Cleaning Rocks

Question
Thank you so much. You were helpful in talking me out of using bleach on the rocks. I will check you web-site out just to get more knowledge.
We bought the property winter of 2005. The pond was installed in 2002. The pond had a 6" layer of ice when we took possession. The Koi were huddled in the deepest part where the falls flowed into the pond. When it thawed out we noticed no filtering media was installed within the pump walls. Water was clear but we attached a Savio living pond 14" with bio media filtration. I added 1 gal Microbe-lift PL, placed 2.2# wheat germ pellets, raked the rocks on the sidewall area everyday. Water stayed clear but algae kept growing. The rocks where the falls travel and flow under the front walkway into the pond has a lot of slime.
The flexible hose that is buried under the walkway to the Savio behind the falls is the area where water was lost. I don't have a digital photo to send you, sorry. We have gotten the water level back up, fish are fine, plants started sprouting a little. We planned on cleaning it all because of the muck on the bottom, can only guess because the sand blows alot here and with no filter installed the leaves of a crab apple tree have gathered to make bottom mucky. We will use the tractor for loading the rocks, will pressure wash, rinse in salt water(lots of neighbors)to help. Pump existing pond water into some kids swimming pools along with fish and plants. Will let you know how it all come out.
Question for you now is: Will Molecular Ionization made by Eco Aqualizer also help to starve some of the algae growth without using chemicals?
Thanks You,
Jacqueline Loyd


Answer
Wow, that sounds like a lot of work!  It sounds like you've made some strides to improve the pond since you got it.  If you haven't, you should join your local koi club.  They can help you with all sorts of things.

The product you mentioned didn't sound familiar so I looked it up.  I think I've come across it before.  As a chemist, I was trying to figure out what it does.  They tend to use a lot of fancy words that are actually just nonsense.  Anyway, I think it ionizes some of the water (H2O) to create oxygen gas (O2), hydrogen gas (H2) and maybe hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).  Most of the water would remain water.  O2 is good for the pond.  BUT, it is already in most ponds at healthy levels if the pond is fully aerated as most are.  I could see it being helpful when the pond water is extra warm and holds less oxygen.  Water only holds so much oxygen at any given temperature so creating more doesn't do anything as that extra oxygen will immediately bubble out of solution (it won't stay dissolved in the water).  Oxygen doesn't directly kill algae but hydrogen peroxide can.  Some people add that directly but too much harms the fish.  Barley straw slowly naturally releases hydrogen peroxide as it decomposes (or so one theory goes).  

I then found this site which claims ionized water is just a dumb sales pitch.  It says ""Ionized water" is nothing more than sales fiction; the term is meaningless to chemists."  As a chemist, that's true.

http://www.chem1.com/CQ/ionbunk.html#ECOA

I don't think the product will harm your pond at all (and might even help) but it might lighten your pocket book.