂

Great video! It's a constant battle trying to keep that algae away!

Hi...... Evan, Country View Acres. Thank you for sharing your video homestead chicken farmer garden 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 🎥👍👍👍

i have a lake about 1 mile long by half mile wide i use a floating boom to collect the algae, we drag it behind two boats to collect it up and remove and burn it... i also have 4 floating solar powered fountains, besides a mains power fountain close to the house for show, we hardly have any problem with algae now you just need to aerate the water...

Years ago I had a KOI pond and used barley straw to control the algae - it was hard to find and they charged "an arm and leg" for a small bundle - maybe a pound. If I was doing it today, I think I would grow some barley. You've got the equipment - give it a try. A dozen bales dropped around the dam and the shallow area would probably do it. You have a great homestead and I enjoy your videos.

Y'all should build a skimmer and pump it to a modified manure spreader that can let the water leech out to return to the pond and you can compost the solids left behind. Or, our BIOX unit at work has what they call an SDF... Sludge Dewatering Facility... Basically we squeeze the solids out of the water/ sludge... it's excellent compost. Or, get an Aeration Windmill or a fountain that circulates back to the pond... LOL Had to laugh... You have that dye all up your arm

That is how you created the duckweed problem man!

In the UK we use barley straw to keep our ponds clear i would think 5 bales should do it remember to stake them with a long tether to the bank , your problem will go away

If I am correct and you have a small stream that feeds the lake, pore it in at the upper end. The current will mix it fast and carry it down into the lake. It may even last longer and do a better job.

wide overflow helped me for algae

So I've read that you can take a bale of Barley straw to help control algae. May be an alternative to any chemicals once you have the algae in check.

Thanks for sharing Evan

If you ever have problems with low oxygen/low water in that pond, you may just ask the local fire department if they want to train at your pond. We had this last year with the local fishing club. The summer was really hot, so they had really low water and low oxygen, so one engine dumped a few thousend liters of water in the pond and the other engine cycled the water so that oxygen could get into the pond. Was a really good training! Our engines are small compared to US engines and a lot of german engines too (engine 1 fits 750L of water, engine 2 isn't even an engine anymore, but a vehicle that transports a lot of stuff for rescuing animals but it has pump at the front as it once was an engine), so engine 1 had to go back and forth, wich you also have to do with wildfires, and with engine two we could build some monitors etc. I live in germany, though, so your fire department may not be allowed to do this due to legal reasons...

you can use the copper for blight on potatoes and tomatoes. We use this in Ireland. We call it blue stone and it's organic

Awesome viewing cheers thanks for the update

Barley bales or barley pellets are what you need to use. Just place whole bales in the pond, they will eventually sink and they release a chemical that prevents algae growth, the pellets are usually available at farm supply stores and tend to work a bit faster but the bales last longer. i have used these in my koi pond for years with great results.

Good luck with your problem Evan, hope you’re able to come up with the right answers. Down here in Texas I see lots of arreators being used and they are doing the job ? Thanks for sharing with us and keep up the good work and videos. Fred.

Thanks 😊

My brother got me watching your channel, I really like the content. I do watch the Arms family also and they had an algey problem also. They used tilapia, and they are also a good food source for the bass. You may want to look into it.

Suggestion: The real problem is that your pond is stagnating and water isn’t moving and you realize and already explained that. Striking the right balance of chemicals in an active pond is not an easy task and you run the risk of damaging the natural Eco bio-system of the pond and using dyes just masks the real problem that needs to be fixed. Suggest you look into Aeration Systems and invest in a Windmill driven Aeration System to reduce the Algae, with the size of your pond you may need to invest in multiple aeration heads but they run off a single windmill.

I had a algae problem on my pond and tried the dyes and copper sulfate and it was an ongoing battle until finally I built a pond aeration system. Not trying to plug my videos but I have a video series of it on my channel if it might be of help to you. My system cost me $590 to build, but my pond is smaller than yours. If you can't run power to your pond then solar is another option to run the aerator pump.

Evan,,been in the pet industry for last 40 yrs,suggestion only: you are correct with the low oxygen in pond,,,might think about adding a circulating pump and adding a fountain or waterfall to pond...would add that much needed oxygen,,,movement in water for healthier fish and take care of algae problem....plus also g8ve the ducks that safe open water during winter mths....can even get solar driven pumps....pond does look great...Neal

If you have a small outboard motor, put it on your boat and drive it around a few times a week, I betcha that would help to stir up the water ! Great video, thumbs up.

