Green Slime in my Pond - impossible to shift - need help!

[eskymo]

I think the problem was arising from not using aquatic compost for all my plants - I just used normal compost! oops. So we bought some aquatic compost and I repotted everything over the weekend.

I looked in the pond this morning and it is crystal clear!

I guess that the balnket weed will come back as I don't think I cleared it all out, but I think I've got it under control. We looked in the garden center for some barley straw and could not believe that a tiny bundle was being sold for £4.99!!!! Outrageous!

[nick the grief]

stick your blanket weed by the side of your pond for a day or so to let any bugs find there way back in to the water then compost it, it'll be full of Nitrogen etc so will compost well, do the same with Duckweed as well.

By removing the excess growth rather than letting it rot in the water you'll help keep things balanced.

[eskymo]

I've got the blanket weed in a dustbin lid next to the pond so I guess anything that needed to get back into the pond has done by now. I was wondering what to do with it, but will now chuck it in the compost bin - thanks for the tip!

[SueA]

Think using ordinary compost was probably causing the biggest problem. Aquatic compost is expensive though & Charlie Dimmock reckons it's O.K. to use normal garden soil in the pots if you haven't got any as this is usually low in nutrients & forms 'mud' rather than floating off into the water & she should know. I tried this once when I split a flag iris & didn't have any problems.

[eskymo]

Just went out to the garden to take some pictures of the pond, but it's the wrong time of day as I just got reflections and you couldn't see into it. It's very clear and full of happy tadpoles and I wanted to show it off. I will try again tomorrow.