Chara "The Filter Algae"

When people hear the word algae, especially in the same conversation as ponds, there will most likely be negative associations made.  Pond owners might start to see flashback of times when they had algae take over their pond, leaving their once beautiful body of water covered in a green growth.  With all the negative impacts that some algae can have on ponds it is difficult to realize that some algae are actually helpful to a pond.  Chara, also known as muskgrass and nicknamed the filter algae is one algae that can be helpful to a pond.

Chara is frequently misidentified by pond owners as a weed and treated like a weed.  While too much Chara can make the aesthetic beauty of a pond become harsher on the eyes, while also hindering recreational use, some chara is actually beneficial for a pond.  Chara is known as the filter algae because that is exactly what it does.  Chara is a natural pond filter that works to keep pond water very clean and looking as clear as possible.  If Chara is growing out of control be sure to first properly identify the plant as chara and then use Crystal Plex to deal with the problem.  Just remember that keeping some Chara around will actually add to the beauty of a pond in the long run.

For any questions about Chara and its filtering abilities please contact Sanco today.