Question
Hello, I have a small under 300 Gallon pond that has a few goldfish and some mosquito eaters in it.  I live in Northern California.  the pond has a small fountain pump and it is set in one of those biofilters with the plastic balls in it.  I also have a lily in the pond.  The problem I am having is the algae grows so fast it is taking over.  the pump needs to be cleaned every other day and in the daytime the entire surface is covered with it.  I have tried Barley pellets and the bails to no avail.  I think I need more filtration such as a water fall but I'm not sure if that will solve it and it wouldn't be easy given the way the pond is set up.  Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Answer
Hi Steve,
Thanx for your question.  Barley bales have always worked well for me.  They are available at most water gardening centers.  It also helps to have some floaters like water hyacinth, water lettuce, azolla or some other plant that floats and whose roots help filter and clean the pond water.  I believe water hyacinth and water lettuce are illegal in Florida.  Don't know about California.  If you give me your county, I can put you in touch with some local folks.  I do know from personal experience that barley bales and floaters are quite effective at keeping down and eradicating algae.  I hope this helps.
Tom