String / Blanket Algae

[BonnieIN]

Okay what exactly is the difference??

I'm unsure if I had both or just string algae.

Alot in the pond was free floating but slimy and stringy?

Thanks,
Bonnie

[Jackie Ramo]

I'm not sure if I know the difference myself or if there is one. String algae seems to have several phases, a short phase bright green in colour, a long phase usually a darker green colour and a float and slime phase which can be green, light or dark or even brownish - yuck! Mine is the the, I'm dying phase and settling on the pond bottom some is making it to the skimmer but not much.

In addition there is a floating green slime algae... even yuckier, as soon as you touch it it almost becomes green water.

[BonnieIN]

I don't know for sure what we had Jackie but the pond was FULL of it.
I used our swimming pool net to get alot of it from the top of the water surface and an hour later, there was more again.

Floating Green Snotty Looking Stuff!

[Jackie Ramo]

I'd take this as a sign the the algae was dying. It often floats with oxygen bubbles. But you'd never net the slime algae it just breaks up into goo and runs through the net.

[Wayne S.]

Copying from part of a James Reilly post on Koiphen (see points 2 and 3):

1) Slime algae is an easy one. It is called SPIROGYRA.
* it is usually a raft of green, but often ‘looks’ attached to walls because it drifts.
(this algae will sink and rise in the water depending on photo synthetic phase)
* it is light to medium green in color. Kinda pretty green if it wasn’t so annoying!
* It is slimy to the touch, and very soft.
* holds gas bubbles, from photosynthesis and for buoyancy regulation, within its mass that are clearly visible.
* of the three it will have the strongest odor.
* this should not be confused with the true blue/green slime algae which are actually
not algae at all but rather Cyanobacteriales- I.E. a bacteria that has photo synthetic
abilities.
2) True blanket weed is not hard to spot either. It is called PITHOPHORA.
* It is very course to the touch and therefore gets horse hair or wool algae names.
* It is the only one of the three that will grow off the pond bottom as well as the sides.
(although Cladophora will grow on stream bottoms and water fall bases.)
* It varies in shade from yellow/green dark green to green/brown
* Is very rapid growing when conditions are ideal, in fact fastest growing of all except
The unicellular forms.
* It is seasonal in the wild but can survive open ended in captivity.
* When it is in all its glory, it indeed looks like a veggie rope!
3) String algae or hair algae can be one of two dozen green filamentous algae. And some in this group are very desirable. The one we deal with most frequently as a run-away nuisance is called CLADOPHORA.
* A very lovely light to ‘grass’ green in color. It leaves the impression of being fine
or even delicate. But like some Southern Gal’s I have known- it ain’t so! Tough
as nails!
* On the ‘feel’ meter, it is more cotton-like in texture.
* it is also rapid growing and likes unstable water conditions and rapidly moving water.
* It’s fine strands are seen in water falls and near pond water returns.
* capable of growing a few inches a day in summer.
* unlike Pithophora or Spirogyra, koi will work at Cladophora if no other food is available or during ritualistic schooling behavior. Only very new Pithophora or Spirogyra will be consumed by koi. Otherwise they will only feed on the particles ON those forms and not those forms themselves. You will see them tear at but spit out and swim away from torn off pieces.

Wayne S.

[Terri]

Thanks Wayne :-)