Hi Everyone,
I'm working on a small experiment with my pond. Besides the fact that I need more landscaping in the backyard, I've been having a big issue with algae. The pond in my previous home was in full sun but algae wasn't an issue. And I lived there for six years. But at this house, you can't see anything. I've tried different chemical treatments for ponds but it didn't even put a dent in it.
My interest in recycling and repurposing brought me to another solution. I found on http://www.gardeners.com/ a barley ball. It seemed to have good ratings and although a bit expensive, I thought I would give it a shot. It's been in there for a week and this is the first time I can see the bottom of the pond. I can't actually count the number of fish we have instead of guessing. 
You can see the algae stuck to the bottom of the ball. Basically it's loose barley grass in a netting with a styrofoam ball to keep it afloat.
Since it's made so much progress in a week's time, I expect it to work well throughout the summer.
I wonder if I can grow some barley myself to use in the future. I have the room to grow it. Does anyone have suggestions where I can buy seeds?
