HOW TO USE BARLEY STRAW

HOW TO APPLY:
The barley straw must be loosely placed into a netted material. This allows water flow thru the bag. Bales that are packed too tightly do not allow adequate water flow.

The netted bags of straw should be placed near a point of water movement, near the surface of the water. It is suggested that the bag be secured to some sort of stationary object (rock, tree, etc.). If your pond is large, we suggest using the Barley Tube near the center, and dispersing bags of straw around the shoreline.

Place the netted bags of straw equidistant from each other. Being sure to keep the straw in the upper 3 to 4 feet of water. The barley straw will lose its effectiveness if it sinks below this depth. Water movement near the surface will keep the straw well oxygenated and distribute the growth inhibiting chemical through out the upper portion of the water. This ensures that the chemical is produced where the majority of the algae are growing and away from the bottom sediments that will inactivate the chemical.

We recommend you remove as much "blanket weed" as possible and monitor your water quality when starting a new treatment.

WHEN TO APPLY:
Barley straw should be applied in the early spring (March or April) and reapplied every 4 to 6 months. It is more effective if applied before new algae growth takes place. For best results and to maintain good water clarity, a 4 month application rate is suggested.

When reapplying, we suggest that the replacement bag be applied 4-6 weeks prior to the removal of the original bag. By doing this, there is a constant release of enzyme from the rotting barley straw.

The size of the surface area of the water will determine the amount of barley straw that you need to use.


PLEASE BE PATIENT! Natural processes take time. Initally the water may become cloudy or tea colored, but this will clear.