Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants good time or not?

Southern Niad took off like crazy this past summer.Wanting to try and take some steps to eradicate some or all of it.

Was planning on getting some grass carp, but also wondering if I should combine that with chemical treatment also.(What chemical?)

What about this time of year good or bad time?

Also thinking I should add some pond Dye possibly.visability was 10+ feet this summer. BOW is 10 acres.

Thanks in advance. Rob

HELLOOO........HELLooooo........helloooooo...........
Is anybody out there ??
Alpha Bravo to Mother Bird, Can You Hear me??

Sorry missed this one.

I believe Aquathol would be the recommended chemical to spray with. How much Naiad do you have? If it's spotty, then spraying might be the easiest. GC are less selective, and may eat any good vegetation you might have.

If the Naiad is slowing down like everything else, then Aquathol might not work as well as in the summer, when it's actively growing. Somebody else will have to answer that.


Dye would help control any submergent weeds, but it would also inhibit any algae bloom that your BOW needs. It's a catch 22. If you have 10' of visibility, then I would control the Naiad, then fertilize in the spring when it warms up. That would reduce visibility and help control new weeds.


Here's a link that might help

Thanks Al, I Have two cove's that are both about 100' or so long by maybe 50' to 60' wide at there widest point and the are both just completely full of it.
It has definately slowed now. So its sounds like just wait until next year to spray.
Thanks again.

R&R, sorry, late to the game here.

Look here for more info than I care to type. Apply the herbacide when the plants are actively growing, now might be a little too late, water temps above 65°F are better. For cliff notes, Nautique mixed with Reward or Aquathol is a good contact mixture, GC 7-15/ac, Fluridone.

Thanks Guys. Got 30 GC off the fish truck Friday morning.

Will work on a fertilization plan for next spring. Any suggestions?

I wouldn't of wasted my time/money with those GC.. They'll be innefectivin a couple years and your pond could look like chocolate milk from them stirring up muck.. That was my experience anyways and I only had 5 but they were close to 4' long I was glad when they all died in a winterkill..

Call Greg Grimes and order the water soluble fertilizer. Talk to him about how to use it. I'd treat the water for FA a week before adding the Fertilizer if you have any at all.

Go easy to start, 2# per acre and wait a week or so and see if it helps. If the clarity is still too much after a 2 weeks, add another 2# per acre.

I am reading 20 Grass Carp and have a question. Florida is very restrictive on GC and it takes an act of congress just to get a Permit to purchase them. In fact in the last 5 years it has gotten even harder to get permits. Are other states as strict on Permits?? Do they even require permits???

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GC can get you prison time up here in MI. Fines of up to 1/4 mil.

The text reads, "knowingly or unknowingly"

I don't think they want them here

In Indiana they are pretty easy to come by, although the hatchery you purchase them from delivers them, and places them into your BOW themselves.

RR - I respect BGK's adverse experience with GC - and if you overstock them they certainly can become a problem. If they overeat their forage base they will resort to rooting for invertabrates in the pond bottom as their primary/preferred forage source has been exhausted - causing turbidity. However, I know GC can be an effective vegetation management device as it's currently working on my main pond. The critical factor is determining the appropriate stocking quantity. I've seen some hatcheries recommend 8-10 GC/acre. I feel this is way high - start low - allow 2-3 years - and reassess. 3-5/surface acre is the highest I would recommend.

Your stocking of 30 GC on a 10 acre bow is within that range and I feel you'll see some favorable results in a couple years. I can't imagine the cost of chemically treating 10 acres of water, anyhow.

If you notice your vegetation disappearing, the result will be excess nutrients and will result in either excessive FA or thick algae blooms. At this time I'd recommend beginning to target your GC for removal - and while I haven't had the opportunity to try this, it appears a difficult but not impossible task.

Thanks to all.

As far as aquiring GC they are very easy to get as stated. Someone from the fish truck rode with me t0 assure I put them in "MY" pond.

TJ and BGK I did feel as though I went light on the quantity based on research.I have 3 in my 3/4ac. pond and have never had a problem with turbidity. So I'll just have to keep an eye on things as they progress.

Esshup Thanks I'll get ahold of GG before the spring. Thanks again guys. Any more recomendations feel free.

Aquathol K at 3 ppm is effective at controlling naiad. This would be 1.9 gallons per acre foot. For example, 1 acre, 5 feet deep would need about 10 gallons. I would suspect in your area the cooler (cold) weather would result in most of the biomass falling out. Next year I would wait until you feel you can't wait any longer and then do a treatment to control the bulk of the area where the naiad is. You should get some residual control outside of the "target" area by treating this way.
Send me an IM if you have any questions.

Let me add That Grass Carp have worked great for me. I am a Full time Pesticide Fertilize company. I got into Aquatic Weed control only because of a Large customer's demand for service. The Grass Carp are doing a fine job and saving me tons of money.

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Thanks Guys. The 30 Grass Carp are in and I'll fertilize in the spring and see how it goes from there.

"IF" I need too chemically treat do you mix your ratios based on just the area where the problem is or based on the BOW size.

R@R, 30 GC sounds a little much but don't have experience with 10 acre lakes .....if you decide to reduce numbers, I would take them out before they get old and smart.
They are easy to catch on a fly rod with pellet flies when they are young and are a blast as a sport fish ... I love to sight fish for them

Just be sure to NO release because they will be hook shy from then on
Good luck,
George

Thanks G1. Sounds like a good reason to get into fly fishing.

Maybe even some bowfishing. I know when I blow some grass clippings in the pond at the house they are pretty easy to get within 10 to 15 yards of.