Re: the likes and dislikes of cynobacteria

Hi Jared:

I have trouble with algae as well; a red chlorophyte (Haematococcus) grows in my garden pond, painting all the rocks blood red.

Cyanobacteria are famous for blooming in over-enriched ponds (nutrients often from leaking from septic systems). Some are toxic, and many make drinking water taste bad, so they are often controlled in resevoirs by poisoning them with Copper sulfate (not enough to bother fish). Since many can fix nitrogen, they can take over after other algae have used up nitrates; it is possibly phosphates that stimulate them. Some ciliates can eat cyanos, but I don't have an easy, practicle solution for your problem, other than experimenting with tiny amounts of copper sulfate (which looks blue in solution).

BTW, many cyanos can crawl using a gliding motility, so if you can find a microscope they may be fun to watch.

I don't know why they dont stick to rocks; perhaps they stick via their mucous envelope to preexisting bacteria that would be more abundant on wood and plant surfaces (just a wild guess).

Good luck,
Dean Jacobson