Ive heard that Barley Straw makes a good filter, and algae reduction system. Is it good?
I have used this before in a couple of small, sparsely populated systems and the fish were unharmed. I did not personally appreciate the tea color given to the water, so I have my doubts that a serious Koi collector would wish it on his fish. Apparently it works by the production of Humic acid which had a natural inhibitory effect on green algae growth. Barley straw is NOT a filter, but a filter-adjuvant which has value in natural ponds where there are also plants. Plants compete with algae for food. Barley straw is safe, and minimally adds tea color to the water. Over the years, I have discovered that you don’t need very much Barley Straw to have good results with it. It is NOT a replacement for a UV in control of disease contagion or reduction in bacterial counts.
