Green water is waterborne algae and it’s a bit more difficult to get rid of it than simply cleaning your pond — although cleaning the mulm and debris from your pond will increase the chances of getting rid of the algae. If you haven’t experienced an algae bloom in your pond yet you’re in for an enlightening experience. All bodies of water go through what we call an "algae bloom" that turns the water green (sometimes into the consistency of pea soup). It’s a very natural occurrence that happens whenever the water heats up and there is enough "fuel" in the water to feed the algae.

This type of algae is a waterborne microscopic plant that reproduces like crazy and becomes so thick that it actually colors the water green. There are other types of algae that we can address like string algae and the kind that builds up on the liner. But, for now, we’ll only cover the kind that turns your water green.

Mother Nature has her way of clearing the water. One day, after weeks of not being able to see your fish (much less the bottom of the pond), you may walk out and find that your pond is clear. It’s almost as if little pond fairies spent all night cleaning your pond. It’s actually when all the factors come together and your pond reaches its ecological balance. The following is a list of things that you can do to help the pond fairies do their job.

The ONLY sure-fire method of destroying waterborne algae is by running the water through an ultraviolet light. UV lights sterilize the algae and prevent it from reproducing. It will clear up the water and keep it clear. When installed correctly, a UV will show outstanding results within a matter of a day or two. That’s the "good" side of the UV light. The "not-so-good" side is that the UV can be rather expensive. It becomes a question of personal choice and pocketbook. The more water in your pond, the more wattage you’ll require thus increasing the cost of the UV. Rule of thumb is 10 watts per 1000 gallons.

When you’ve made the decision to purchase an ultraviolet light, if you don’t purchase it through us, please make sure you have a reputable source that you can call and get help if needed. If the installation of the light is not right, if the water runs through at too high a volume, if the UV light is not correctly sized, you will be wasting your money! It’s not difficult to add into most systems but there are a few tricks to making it perform at its best. We will be glad to help you with sizing the UV and give you the benefit of our experience with installing it.

The answer IS a UV light if you do not have the time or patience to let Mother Nature do her thing to get rid of the algae. If you’re searching for a complete cure for the problem the UV is the only way to go. Otherwise you must have patience.

One last note: UV lights will not get rid of string algae. String algae is not waterborne. It clings to rocks in the waterfall and on plants — basically wherever it can find a foothold. You can power-wash the string algae and let it fall to the bottom and vacuum it up or let the system take care of removing it (if your system can handle the removal) or you can pull it off with your hands. The smooth algae that collects on the sides of the pond and on the sides of plant baskets is what we consider good algae and should not be removed.