# Straw bags.........algae



## Hardtop (Nov 24, 2004)

Wondered if any of you have tried the straw bag with septic tank treatment for algae control....? I saw a nice local pond last fall where they had been doing this and am thinking about giving it a try.........? HT


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

I've heard mixed results on barley straw but never tried it. Is the septic tank treatment a bacteria supplement?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

always heard it with Barley also , which is hard to find and it makes the pond tannic looking 

Salmonid


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## Hardtop (Nov 24, 2004)

Well, after most of this season behind us I wanted to update on the use of the straw bags in the pond. So far pretty good results..we have not had -any- algae outbreaks this season, and weeds are about like we have had other years....the water clarity has been better than any other 20 years, Still not 100% sure the straw bags are the reason< I know this season has been a little different with the extreme winter........ I plan on doing this again next season , HT


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

After reading about other guys success with this, we have added Talapia the last two springs and it has worked out nicely. This year we put in about 65 fish that were 4"-6" in length, our pond has been algae free all summer, and the damn things are now the size of dinner plates. We just have to figure out how to catch a bunch of them this fall before they die so we can eat them.


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## die4irish (Jun 8, 2004)

PapawSmith said:


> After reading about other guys success with this, we have added Talapia the last two springs and it has worked out nicely. This year we put in about 65 fish that were 4"-6" in length, our pond has been algae free all summer, and the damn things are now the size of dinner plates. We just have to figure out how to catch a bunch of them this fall before they die so we can eat them.


ours love red worms. Wont bit on anything else


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## Georgio_P (Jun 4, 2010)

The use of barley straw to control algal growth is one option that is gaining popularity. As the straw is broken down by bacteria in the pond water, chemicals such as Phenolics, and Humic Acid are released from the straw into the pond water. 2 phenyl&#8208;phenol being the most effective on killing algae found in Ohio.
You can buy two football sized bales of barley straw for $10 on Amazon. 
I have used them, and they do keep string algae at bay, but do NOTHING against free floating algae (the kinds that turn your pond water green , and reduce the visibility) , for those, you need a UV Clarifier to zap the DNA of the suspended algae which causes green jelly in you pond. I have found the mini bales of straw effective for about 2 months, then they sink and become ineffective.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I sunk two of the half bales of Barley Straw in a 2/3 acre pond and the problem was solved. The "Angel Hair' algae cleared as well as a surface floating contaminate which I wasn't able to identify. I weighted the bales with a foundation block and attached a poly pro floating rope so I could retrieve the blocks. All worked great.


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