Using a Pond Clarifier Advice

One of the best things about Garden Stew is the friendly exchange of ideas, advice, and gardening know-how. I've learned so much here--some of it I can use and some I can't--but all of it is interesting and adds to garden knowledge.
Most gardeners are happy to learn of different techniques that may or may not apply to their situation.

 

Hi Waterbug,
i am truly amazed that the use of Barley Straw didn't work for you,..and even more amazed to see you never met anyone who claimed success.

I first used Barley Straw some 55 years ago,..i was 10 years old then,..and it worked,..simply because it can not fail,..unless a person used the incorrect amount of Barley Straw per volume of water,..a half bale will treat 1000 gallons of water

This side of the pond Barley straw has being used since medieval times,..the ancients used it in Carp Ponds going back 1500 years ago,..the fact that Barley straw will decompose in water causing Humic Acid,..this reaction along with light and dissolved oxygen,.. yields very low levels of Hydrogen Peroxide,..and so inhibits Algae Growth,..its a natural reaction,..just as natural as garden compost emitting heat.

 

Philip, I try to stay away from questioning popular beliefs in forums, but not always successfully. It generally doesn't do anyone any good.

But if you'd like to discuss the studies of barley for algae control I'd be willing. To me you saying the dose of 1/2 a bale per 1000 gal and using the term "inhibit" is way closer to the data than what I normally hear. Beyond that I don't think you're on solid ground. But maybe there's an additional study I haven't read that you can point me too?

To save me a lot of typing here's my web page on barley use in ponds.

 

Hi Waterbug,
after reading your page on the subject its plain to see no amount of study or evidence would ever sway you to think different,..so i won't attempt to try sway you,..its almost like trying to explain to some people that the world is not flat.

When in school science classes we did study the effect of adding and subtracting compounds to water,..and many examples of the use of straw,.. Barley Straw,..the latter having different results than other types of straw,..also the use of it in bedding for humans in mattresses,..or to reduce odors,..but mainly the subject ended covering Barley Straw and its use to inhibit Algae growth,..it was in the decomposition of the Barley Straw that was believed to be the reason Barley Straw worked where other types of straw did not.

This was years before it came to the attention of those in America,..some 45 years later i think,..and since it did,.. certain states in America use Barley Straw to clear ponds and even lakes,..they were given the weight of straw to the ratio of water by the English Scientists and it was tested in namely Ohio and Illinois,..with success,..and they use it to this day,.of this we were glad to hear as American Barley Straw and Barley Straw in Europe have a added difference,..chemical pesticides added,..i know that Corn for example in America is 85 percent genetically modified and in Canada its 84,..pretty high,.. as are nearly all similar crops,..so if your Barley Straw is doctored,..does it still have the same effect,..i don't know the answer to this.

To conclude,..if Barley Straw works for me,..then i am satisfied,..if it has worked for other people this side of the pond then they are satisfied,..but as a suggestion look up Dr Jonathan Newman,University of Bristol,Dept of Agriculture,Sciences,Reading,UK,..he did a 10 year study of Barley Straw,..not that he might sway you either,..but it might be food for thought,..sometimes thinking outside the box can be surprising.

 

I know what you mean about trying to explain to someone that the world is not flat. It really is a waste of time.

Thanks for suggesting I look up Dr Newman...if you had actually read my web page you might have noticed most of the page was about Dr Newman's study and how I'm in complete agreement with his study, data, and conclusions. 100% agreement. Pretty straight forward, barley can reduce additional growth, but didn't kill algae. Algae still continued to grow just at a slower rate. He goes out of his way to show algae isn't killed.

Most of the text you wrote was marketing material from sellers of barley straw, not from any actual study.

It was a few years since I did the computation on the amount of straw needed for a 3000 gal pond based on Dr Newman's study which used 1kg of straw per 1000 liters. So doing the conversion for a 3000 gal pond using a product targeted at pond owners it would take 100 sacks of straw at a cost of $350 plus shipping.

It really isn't that complicated a study to read. You might consider taking a look. I provided a link to it on my web page so you don't even have to Google it. It's just a few pages long and a pretty simple read thanks to Dr Newman excellent writing skills.

Or, keep quoting the sellers instead. No skin off my nose.