These are the most common forms of algae found in East Texas ponds and lakes. There are, of course, others, but this should give a nice, simple, overveiw.
Muskgrass or skunkweed: When you see it, it looks more like a weed than a form of algae. When you smell it, you will know why it is called skunkweed! It is not necessarily a bad thing in small quantities. Like most aquatic plant life, it provides food for other biological entities.
Filamentous algae: These single cell algae's form long chains or filaments and display themselves as mats on the surfaces of ponds and lakes. It usually forms at the bottom of ponds and lakes in the shallow areas. It feeds off of the fertility of such things as decaying plant matter. Often a temporary increase in algae will result from the treatment of other plant life in the water. This algae provides food and cover for some other forms of aquatic life, but too much is never a good thing. It can deprive fish of oxygen, provide a habitat for mosquitoes, and interfere with recreational use of the water body.
Stonewort, or Nitella: Another multi branch algae that resembles a weed. It does not have an odor, and is more feather like than skungrass. It also provides food for the food chain.
Planktonic algae: This is what you need in your lake or pond to provide food for the lifeforms which provide food for fish. A single cell algae, relatively un connected, and when in the proper balance throughout the water, will greatly increase the "fishability" of a pond or lake. More is not always better. As with all forms of aquatic plant life, it needs to be kept in balance.
Treatment Caution
Too much of any of these, can cause oxygen deprivation. Special care should be exercised when treating for these. If too much algae is killed at one time, the rotting plant material will deprive the fish of even more oxygen, and commonly results in fish kill.
