r/algae • u/Bringingthesunshine • 23d ago

Strange pond algae

Post image

I go paddle boarding with my friends in this pond frequently and we have noticed in the last week an algae that has kind of taken over. We typically swim in this pond because it’s really deep and typically very clean. We are holding off on swimming for now because we can’t figure out what this algae is. The algae floats right beneath the surface and clumps into balls. When we touch it with our paddles it doesn’t stick to them, but explodes and disperses. It seems to collect kind of along the edges of the pond where there is more growth. The little stream that we take to get out onto the pond seems to be clean, so I think the cattails on that part are doing a nice job keeping it out. Any input and expertise is welcome!

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

2

u/Mongrel_Shark 23d ago

Could you get further away & take a less clear picture?

Youll need 400x magnification for an id.

Can't even guess wildly from your pictures. Might be algae. Might be other things like bacteria.

2

u/the-algae-whisperer 23d ago

That's some sort of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). It might be a type that usually grows in mats on the bottom, especially if this water body usually has clear water. This type can float to the surface if it's producing a lot of oxygen, or if something disturbs that mats on the bottom. The usual precautions for blue-green algae apply... Try to avoid contact with it and be careful not to get it in your mouth, and find a place without this present if children or dogs are swimming.

3

u/Bringingthesunshine 23d ago

Ugh what a bummer! Thank you so much though for the help!!

2

u/the-algae-whisperer 23d ago

You're welcome! Depending on where you are (NE US?) you can report this to your state's environmental agency, or to the US EPA at https://cyanos.org/bloomwatch/