The Types of Pond Algae

Pond algae is a very broad term use to describe all forms and types of algae, including those filamentous, blanket weed, blue, green, and pond scum. They are said to have existed millions of years ago. Algae can be either beneficial or detrimental to marine life. Some forms are ideally crucial to help balance the pond ecosystem, while others or most types are culprit for pond damage and fish kill. There has been ample of research conducted to determine exactly the nature of algae and a lot of techniques are developed to eradicate and control algae. However, algae exist persistently especially during summer or spring.

Algae can be a big nuisance in your pond if they are not controlled immediately. They are normally single-celled organisms that are often associated with fungi. They thrive in fresh and salt water, so they are really abundant. The three primary forms of algae are: planktonic, filamentous, and macrophytic.

Planktonic Algae

These types are unicellular that grow vastly. You can’t see them in naked eye, unless check under microscope. They become bigger in size up to 4 microns in diameter and spur excessive growth of algae known as blooms or green water.

The popular types of planktonic algae are chlamydomonas, chlorella, and euglena species. They propagate swiftly when excessive nutrients and sunlight are present in the pond.

Filamentous Algae

Have you seen green, thread-like algae in your pond? Those are filamentous algae. They appear like thread because their cells are attached from end to end. They are also referred to as pond moss because they appear like furs that cling on pond surface. Pithophora, or horse-like algae, is a known filamentous type that grows profusely in pond water.

The most problematic type of filamentous algae is Cladophora glomerata blanket weed variety. They are slimy and gruesome that usually clings on the pond walls, filters and pump, making them hard to remove. This type has huge family that run to more than 150 different species. Another reason why cladophora is problematic is that they can grow up to 6 feet a day. Imagine that!

Another specie that can wreak havoc in ponds is Rhizoclonium and Enteromorpha Spirogyra varieties. There are about 400 species of Spyrogyra genesis that are said to live in fresh and salt waters. The Spyorgyra emerge as tangled pond scum, and float on the pond’s surface during warm weather. When the sun sets down and the weather is cold, the tangled pond scum shrinks as its oxygen production or photsynthesis slows down. When spyrogora consumes oxygen in pond, it oozes carbon dioxide that are intolerable for fish. then the CO2 increases the ammonia levels. Thus, a heavily populated pond with spirogyra can lead to fish fatalities.Macrophytic Algae

Some types of algae can hide themselves as real plants. This is what macrophytic algae do: they have stems and leaves just what normal plants have and are attached to the bottom of the pond. This specie needs high levels of calcium acarbonate or bicarbonate to survive.

If those algae appear in your pond, you’ll likely need pond algae treatment.