If you have a large pond or lake on your property, chances are you’ve talked to a neighbor or two andthey might have recommended using copper sulfate to kill algae in your pond. I’d like to tell you some reasons why you shouldn’t use it.

First of all, copper sulfate was used many years ago for algae control until it was found out that it had adverse environmental affects from building up copper in the bottom of the pond. Some of these affects are:

• Overuse of this product is common due to it’s short-term effectiveness. This can result in copper build-up in the sediments leading to a ‘sterile’ bottom within the pond where beneficial plant life, good types of bacteria, etc. would live and thrive in order to promote a healthy pond life.

• In certain waters, can be toxic to fish and other organisms.

There are far superior products available now to treat for algae control in backyard ponds but do know that there are many, many different kinds of algae and not all of them require the same treatment. For many applications, a chelated (chemically locked in) copper compound is now available as an aquatic algaecide. called Cutrine Plus which comes in a liquid or granular product. There’s a certain way to treat the pond for different types of algae, so always ask a qualified pond expert (and no, not just your neighbor) or the manufacturer. Cutrine Plus is a much better product because of several reasons such as:

• provides a longer contact (killing time) due to it’s ability to work in alkaline waters where copper sulfate use can often be fatal

• provides a longer lasting control than copper sulfate

• lower dosage can be used

• less frequent applications

The most preferred method for controlling algae though, is to get at the root of the problem; that is, excess nutrients in the water from sludge, muck, organic debris such as fallen leaves, uneaten fish food, etc..

What you ideally need to do is replenish the beneficial bacteria that’s supposed to be in the pond. It’s the beneficial bacteria that is your friend. It’s the beneficial bacteria that will eat up all that sludge and muck which is causing you to have big algae bloooms (green water) to begin with. It’s the beneficial bacteria that eats the very same nutrients in the water that algae does and causes it to thrive and grow.

If you get on a regular treatment plan of adding beneficial bacteria such as PlanktoniX for large ponds and lakes over 250 square feet, you’ll end up starving out the algae – which is exactly what you want to do for an all-natural algae control!

Article Source: EzineArticles.com