Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Aquacide effects on spawning

OK pondmiesters I need some educated advise. I have a pond that gets a lot of weed growth. I believe the best spawning areas get weedy fast and that limits spawning. The areas where I see spawning BG early soon are weeded over and I am thinking that limits a second spawning. I am contemplating using an aquacide on the spawning areas when the new growth first starts. My thinking is that will improve the spawning areas. So what do you think?

Is aquacide the suggested treatment for those weeds? What is the length of time that it is active in the pond?

Since BG spawn around the full moon of the month when water is above 72 degrees or so, I would time it so the length of time that it's active is ended a week to two weeks before they start bedding.

Thanks esshup, the plants are Milfoil and Elodea for the most part. I have not yet chosen a product to control them. I am certainly open to suggestions.

If you are positive on your plant ID, I would look into using Reward with a bit of Cutrine Plus mixed in. Use according to the label rates, and try to apply when the plants are actively growing but before they flower this year.

As esshup suggests be doubly sure of your identification because some species of weeds have different tolerances to herbicides. If you are concerned with life of the chemical in the water and its relative toxicity to animals, then the Reward (diquat) is a more environmentally friendly compound than Aquacide (2,4-D based). 2,4-D has a toxicity to rats of 1000mg/Kg whereas diquat has 230mg/Kg. Persistence in the water; 2,4-D has a 1/2 life of 7-48 days and diquat 1-7 days. Diquat compounds maybe more expensive but the info from one source and others diquat compounds are more habitat friendly in water than 2,4-D based chemicals.
http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/AgNatRes/Pubs/HomeOwnerPonds.pdf

Great information thank you both! I will use Diquat as directed minding the moon phase and water temps. I'll see what happens. I did some mechanical removal last year and fish did spawn there. I swear I saw one wink at me..... OK I know fish don't have eyelids, maybe it was just a smile.