Algae removal advice, please

[Jennie Beth]

So...the pond is all clear again, all the green water gone now that the plant cover is doing it's job. BUT, the fountain is disgusting! My pond is netted, which adds to the problem. The net sits over the fountain and is so clogged with string algae that it is severely cutting down the water flow. This time of year, removing the netting for cleaning is almost impossible, as it is cut for the plants to grow thru. I have managed to scrape some of it off with a toilet bowl brush, but it is not very effective.
My plan was to get some 35% hydrogen peroxide, which I have used very successfully in the past with no harm to fish or other plant life, turn off the fountain, spray the algae down thoroughly, let it sit for an afternoon, and turn the fountain back on. The algae would be killed, and drop off on it's own.
Here's the problem: my local pond store can't get the hydrogen peroxide anymore. Apparently it is now labeled a hazardous material and costs a fortune to ship. Now the store is MORE than willing to sell me one or more of a million bottles of this and that, but as I normally use nothing in the pond but Prime and the occasional hydrogen peroxide (once or twice a year, if that), I could use some advice. Can anyone out there recommend a product for this? I do NOT need to treat the pond itself, just the fountain, but whatever I do use will end up in the pond, so it must be fish and plant friendly.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated :)
Thanks,
Jen

[PallasAthena]

Is there a difference between the hydrogen peroxide from the LFS and the one from the pharmacy?

I have a lot of snails that live in my pond (no idea where they came from) and they seem to hit the string algae pretty hard. It always looks like there's a snail perched on the clumps of algae and I can only assume they're munching away.

[thrak76]

Is there a difference between the hydrogen peroxide from the LFS and the one from the pharmacy?


The OP mentioned it was 35% H2O2. I think the stuff from the pharmacy is 3%. I'd like to get ahold of some of that 35% stuff myself!

[dougp]

I had a string algae problem and used Tetra Pond Algae Control its in a green bottle and is for use with fish and plants, it took 2-3 days worked great for me....

[ohbly]

What is the ph of the pond? Hair algae likes high ph, and bringing it below 8 can help. By bringing the ph down it'll make the nutrients more available to the pond plants so they will out compete the algae.(if the ph is too high).

[hankn]

17%:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300360324788&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXF%3F&GUID=be079af21240a04370d10611fffbfa95&itemid=300360324788&ff4=263602_263622

35%:
https://shoppingcart.purehealthsystems.com/category-s/3.htm
http://www.rebekahspureliving.com/Hydrogen-Peroxide.html

[Muske]

Aquascape inc. makes a dry product (EcoBlast)that acts like the Hydrogen Peroxide in that it oxidizes the algae and it falls off. Turn off the pump and sprinkle it on the algae. It will start to bubble and foam. Fish and plant safe. I have used it with really good results, not great through. Seems to need a few treatments.

[Jennie Beth]

Thanks everyone for the info. I can see why my pond store doesn't stock the h202 anymore, with all the restrictions and the hazmat shipping fees being thru the roof! Yikes!! Not sure I can justify that kind of money for something that in reality is mostly just unsightly.

Ohbly, I only have the hair algae in the fountain itself, and if I didn't have the netting there, it wouldn't have anywhere to cling to. Once it gets started, the net is a perfect place for it to grow. On my list- find a way to elevate the net so it doesn't sit in the water for next year :)

PA, the peroxide you get at the store for cleaning wounds is something really low, like
thrak76 said. The 35% will burn your fingerprints off the end of your fingers-been there, done that :) Works GREAT though! Pour in a bit, and in a few minutes the pond starts to look like a freshly opened can of soda, bubbles coming to the surface all over. Within a day or two, all the algae is brown and dead. It does make for a messy filter for a week or so as all that dead algae gets sucked in, but doesn't hurt the fish or plants at all. I did used to do half the dose over two days, just to be sure the fish were going to be safe.
Jen