Add some grass carp to your lake. These fish will keep algae under control. We tried everything and nothing worked until “grass carp”

Reducing light is a good first step but the solution is that you need plants that will outcompete the algae for nutrients. Also you need some surface agitation so that there is a gas exchange and the water becomes oxygenated.

If you skim the moss around the edge's and compost it you will have garden gold!

Fix the stagnant water issue with getting a fountain and pump to help circulate the water. If you design it right you can make it so you could move it around the lake. It might also be possible to get one that is solar powered using the energy from the sun and they generally work even on cloudy days.

Good try Evan! Beautiful property. You have a lot to be proud of.! Cheers

Well. I’ve put two of those blue dye bottles within the past few months and does nothing ! I just ordered sulfate

Swim in there and come out looking like an Avatar 😆

If you install solar aerators in 2-3 places, your pond and fish will get plenty oxygen and water movement. You’ll get almost no algae buildup.

You have to circulate the water. Solar fountains. Try to avoid Algecide. Also watch out for field fertilizer run off. Copper sulfide is an algecide. Do you have an extension service officer in your area. They are usually a great resource.

Add reeds, lillys and other aquatic plants those will consume the nutrients in the pond and reduce algae growth.

park like setting. Very nice

getting a few grass carp should help over time

I used to have a pond about the same size as yours. When we bought the property the pond was covered in such a thick layer of duckweed and other algae that it had killed off all of the fish and aquatic life except for some hundred year old snapping turtles. I researched What to do for over two years cause I didn’t want to poison my pond and make bigger issues. I had also talked to several pond professionals and they recommended grass carp. I waited a month for the fish truck to arrive at my local tractor supply and I got 4 grass carp and they were 12” fish. This is your cheap and permanent solution!!!!! Within a week, 75% of the Algae was gone and at a little over two weeks there was not a speck of algae or duckweed or moss anywhere. The pond stayed clean for 5-6 years and it started to come back and did my research again and found out that the grass carp are a sterile fish and will not repopulate and there life span is only 4-6 years. I put a couple more grass carp in since it wasn’t bad yet and at the end of the first week, the algae was again gone. What I figured out was I needed to restock my pond with 2 grass carp every 2-3 years to be able to maintain maintain a clean, healthy pond. I think the carp were around $12 each for a 12-14” fish and they will get as big as 75-90 pounds depending upon their food source and the size of your pond but they will keep it spotless and you won’t have to use chemicals or dyes that will allow it to all return within a few weeks of applying it. Check around your local area and see if you have a local fishery you can get them from otherwise I know the mobile guys bring a truck to Rural King several times a summer/fall and you can get em from them but i would call and order em also so they make sure they have them on the truck cause they do run out of fish. The truck I buy from starts out in Arkansas but by time it gets to NC they are running low on catfish, bass, carp, and flat head minnows. Try this buddy!! I think it’s the solution your looking for and is more environmentally friendly than what your currently doing and it works!!!! If you go this route and then either stock your pond afterwards or just make sure you already have a good blend of fish in there to begin with then they will naturally provide all of the aeration that the pond needs naturally without having to build skimmers or fountains etc to provide aeration, it will be done the way God had intended and you will not have any more issues with it. Mine has been functioning this way now for 15 years without any maintenance other than adding 2-4 additional grass carp every 3 maybe 4 years max, that’s it. It’s very simple! Take care and be safe out there!!!

Hi, the question to fix the problem with algs should be why you have algae and not what to inject in the water to prevent algs. I think if you have algae, maybe there is too mcuh nutriments in the water. The pump you put in the water to inject air maybe increase growth of algae.

Get a dozen grass carp to put your pond. They will eat the algae over time. They might not help this year but will help in the future.

My dad used to use lime and it worked great.

WE would put bales of hay in our pond not to many 4 or 5 it took care of the problem.

In UK we use barley straw to help control algae in ponds. Not instant but slowly as it decomposes.

Try aeration of the deep section and in the shallow section for circulation and air into the water which should help with turn over also.

Suggestion: you need a water fountain w/pump circulate the stagnant water. You might want put some catfish in pond. Love your video

Copper Sulfate ( CuSO4) is a compound as salt. I hate people saying chemicals. Even water (H2O) is a compound of 1 molecule of water contains 2 atoms of Hydrogen ang 1 atom of Oxygen.

If you put a bale or two of barley straw in the pond in early spring, it has a natural algae inhibitor.

