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How to use Pond Barley Straw for Clear Pond Water
How to use Pond Barley Straw for Clear Pond Water
Barley straw will only work while decomposing under well oxygenated conditions, and should be left as close to the surface water as possible (floating or shallow shelf) for the best results in your ponds. It needs to be close to the surface so enough UV light from the sun can penetrate to form oxygen free radicals that eventually end up as dissolved hydrogen peroxide – the algaecide.
To work best barley straw treatment needs 3 things:
- Plenty of dissolved oxygen & aeration
- Be placed close to the surface for sunlight exposure
- Good water quality and bio-filtration (bacteria) for decomposition
When applying barley straw you want to make sure you have a stable aeration source, such as a fountain or air pump as well as a filtration system to help remove some of the ammonia and nitrites that come with decomposition. If your barley treatment sinks, you’ll want to remove it and place it on a shallow shelf or consider a lighter product.
Dosage in your pond should be per manufacturers guidelines, so you’ll need to read the instructions on the individual product you purchase. Never use more than is recommended as this will place unnecessary stress on your biological filtration, with very little in turns of extra algae removal. If you have liquid barley extract, you should also dose as per the label guidelines. Dissolved extract has the advantage of remaining free-swimming and being in constant sunlight, and you should see results faster in comparison with barley straw.
How long does barley straw take to work in ponds?
Depending on the type of barley straw product you’re using, the quality of your filtration, and how much aeration you have in place in your pond the full decomposition process usually starts within a few weeks and lasts between between 3 to 6 months. In warmer months decomposition will happen faster, and in colder months it will be a much slower process.
This is because beneficial aerobic bacteria work more efficiently in summer and much slower in winter when the pond water temperature drops. Hydrogen peroxide will continue to be produced throughout the entire decomposition process, and will gradually leech into water over this period to tackle algae. You should start seeing results from physical barley straw from 2-6 weeks if treated in spring/summer, and 6-8 weeks if treated in autumn/winter.
For barley liquid treatments, results will usually be slighter quicker and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide slightly higher. On average, you should start seeing results in your pond within 2-4 weeks during warmer months and 4-6 weeks in colder months.
Remember, barley straw is a preventive method of algae control, not an algae killer, so a good result from barley treatment would be less algae returning the following year. To remove large algae blooms, always use a direct treatment method and only use barley to supplement the process.
How often should you replace the straw in the pond?
For the best results and algae prevention, adding more barley straw a few times a year is good practice to make sure there is always a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the pond water. To ensure there is always a little barley decomposing and producing hydrogen peroxide, we recommend replacing your straw every 4 to 6 months.
To browse our range of barley straw treatments for ponds and aquariums please click here.
To browse our range of aerators and air pumps for ponds please click here.
Photo credit(s): Canva Pro Licence
1 comment
Alex
Hi, I put a bale of barley straw in my pool over night and by the morning the entire body of water is brown! Ive taken it out… Will the water clear? Im devastated as its 140,000L bio pool that took a very long time (2 weeks) to fill from local stream… The system has x 2 outlets to air pump and a cascade. The filter beds with young plants have gravel and then pond fleece to filter. no other filter in place. Any guidance greatly appreciated before I consider draining down. Many thanks, Alex