skip to main content
Quote 'FREEP' for FREE Delivery on £35 Spend or over*

Blanketweed

How can I get rid of my Blanketweed?

30 July 2020
Blanketweed

What is Blanketweed?

Blanketweed is a type of algae. It consists of long, hairlike strands of green algae which can block up your pump and filter, damage your plants and it can harm your fish. It is probably the number one problem that pond keepers come across during the summer months. When treating Blanketweed there are two main theories, either destroy or inhibit.

It normally develops in ponds that:

  • Are in direct sunlight
  • Have a lot of sludge
  • Have a high pH

If you are experiencing problems with Blanketweed, the first thing you should do is test your water to check the Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates and pH. This will help you identify how to get rid of it. You may also find our other blog post 'Keep Blanketweed at Bay This Summer' useful, as this outlines preventative measures.

Destroy

The destroy methods pretty much as it says on the tin, normally using bacteria the treatments literally eats away the algae. The other less common method is an electronic one which disrupts the calcium ions in the water which causes the algae cells to break up. 

Inhibit

Inhibit is based on the idea of preventing any further growth of the blanketweed which enables the customer to remove the present blanketweed by hand and not have to worry about any further growth.  These products tend to be based around hydrogen peroxide which is a natural extract found in barley straw.  This prevents the algae cells from forming and therefore prevents the blanketweed growing.

A strong, concentrated Anti-Blanketweed treatment.Blanketweed Treatments

The first thing you will need to do is use a net or a brush to physically remove all of the stringy Blanketweed from the pond. You can then use the treatments recommended in the link below to help clear the water of any Blanketweed in the pond.

Be careful when treating the Blanketweed. If you choose to treat it, you run the risk of the dead Blanketweed forming sludge at the bottom of your pond. You may also need to treat the sludge, before it releases harmful chemicals (like Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates) into your pond.

If you would like a chemical-free treatment, you can use any Barley Straw. The Barley Straw will decay and release a safe, low-concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide into your pond. It is a natural remedy for Blanketweed.

Our full range of Blanketweed Treatments can be viewed here.

If you have any queries, please contact us.

Newsletter Signup

Receive internet-exclusive offers, discounts and previews by email.

Tips and Advice from the Blog

Latest Tweet

© Copyright Pondkeeper 2005 - 2024. Pondkeeper is registered in England, Registration no. 5601027. Our VAT number is GB 875 4886 60.

See the site map | privacy policy | terms and conditions.

Website created by Edward Robertson web design with the Responsive Grid System