Water Gardening News
Barley Straw Study Brings Unexpected Results
A recent study by scientists from Hood College, the University of Maryland and the Morgan State University Estuarine Research Center in the United States has concluded that the use of barley straw in water bodies does not always inhibit the growth of all algae. Surprisingly the presence of barley straw extracts appeared to cause some algae species to grow faster.
|
 Barley straw does not always produce the expected results.
|
| These included Spirogyra species, Navicula species and some Selenastrum and Oscillatoria species. The study concludes, however, that barley straw extract did have a debilitating effect upon Microcystis aeruginosa, Synura petersenii and Dinobyron species.
|
 More collaboration will be taking place over registration.
|
Hybridizing Waterlilies: State of the Art
This much-needed publication was conceived by the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society as a tribute to the memory of well known waterlily and lotus breeder Perry D. Slocum. The author, Richard Sacher, who is a prolific and award-winning hybridizer himself, surveyed ten waterlily hybridizers, amongst them serious hobbyists and professional growers. In this booklet he combines his own knowledge with their "experiences, discoveries, and practical advice." As he writes in his introduction, "Our combined work adds up to more than one hundred years of trial and error, success and failure, and most importantly, accumulated wisdom. I am presenting this information in straightforward language so that anyone interested in hybridizing waterlilies can use it, regardless of their background in botany or horticulture."
For further details click here.
|
Malachite Green Scare in Hong Kong
Authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore have detected traces of malachite green, a commonly used fungicide in commercial edible fish farming as well as with ornamental fish in the garden pond, in food fish from China. It has been recommended that it should no longer be used globally in fish hatcheries where fish are produced for human consumption.
|
 The Hong Kong Government announces action against malachite green.
|
| Malachite green can remain as a residue in the fish for up to eight months. In Hong Kong the government has now prohibited the use of malachite green in food products. At present this recommendation has not extended to commercial ornamental fish farms and malachite green can still be used by home water gardeners. Photo: Hong Kong Gov.
|
 Almost all samples of tubifex were affected by harmful parasites.
|
Tubifex Study Indicates Dangers
A study by the Fish Biology and Fish Diseases unit at the Munich Institute of Biology in Germany have recently published the results of a study into the quality of purchased live tubifex worms used for feeding fish. Although these tiny reddish worms are most widely used for feeding tropical fish, they are not uncommonly fed to goldfish and other coldwater fish. Often tubifex worms are collected from sewage-contaminated mud. The study screened the creatures for the presence of parasites. The research lasted over a one year period and was published in the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms.
|
| It revealed that almost all the samples were affected by harmful parasites. The worms that were being sold as "tubifex" included a number of species other than the Tubifex tubifex which they were purported to be.
|
New Stainless Steel Ponds
Although not currently available outside Australia, Leaf & Stone, an innovative company from Geelong, Victoria, are marketing stainless steel ponds in three different sizes. The ponds do not have marginal shelves, and are best suited to deep water aquatics, or will perhaps be more successfully incorporated into a garden as a focal water feature where their unique structure can be more properly exploited with moving water. Photo: Leaf and Stone.
Further information click here.
|
 Stainless steel garden ponds are launched in Australia
|
|
America 
Australia 
Canada 
Europe 
International 
New Zealand 
South Africa 
United Kingdom 