Movement of the water with the aid of a pump helps to keep algae under control as in fish tanks, it also keeps it oxygenated. Hope you get it under control one way or another.

Other people have mentioned this but you have a nutrient loaded pond. Due to fertilizers perhaps and other things such as ducks poop. You have very little aquatic plants in there so the algae takes and uses the excess nutrients in the pond. Every pond Needs algae and other plant life you don’t see to be healthy. Using chemicals kills that off(which makes a unhealthy pond eco system.) Obviously the nutrient load makes the algae a problem but you need other plant life to take up the burden of the nutrients. Please use natural ways to clean up the water. Flowers and sedges and other plants on the banks help filter the rain run off too rather than low mowed yard grass. Then reeds and lillies and other local aquatic plants can turn your pond from a boring water hole to a thriving ecosystem where small fish can live in the plant life and the lillies and things provide shade etc.

To aireate use sump pump floated underwear( approximately 1 foot ) for fountain.

Fertilizer works also and cheaper than clear pond or is pond clear lol and a fountain system keeps water moving and oxygenated

For the Copper Sulfate to be most effective you're supposed to dissolve the crystals first and use it in a liquid form....

The question is how clear is the water in the pond ? If it’s pretty clear it allows the sun to reach the bottom and that starts the moss and water plants to grow . Several years ago our deer camp wanted to rebuild an old stock pond that has a damaged levy . We wrote the University of Alabama about what to do to have a catfish producing pond . They said we would have to fertilize the pond to get the plankton to grow . The plankton darkens the water and stops the sunlight from reaching the bottom . They said a white paper plate should disappear ant 14in deep if the plankton is right . We just used a couple hundred pounds of commercial fertilizer at the beginning to start the plankton before we stocked the pond . It worked but cow manure will work also if you have it . They said that we could harvest about 300 pounds of catfish a year on an acer of water 4 ft deep if we fed them . Our pond was about 2-1/2 to 3 acres in size . I sure hope this will help you with your problem . You can still probably call the University of Alabama or write them and they might can help you .

I put 4 grass carp in my pond and it has been working great for the past few years.

Buy a dozen bales of Barley straw! Google it.

Copper sulfate may be “organic” but it’s a heavy metal. You’re problem is too many nutrients. Stop mowing up to the edge and put a berm between your leech field and the pond.

In the 60's my dad put 10-10-10 fertilizer in our pond.

My neighbor cleaned all the growth around his pond and then added river rock around the banks. He then added 2 solar fountains that float to keep the water churning. He has used hay in the past but it seemed he still had the problem a month later. This seemed to do the trick. I think your pond is looking great!

Looks like you have a high nitrogen run off up stream, or could just be years of organic material settling in the shallow end, not sure if there is a safe way to counter act that.

The biggest problem is not enough air and not deep enough. But solving it is put an airpump in it and put carp in. They eat algy and weeds

We use Aqua Shade it works but will turn you blue, buy it at your feed store.

I've treated several ponds. It's expensive and you have to be very careful or you will kill the pond. You have to do it in stages.

Can you speak to the process of building either a log cabin home, or just home kit to include a round about cost, and contracting prices. As well as any DIY projects to cut costs for someone interested in starting a homestead.

Thx

So we had a large pond growing up (not sure exactly how big, similar in size to yours though). We handled the algae in a different kind of way. One thing is we had a lot of aquatic plants, not sure if that helped, but my mother would put a yard sprinkler on this wooden float we had and would water the pond. It was that back and forth type of sprinkler, not sure what its called, but it seemed to work. I remember some algae, but nothing like you have. Maybe you can try that?

Aeration and grass carp!!

We had the same problem in our pond and we tried everything the only way we got it to stay clear was we added small floating solar fountains I bought them off eBay and they weren’t to expensive I got a couple that have colored lights that come on at night real pretty

U can use a solar power pawn fountain to that help big time

Note: it must be barley straw not oat, wheat or rye. Place the bales in the water in early spring ideally where the water enters the pond. A few grass carp will also help as will water aeration. it does not have to be a fountain style you could use aeration stones (Soap stones?) sunk on the bottom attached to a plastic pipe fed from a compressor.

We use grass carp. No chemicals. They work great and leave oxygen in The water will eventually clear up and you will be able to fish. 10 grass carp per acre and add 10 percent more per year.

