How to get rid/reduce Blanket Weed?

[leni]

We built a pond last year and bought 2 sterlets - one died within 24hours so we got him replaced.

2 weeks back another died, it had got caught in some blanket weed and suffocated itself.

Just bought 2 new fish today and noticed the remaining sterlet keeps getting caught but manages to free himself - I'm worried that one time he won't free himself and die These are quite expensive so I don't wonna loose him - infact I wonna get a couple more! The problem is the blanket weed?

We've just filled the pond up with plants so the chemical treatments will kill them and we have nowhere to put the plants if we take them out the water! We even bought one of them "hoover" things to suck the weed up, which worked but it came back quickly and thicker!

I have sting (the sterlet) in a bucket at the moment but they need well exygenated water and this isn't - so he can't be kept in there for too long!

Any idea's?

here's the pond

and Sting

The pond is about 7 x 7 (halfed - I think) and 5ft deep about 600 gallons if I remember rightly. Not big enough for the sterlet when it grows to it's expected 1 meter length but we have a friends with a MASSIVE pond who will give it a home by that time - or we'll build a bigger pond!

We have UV light that has been on all over winter. We have a fish mate filter with UV light and Fish mate pump for a 700 gallon pond - so it's definately adequate!

We have 5 goldfish, 5 koi, 2 fin tails (bought today) and 1 sterlet - so not over populated! The plants we have are not causing a problem - It's the "stringy algae" thats growing from the sides of the pond that causing the problem - as sterlets are 'bottom' feeders - their getting caught in it!

 

[Cat]

I had 2 sterlets last year,they kept getting caught in the blanket weed,then they just vanished,never found them

we used a chemical cure you mixed it with water it never damaged the plants,we are using one now, but this one you sprinkle it in, but not over plants,we also tried the straw method .It did eventually go when the water lillies covered the pond.

Good luck with the sterlet,I'm thinking of getting another.

 

[The-Wolf]

in the lfs, I frequent and will be soon working in full time,
they recomend the water wych, retails for £30 but apparently
it really does what is says it does.
http/www.waterwych.co.uk/

 

[Paul_MTS]

at work we sell blanketweed excel which is safe to use with plants cost £8 for packet which treats about 3000gallons.

it's best not to buy sterlets under about 8inch, above this size they have the power to motor through blanketweed, below this there still relatively weak and can't use brute force to get through.

 

[leni]

cheers for that!

I've put in a barley straw bail and made a "sail" style cover thats covering 80% of the pond at the moment! Also bought an air pump which has stirred some of the algae and I've scoop it out with the net!

Lets see how it goes! I'll keep you informed

Sting (the sterlet) made it through the night and so did the 2 new fish!

The bloke has spoke to his pond keeping friend who has suggested putting some copper sulphate in - is this wise?

 

[Seb R]

Dunno about chemicals myself, but when i get it I usually go at the sides with a brush and scrape it off, it does eventually grow back but it works well in the short-term. Oh good luck with your sterlets! They are pretty cute fish