You can use a toilet brush to pull excessive string algae from the pond. I have some algae this winter too, but I haven't done anything with it, except pull it out once in a while.

bamasusanna, as Nancy posted, you can use a toilet brush and twirl it around, so as the string algae gets caught up in the bristles.
Or you could pour a pint of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide over the string algae and it will kill it. Then a day or so later pull the dead algae out.
The dosage for Hydrogen Peroxide has been posted around here as being between, 1 pint per 100 gallons or a more cautionary, 1 pint per 1000 gallons of pond water.

When I have an outbreak of SA in my pond, usually in the spring, I use a couple or more pints in my pond which has 2000 gallons of water.
Used properly it will not harm your fish or frogs etc,.
In fact it will add oxygen to the pond water.

TIP. In the summer after a heavy rain fall or a thunder storm, there could be a drop in the oxygen level in the pond water. If you see your fish gasping at the surface, the lack of oxygen could be the cause. Just add a pint or two of HP to the water and agitate it in. This will bring up the oxygen level and help the fish.

String algae grows more prolifically in cool winter water, because there are no [or few] plants competing for the nutrients.

Hydrogen Peroxide will not kill floating algae or pond scum or cure green water outbreaks.
"Horton"

That is true about hydrogen peroxide bringing up the oxygen level. I had a power outage last month that lasted a week, so my aquarium had no filter and no air pump. I used hydrogen peroxide, and it did not harm the fish. I was unaware that could be used for algae as well though. Learn something new every day, ;-)

What gets it started in the first place? I had a lot of the surface area covered by plants in the summer, but hubby didn't like that he couldn't see the fish!
What are the causes of SA? Why doesn't it happen to everybodies pond?
Oh, thanks sooo much for the info!

Susan, try the link below. It is quite interesting and should give you more information on algae in general and how/why some ponds have it and some ponds do not.
"Horton"

Here is a link that might be useful: Algae

Horton said, "String algae grows more prolifically in cool winter water, because there are no [or few] plants competing for the nutrients."

And that's exactly when my string algae grows best - when my other pond plants aren't. It helps take up the slack of keeping the water clear, and I let it hang around as long as it doesn't get out of control - not unlike some relatives. :D

Brenda

LOL, Brandy! After a 1 1/2 hour phone session with a relative without getting in a word edgewise, I think I like your attitude. With all the shade in my yard I rarely get string algae or any other kind except in the Skippy which is in the sun. It forms a mat around all the plant containers in the top of the Skippy and the plant roots hold onto it so they don't fall over. I almost have to cut around them to get them out. However I can't say the pond has ever had the green water problem others have. The water does get amber or brown staining once in a while. Sandy

My pond is actually more on the shady side than not, and I get string algae year round, even with a fully plant-stocked pond. It's probably because of our climate here, which, compared to most other states, stays fairly mild in any given season.

Wow, 1 1/2 hours! You're a saint, Sandy. I might have resorted to the, "Oh, goodness, we must have been disconnected," excuse. ;p

Brenda

I had a fair bit of string algae and lots of other plants. I noticed this summer that my other plants weren't growing so fast but the string algae was doing fine. I added an iron supplement to the pond and boy did my other plants grow quick while the string algae nearly disappeared. If you have the right nutrients that let your desireable plants grow properly, the string algae won't do well.

Anyone know of a low cost source of plants for populating a new pond?