# Pond scum. How do I get rid of it/stop it from forming? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2007, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pond-scum-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-stop-it-from-forming/402705 "2007-05-04T02:12:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pond-scum-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-stop-it-from-forming/402705/1 "2007-05-04T02:12:29Z")
I have a customer with a pond. The pond is a hundred feet or so in diameter. This year is is starting to grow algae. I don’t know much about these types of things. My thoughts were 1. set some sprinklers to stir the water up a bit more. or 2. stock it with some type of fish. The pond is well away from any electrical supply/ buildings of any sort. What I do have is the ability to spray massive amounts of water through the irrigation system.(a few thousand gallons a day would be the max I’d consider). Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pond-scum-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-stop-it-from-forming/402705/2 "2007-05-04T02:26:13Z")
The algae is a by-product of organic material and sun…Grossly generalized, that’s about it folks. Let’s see: Is it man made? Is there a creek, brook or stream feeding it or coming from it. Meaning is it the destination or begining of any streams, brooks, or creeks? Are there fish in it? I’d say leave it alone, and the algae will die off or get eaten soon enough… ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pond-scum-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-stop-it-from-forming/402705/3 "2007-05-04T02:29:53Z")
[Farm ponds and algae control.](http://scnyat.cce.cornell.edu/woodpond/algae.htm) [More here.](http://extension.missouri.edu/webster/webster/agric/algae-control.html) ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pond-scum-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-stop-it-from-forming/402705/4 "2007-05-04T02:31:05Z")
[Here’s](http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/ponds/2002051559024333.html) a site with some ideas for you. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pond-scum-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-stop-it-from-forming/402705/5 "2007-05-04T08:25:04Z")
Doctor Who’s link said: > [@](#): > > ..to add snails to your pond although if you have large fish they may eat the snails. Depending on your climate and whether you plan to take your fish in for the winter you can also add algae-eating fish. Tadpoles are very effective algae-consumers.. I added about ten [pond snails](http://www.weichtiere.at/Mollusks/Schnecken/haupt.html) a week ago to my tiny pond and they seem to have done the trick. I got them from a friends’ pond. Free, ecologically sound, and a durable solution. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pond-scum-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-stop-it-from-forming/402705/6 "2007-05-04T13:46:39Z")
Tadpoles are awesome, as they also present a mosquito control solution. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pond-scum-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-stop-it-from-forming/402705/7 "2007-05-04T13:49:54Z")
I have a 10,000 gallon natural swimming pool that is having an algae problem. There are additives that can greatly help, or you can add pond plants. They take up the nutrients that are otherwise feeding the algae. Don’t put too many fish in the pond and DON’T feed them. Their waste contains nutrients the algae will feed on.