Every pond owner has to deal with moss growing in their pond at some point. Too much moss can make the water look muddy, gross and can impact the underwater survival of aquatic plants and fish.
So, getting rid of pond moss is important for your pond to thrive.
The most popular ways of removing moss from ponds include preventing it from growing, removing them naturally, or using a chemical solution to cure the infected area.
If you are a sufferer and looking for a solution to this moss situation, this article on how to get rid of moss in pond is just for you. Let’s get on to the point and see what’s in for today!
Ways to get rid of Pond Moss
Moss can be controlled in several ways. You can do it naturally, or you can take the help of chemical substances and mechanical support, etc.
But first, what you need to do is inspect how severe the problem is. Once you’re done observing, carry on the process of removing moss from the pond.
Natural way
The first way I’ll discuss with you today is a natural way. In this method, you don’t need to use any chemical or machinery to eliminate moss or any kind of algae outgrow in your pond. The steps are-
1. Scoop out the floating moss
The first thing to do is to scoop out the floating greenish gunk from the top of the water. It is not plausible to get every bit out, but this is only the first step. You should get as much as possible out of the water with a skimmer of algae net and proceed to the next step.
2. Plant nutrient-absorbing aquatic plants
Excess nutrients are the culprit behind moss overgrowth. If we plant aquatic plants in the pond, they will suck up the resource essential for the moss to grow.
You can plant vegetation such as lily pads, cattails, watercress, etc. to keep the nutrient under control and away from the moss.
3. Place barley straw in the water
Rotten barley straw slowly releases a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, which is fatal for any type of algae.
Placing barley straw in the water is a very intuitive and natural move to keep the moss in control without harming other vegetation or underwater lives.
4. Introduce algae eating creatures
The next step of this method is to place algae-eating fish and animals in the pond.
Many animals like tadpoles, grass carps, snails, etc. directly feed on moss and algae. If you bring in these underwater living creatures, I am sure that moss won’t find a way to color your pond green.
5. No overfeeding your fish
Lastly, to control the moss in your pond, you must avoid resourcing them. When you feed the fish, avoid giving excess food to stop leftovers from rotting. Because of it, extra food will pile up, rot, and result in moss growth.
Chemical Control
This solution is the last resort for pond owners. If you have an out-of-control moss situation, this must be the way for you to solve it.
For this particular method, we’ll need 41% Glyphosate. It is a chemical that will kill all types of moss and may harm other plants as well. So, we need to be very careful and limit the usage of this chemical.
The Glyphosate or the “Eraser” should be used only for spot treatments in moss-covered areas. Let us look into the procedure-
Mixing the chemical
As the chemical is super reactive, you need to measure the moss -infected area first. 1.5 oz. of eraser in 1-gallon water is enough to treat 300 sq. ft of area.
Fill the spray tank with half of the required water, add the eraser, add the remaining amount of water and mix it well.
The application
Apply the solution you made to the water or targeted moss infected area using a backpack sprayer or hand-pump sprayer. You should only do it in heavily moss growing areas. It is essential to make sure other plants do not get Glyphosate.
Preventing excess moss growth
If you do not have a pond but planning to have one, this step needs to catch your sight. Prevention is obviously a better treatment option. If we build the pond according to plans, moss growth can be controlled from the beginning. The steps to prevention are given below-
Choose a place with limited sunlight
As algae or moss needs sunlight to grow, installing the pond in a shady area is the right choice. The pond can be built near a tall wall, or you can simply use a shade mat for this reason.
Avoid areas under tall trees because leaves will fall into the water, rot, and let algae grow.
A Border around the pond
It is better to have the pond area enclosed so that outside water does not get mixed with the pond water. Out water may contain algae food, which may result in moss growth.
Building a border around the pond will be a great alternative. Plus, you get to keep all the pesticides, fertilizer, and herbicide away from the pond.
Adding dye
If your pond is out and open under the sun, simply dye the water in dark color to stop sunlight from reaching the bottom, thus preventing algae or moss formation. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to dye the pond.
What causes moss to outgrow in a pond
There are several reasons for growing moss in the pond, and it is essential to understand the cause of moss spreading. First of all, you should keep in mind that there will be plenty of algae or moss growing wherever you see abundant sunlight, water, and nutrients.
What speeds up the process is the nourishment and warmth. Any plant needs sunlight to grow. As a plant, moss definitely will grow and spread in waters where there is enough sunlight for it to survive. Also, animal waste, dead plants, and leftover fish food in water give the moss the strength to grow.
No more moss!
Moss is definitely useful but uncontrollable moss growth can head in the opposite direction. This greenish gunk can affect the beauty of a pond as well as the underwater environment. For that, we must keep the growth under control.
I hope the ideas and the methods on how to get rid of moss in ponds meet your preferences and come in handy in solving your moss situation.