Add a bubbler system. Works wanders

Weed grows because the water is loaded with nitrate fertilizer, caused by no water changes from lack of rain. Rotting vegetation causes nitrates to build up in the water. Pull out the dead vegetation, and change out the polluted water. You have a giant aquarium holding a lot of pooping fish that is nitrifying the water. The P/H is probably very acid, so, you may have to treat the pond with limestone to balance it. The only practical way to remove nitrates is by doing water changes. A lot of water.

We have a 27-acre pond at our club with the same problem and grass carp did the trick for us.

Do you know what causes the algae? I've heard fertilizer or maybe even manure that's spread can cause it, if its not just a natural occurence.

Water movement would help.....what's the water source??? Where is the drain?? What kind of aquatic life you have??...crayfish, minnows??...we used to have a farmer near by that had barley, we would get a few bails and drive spikes or those metal t-posts in them and hold them in place.....your pond might need 5 to 7 bails....it's something to do with the enzymes in the barley that help keep algae from getting out of hand....and it's a nice hiding spot for the young fish as well.... but water flow / movement would help a lot as well!

Yes areation is going to the expensive route but I think it is probably the best long term option. You won't be spending days trying to irradicate a bloom. It may be worth it saving your own time. Maybe there are dome DIY versions that won't be so expensive.

We used to use a product called Aqua shade, worked really well, think we got it at lavallee hardware store, but can probably find it on line

Where is the nitrogen excess coming from? Usually it is from fertilizer or manure. Are you fertilizing your lawn / hayfield? Does the goat and chicken pens runoff drain into the pond?

You waited too long to treat the pond and if the water gets warm there will be a major fish kill from the decaying moss. Treat it in March and it will require less chemical. Do it late and you will need to aerate to save the fish. Diquat is probably the cheapest chemical that will kill the algae and weeds.

Pine Meadows used Hard Wood Ash, I think he used 1 cup of fine hard wood ash per 1500 sq ft if I remember correctly

Kills me every time you throw your pocket knife down to the ground instead of back into your pocket.

As I don’t know anything about a pond,I will just say ,I know you will work it all out, so it won’t interfere with Rebecca’s fishing. Let us know what is going on with your garden and Apple tree’s. Hope you are getting rain by now.God bless and take care.

If aeration of the pond is too expensive, maybe hooking a strong water pump to a large sprinkler would imitate the effect of rain. Hang the intake hose on a float so that it takes in water above the bottom of your pond. I think the cost would be less than the aeration installation you mentioned. I hope that way you could avoid using chemicals and colors that have an effect on more than just the algae and water plants.

I had the same problem with one of my ponds. I put three "Grass Carp" that I got at my local feed store. These Carp had been given a shot to make them sterile so as not to reproduce in the pond. They literally cleaned up my pond and in doing so they got to very big (30 lbs each).

Check with outdoors with jimmy Houston. He uses a some type of fertilizer that isexcellent for pond. CM in Louisiana

What was the outcome with the apple tree

you need a fountain in the pond

My uncle would get in his boat and put his dye then drive around it with his trolling motor to mix it...

HI we use barley straw here in the uk for getting rid of algae seems to work in trout ponds....worth a try.

I love your videos! I am learning so much and having so much fun at the same time! You and some others farmers got me to get a baling business in central Iowa and I am baling 11,000 this fall with old equipment! Mind you I am only 12 year old. I don’t know if this is a thing but take like a big sweep or broom and just get it to one side and then did it out? Also, will the stuff you are using dissolve the moss or haha kill it?

try some aerator paddles ur pond water is stagnant

I had brought up aeration when he wanted to keep pond open for his ducks a few years ago. So of it is run off from farm fields and the fertilizer they use

What's the water source for your pond? Runoff? Spring?...

Get a pump to aerate that pond. It does two things: (1) take care of your algae problem due to the lack of oxygen, and (2) the constant "reverberation/waves" reduces the problem of mosquito laying larvae.

Moss grows on rocks, not on water. Algae grows in/on water. Have you considered scooping this stuff out and composting it to enrich your soil? You can also get solar-powered floating pond oxygenator devices. I am somewhat concerned with your eagerness to throw chemicals at everything. May be that's just my misinterpretation.

I use both products, though I'd like to get some kind of solar aeration system so I don't need the copper sulfate (which I rarely use as it is). There are pond dye packets that I prefer over the liquid. I just chuck a couple packs out near the center of my pond each month--no mess.

Put tilapia in the about 10 pounds per acre they die off in the winter and great food for your bass and the eat algae like mad

Aerator will help kill off algae