I'm starting to create a pond in my garden. It's about 30 foot long by 20 wide and is now full of water, although by no means finished. I've got some oxygenating plants in it, but not enough yet. The water is green, and I'm going to put some barley straw in it to fight the green. Anyone any experience of using barley straw in ponds?

after googling around, I've chucked a wad inside a stocking (tied to a float) into the middle of the pond. It works when it starts to rot.

This is going to be a dragonfly and wildlife pond.

How does the barley straw work? Does it breed special algae-eating critters?

I hope it works!, but it's rotting creates an anti algae chemical reaction or something.