Ponds that are well-managed by liming and fertilizing usually have a
healthy plankton bloom that shades the water so the sun doesn't hit the
bottom. But in areas where sunlight hits the bottom of your pond, you
may have a filamentous algae problem.
Now there are commercial dyes that will turn your pond blue. That's the
color your water needs to be to block out the color spectrum that algae
needs to grow. This past year we tried using one of these products on a
small pond that had an infestation of filamentous algae. The product we
chose was Aquashade (www.appliedbiochemists.com). According to the
manufacturer, it does not interfere with the use of water for
irrigation, fishing or swimming.
Before treating the pond with dye, the first step is to kill the
existing algae. To accomplish this, we used a commercial algaecide,
Cutrine-Plus Liquid, and sprayed the algae mats around the pond's edges.
The algaecide must come in contact with most of the algae mass. For that
to happen, the larger mats need to be broken up with a boat paddle, rake
or outboard motor prior to spraying.
Applying the dye is easy. After donning rubber gloves and protective
eyewear, just pour the dye into the pond. One gallon treats 1 acre of
water with an average depth of 4 feet. Follow the instructions exactly.
We poured the dye into the pond at the end of a boat dock, and the
natural movement of the water carried it throughout the pond in just a
few hours. The pond will turn a blue color and shade the bottom for
weeks after the application.
The dye will stain skin and clothing so be careful when pouring and
handling. But it can be cleaned off skin and clothing with white foam
shaving cream.