fish

[steviep165]

i fancy putting a few goldfish in my pond. will they help to keep down the weed and aglae that grows in it?

[Thunderbird+]

Goldfish will not be an effective method of reducing the weed and algae from your pond,for the little they will eat.
You really need to get the balance right by using other methods, although grass carp will eat weed especially duck weed.
Algae will grow vigorously in strong sun-light, so shading it out will kill it off, you can buy products that can controll algael growth from aquatic centres, which I think mostly work on the principal of clouding the water to filter-out UV rays, small bails of berley straw are also available that inhibit algae as the straw breaks down and decays.
Plants like lily pads will also cut out much of the sun-light, if you aim at keeping approx 75% of surface area covered with them, there are several miniature varieties suitable for small ponds.
Personally if you have a lot of weed in there, especially blancket weed, I'd get this under control first before adding any fish. Good Luck. Tbird+

[Plocket]

Goldfish don't keep down the weed but it can be kept under control just about by having at least half of the water surface covered by plant leaves, but preferably three quarters of the surface. I have a little water garden and I regularly go out with a pronged stick, and I twirl up the blanket weed then remove it to the side. Leave it at the edge for 24 hours so any little creatures can get back to the water then you can compost it or dispose of it. You'll never completely get rid of blanket weed and algae but having a well balanced pond should help keep it under control.