All Turtles Message Board

hayes2258 · Guest Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Posts: 4

summer, warm temps and an outside pond. EEEEK....I am going crazy with this pond. How do I keep the algae levels down?

kelleytidwell · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 5:55 pm Post subject:

I used to have a large one, it's timley and costly but, I used to drain it 1 x per month to clean it. Vacuming the bottom can't hurt either to get it out. Or even just replacing some of the water. Turtles are climated to this stuff in real ponds so they'll make it out but for aperaance yyou got to do something.

j99901 · Level 1 Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 10 Location: idaho

there are not only algae; the pond is invaded by yellow-jackets every summer! my (new) li'l guy flinches at them--it may be skittish because it's been in its new home less than a week. or perhaps it finds those devilsh creatures as irritating as i.

i read on another board about using barley straw--there are even mats of it you can buy--and it's supposed to be great. one solution i've found helpful is lots of plants. i had creeping jenny that didn't do so well over this past year (and has been moved to pond-side dirt), and now have water hyacinth--which, BTW, turtle is evidently enjoying.

"eco-fix" is pretty good, though it takes repeated applications; along w/ its sister product, "algae-something" (also requires repeated applications). both are spendy.

turtles enjoy the sunshine...so do the algae....where shall the twain meet?

Very Happy

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