Barley Straw

My pond has no filter on it and the water is always green. Got some aerating plants in it that don't seem to do anything.
Does barley straw clear the water and if so how much of it....
Help appreciated.

Thanks

 

They say it does, but I'm not sure, I think you need to put it in really early for it to work.
Get some water cress, and let it float,.
It pulls out lots of nutrients from the water once it gets established, and if you keep cutting it back its more effective.

 

Does the pond have fish? If it does it really should have a bio-filter.

If there are no fish you can try barley straw, barley straw extract, barley straw pellets. (amount depends on product) None are guaranteed to work.

Green water is actually caused by algae which are tiny plants, adding another plant is supposed to remove the nutrients, and reduce light by its leaf size. Its called balancing a pond.
There is no "recipe" for a balanced pond, its is all down to luck, it works for some and not others, and those it works for some times get a dose of pea soup for "no reason" If there was a recipe for a balanced pond, all pond owners would do it.

The main opinion seems to be have lots of plants (and i mean lots) or a bio filter and UV

 

I am a great believer in barley straw TH ,until about 5 years ago I used all manner of chemicals and a u/v light and filter and the water was only clear for short periods, if at all.
My pond has quite a few fish,I now use barley straw with the light and filter,but the barley straw seems to be key,but it does take time to work so needs to be put in early and mid season.You may still get some blanket weed,but it will tend to gather together and can easily be scooped out...........as apposed to a pea souper.
I hope this helps......good luck.

 

Yes... it does.
When I was a water treatment plant engineer we had a lagoon that always suffered from pH and algae problems. As the discharge went to the locall river the EA was all over us if it failed on consent.
So.. evey year in spring we used to get a whole bale of barley straw (those big round ones) and make up a couiple of large sausages. About 50 Mts long and about this thick. We used the machine and netting that you find wrapped around christmas trees when you buy them. It was two men for a whole day just to prepare it all.
Takes about 28 days to start working but I can say that it does work.
On occasions when the sun was strong and maybe the treatment was slightly off we would dump 25 Ltrs of 98% sulphuric acid into the lagoon. That reduced the pH like you would not believe..
I have a small pond and use about a large grapfruit size barley straw in some netting.

 

Anyone know why Barley straw works?

I mean, it seems strange, why not just straw in general.

Or do farmers spray Barley with a certain kind of herbicide thats not used on wheat for example.

I'm not doubting what your saying, I 'm just looking for an explanation.

 

I believe there is some sort of mould?? that grows on Barley straw, and that is the chappie that you want - and (local farmer told me) it doesn't grow on, for example, Wheat straw.

 

I put Barley straw in when the algae appears .. clearly this is too late, when you guys say "Mid" / "late season" etc. can you give me an idea of the sort of date when doing this would be "about the right time" please ?

Thanks

 

Hi Kristen,just looked in my diary and we were early this year,I cleaned the pond out end of Feb.and put the wad of barley straw in just right as it proberbly takes four to six weeks before it starts to rot and does it's work.Just as well as we have had a lot of warm sunshine,I have recently put another wad in..................Just as a true believer does .