Question
Tom, We have two ponds, one with koi and one without.  I have found nothing that helps with algae until now.  I read in a magazine that if you cut 8 stems of lavendar plant and tie them together with a daylilly leaf and throw it in the water it will prevent new algae from growing.  I did this in my pond without fish and it is really working.  My question is if I do the same thing in the koi pond. will it hurt my fish.  We have some beautiful big koi and I know I am going to have a certain amount of algae.  We have a pond system with the uv sterilizer and the whole works.  But we still have algae, sometimes the stringy kind.  Thanks for your help.  Margaret from Ohio

Answer
Hi Margaret,
Thanx for your question and information.  Throwing lavender and daylily into the pond will not hurt the fish.  I have never heard of this for cleaning up algae.  That doesn't mean it's wrong.  An easier way is to buy a small block of barley straw available at most garden centers that cater to pond enthusiasts.  Place it in the pond.  This will take care of your pond algae.  I don't go in for all of that fancy pond stuff you mentioned above.  I am an educated individual with a broad knowledge of biology and horticulture and I've had a backyard ornamental pond for over 10 years now.  The pond industry is taking a lot of people for their money.  People who get caught up in the cumpulsiveness that often comes with a new hobby.  I always did things on a simplistic level.  I've had the string algae, the invasions of duck week, green water, all of that.  If the system in the pond is balanced by how much light it gets, how many fish live in it, how many snails, crawfish and other scavengers live in it, how many floaters such as water hyacinth, azolla and/or water lettuce are in the pond you won't have much of a problem.  Talk to other ponders and learn about their experiences.  I learned a long time ago that if I had to start adding chemicals and doing drastic cleansing efforts there was something unnatural about the pond.  I learned to use floaters, barley bales, scavengers and plants such as  waterlilies and plants that grow at the edge of the pond.  

If you have to start resorting to a lot of mumbo-jumbo and tricks to make your pond work...I'd get rid of the pond.  Work with the natural and if I haven't made it clear enough, please send me a follow up.  Sometimes the people who are selling you your hobby try to make it harder for you so you have to rely on them to help you maintain your hobby.  Ponding should be easy.  If it's not, let me know or I can put you in touch with people in your local area who can help you.

I hope this helps.
Tom