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Algae is the scourge of outdoor pond owners, and pond algae comes in several
nasty types.
Fish ponds can get high concentrations of phosphates from food decomposition,
and nitrates from the nitrification cycle. High concentrations of phosphates and
nitrates are the food for pond algae, along with some iron as a catalyst.
There have been 2 ways to battle pond algae.
 | Ultraviolet
lights - Although they are fairly effective against pea soup green algae, they can not touch string or hair algae. So they only solve a small part of
the problem.
 | They
are expensive at about $10 per watt, and typically require a 40 watt
unit for each 1,000 gallons.
 | A
40
watt unit for a 1,000 gallon pond costs $400
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| An
80
watt unit for a 2,000 gallon pond costs almost $700
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| A
200 watt unit for a 5,000 gallon pond costs almost $1,700
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| They
are expensive to operate,
| $220
per year for an 200 watt unit for 2.2 amps of electricity
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| $340
per year (actually 9 months) for bulb replacements
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| Even
more to replace freeze broken quartz tubes at $80 each.
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| So
for a 5,000 gallon pond you are looking at an initial cost of $1,700
plus a minimum of $560 per year for operating costs, assuming no
broken quartz tubes or rusted out transformers or wiring harnesses.
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| Chemical
treatments - Chemicals get all types of algae, and they are inexpensive.
| Most
algaecides contain copper, which is deadly to Koi.
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| Many
Koi have been killed by copper containing algaecides.
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| Now
we have found a new chemical treatment, "KOI CARE ALGAECIDE"
that kills all types of algae, and it does
not affect plants, Koi, or Goldfish. It does not contain copper.
| It
is inexpensive at $17.50/pint, $27/quart, $39/1/2 gallon,
$69/gallon.
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"KOI CARE ALGAECIDE" kills all types of algae including string
and hair algae!
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Phone: 303-883-8000