Asked by: Shuzhen Magaña
pets fish and aquariums

How much barley straw do I need for my pond?

20
How much barley straw to use depends upon the size of your pond. A common rule of thumb is two bales of straw per acre of water surface. For small, ornamental ponds, you will need less than a bale. Use 0.025 pounds of straw for every square yard of water surface area.


Consequently, how long does barley straw last in a pond?

4 to 6 months

Subsequently, question is, how long does it take for barley straw extract to work? You'll start to see results with regular barley straw bales in as little as two weeks in the right conditions. Remember, the decomposition process works faster in warmer water, with a good amount of sun and oxygen.

In this manner, can you put too much barley straw in my pond?

The most common application is about two to three bales per surface acre of pond (or about 10 to 25 grams of straw per square meter of pond area). However, overdosing the pond with barley straw may cause fish kills because the straw deoxygenates the water as it decays.

Why put barley straw in a pond?

In general, research and anecdotal evidence suggest that barley straw is effective in controlling planktic algae, and will clarify water that is green from algae. Using barley straw in ponds is not known to cause harm to people or to any higher plants or animals.

Related Question Answers

Deolinda El Farissi

Professional

Does barley straw sink?

It's not effective if it floats on the water because only a small portion is touching the water. It will sink naturally. I use RED EARTH barley straw which is organic-it floats for about two or three days then sinks to the bottom where it does what it needs to do.

Josepa Jolita

Professional

How do I stop my pond going green?

Keep your pond from going green by using proper pond management principles and, as a last resort, chemicals that kill algae blooms.
  1. Keep livestock and pets away from your pond by using fences, trellises, hedges or similar barriers.
  2. Avoid or minimize the use of plant fertilizer around your garden pond.

Lovepreet Girelli

Explainer

How do I get rid of pond algae?

To get rid of algae in a pond, try planting more aquatic plants in your pond, like lily pads, cattails, or watercress, which will absorb the nutrients that algae needs to grow. You can also throw a small bale of barley straw into your pond, which will slowly kill any algae over the course of a few weeks while it rots.

Maryan Cox

Explainer

Why is there so much algae in my pond?

Algae thrive in environments that are rich in nitrogen and phosphorus. But when runoff carries excess nitrogen and phosphorus into a pond, or when heavy rainfall causes additional runoff, an algal bloom becomes possible. Common sources of nitrogen and phosphorus in runoff are manure and agricultural fertilizers.

Ariñe Ionescu

Pundit

Is barley a straw?

Barley straw is 100% natural and is the safe, effective & inexpensive way to improve water quality and stop algae growth without any risk to wildlife or plants. These Barley Straw Throwers also have added bacteria (the same as in the Clarity product) in biodegradable sachets, which helps reduce algae re-growth.

Antoliano Ruiz De Gordejuela

Pundit

How do I clear up my pond water?

Follow our 7 tips below to help keep your pond water clean!
  1. Maintain a healthy fish population.
  2. Don't over-feed your fish.
  3. Create a proper balance of plants.
  4. Choose the right size pump for your pond.
  5. Clean debris from pond before it has a chance to decay.
  6. Choose proper filtration for your pond.

Jordan Younis

Pundit

Does barley keep ponds clean?

Barley pond straw allows you to clean your fish pond or water garden without using harsh chemicals.

Marth Butt

Pundit

How do I make my pond water blue?

How to Make Farm Pond Water Turn Blue
  1. Buy your pond dye.
  2. Wear rubber gloves when working with the blue pond dye.
  3. Pour the blue pond dye into various areas of your pond.
  4. Apply more pond dye to your water when you start to notice the color fading.

Gicuta Gribachev

Pundit

Why does my pond keep going green?

The algae that causes green pond water grows because there is a nutrient imbalance in the pond. When nitrates and phosphate levels in the water are high, an algae bloom usually follows. As more muck builds up, it releases more nutrients. Another very common cause of algae is having too many fish in the pond.

Abdeljaouad Eicholzer

Teacher

How much salt do you put in a koi pond?

The dosage of pond salt is extremely important. It is recommended that 1 gram of salt is used per litre of water. It is also a good idea to space this out over time; using the 'little but often' approach again is probably best. Space out your salt treatment over the span of 3-4 days.

Ayako Llewellyn

Teacher

How do you keep a fish pond clean without a filter?

How To Keep Pond Water Clean Without Filter
  1. Don't Overstock The Pond. One of the first things to keep in mind when you are not using a filter is to not overstock the pond.
  2. Don't Overfeed Your Fish.
  3. Engage In Regular Water Changes.
  4. Clean Your Pond Regularly.
  5. Use A UV Sterilizer.
  6. Use A Nano Media Reactor.
  7. Use Pond Dye.
  8. Have The Right Plants.

Emerida Essigkrug

Teacher

Do goldfish eat string algae?

- Goldfish and Koi will often EAT String Algae.

Lucero Bayrl

Teacher

How do you treat an algae bloom koi pond?

To Summarize:
  1. Keep the organic load down by keeping runoff out of the pond and the sludge to a minimum.
  2. Don't over feed or keep more fish than your pond will support.
  3. Install a large biological filter and give it time to work, this could take several months.
  4. Use enough, and the right type of, aquatic plants .

Xinyao Sapena

Reviewer

How do I make my pond water clear naturally?

Use natural methods like barley straw, plants, and biofilters to keep your pond clean. Ultraviolet clarifiers, pond treatments, and gypsum are also useful for keeping the water clean and clear. Finally, empty the pond at least once a year by removing all plants, water, and fish before refilling it.

Shameka Prabhat

Reviewer

How do you treat green pond water?

If there is a lot of sunlight and your pond water is rich in nitrates algae will multiply rapidly.Green water is most effectively removed by using a UV Clarifier in conjunction with a filter, however sometimes you need to give things a boost by using an additional pond treatment.

Dobre Naso

Reviewer

Does barley straw kill duckweed?

Barley straw when placed in water, rots down to produce a range of chemicals that kill many types of algae (both planktonic and filamentous). However, it won't affect duckweed.

Pan Mornhinweg

Reviewer

How do you get string algae out of a koi pond?

Many pond owners will pull the algae out by hand, others purchase a long handled brush and wrap the string algae around the brush to pull it out. Step 2. To kill off the remaining algae, use a pond algaecide safe for fish and plants. We have found Algae Fix to be the most effective and safe for ornamental ponds.

Kuldip Jahnel

Supporter

How many babies do koi fish have at a time?

Eggs are spawn and sperm is milt. The female is capable of carrying around 100,000 eggs for every 1kg of body weight. So a female of 10kg in weight will pass 1,000,000 eggs of which 60% will hatch.

Zhijian Leeners

Supporter

How do you kill algae in a lake?

You can also rake your pond using a Pond & Beach Rake to remove dead vegetation, leaves and other organics that will eventually decompose on the bottom. Reduce sunlight: Like all photosynthetic organisms, algae requires sunlight to thrive. Adding pond dye can help provide shade.