Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Algae

I work as a biologist with USDA/NRCS and raised on a fish farm. I have been trying to understand the dynamics of filamentous algae for years. I have tried many chemical types, cornmeal,microbs and aeration systems. I work with a large number of bass lakes and ponds. A few lakes kick my rear. These usually have shallow edges and of course are on the clear side. If the use chemicals "harsh" enough to kill the algae, my food chain is shot. With the kill using chemical, the effect is short lived. The algae dies, rots, gives up its phorphorus and the process starts over. I have not had the guts to try fertilizing these notorious ponds to see if the algae could be shadded out except for the shallow areas. What to do.

Bill :

Welcome to the fourm . Good to have another biologist on board . Many here have struggled with FA . Take a look at the " Controlling Unwanted Plants " topic heading for many posts on FA. You noted some methods to help with the problem but did not note dye for shading. There is an article in a recent issue of Southern Ponds and Wildlife about FA and one type that does not respond to any methods so far . The author is a Prof. who has been studying PA for years. I will get his name and post it later for you. Maybe he can provide more info if you can't find enough help here . I am sure there are plenty of expets on this fourm that can address your questions. ewest

Bill:

Let me introduce you to two words commonly associated here with FA control: "Meadowlark" and "Tilapia"

ML is our Patron Saint of Tilapia. He has successfully controlled murderous amounts of FA by stocking Mozambique Tilapia each year from when the water warms up until they are consumed/die when the water cools down.

You can do a search for those two words and get a lot of info. I suspect Meadowlark himself will probably chime in on this thread as well. ML and Bob Lusk wrote a good article in Pond Boss within the last year or so on the Tilapia experiment (Hey, somebody tell us what issue that was, I can't find it in my old copies!).

Bill and Theo :

Bill the author on the FA was Dr. David Bayne who is a Prof. of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture at Auburn Univ.. The type of FA in the article is Giant Lyngbya . He has been studying FA for over 2 decades.

Theo the article by Lusk and ML is in the March/ April 2005 issue vol. XIII, No. 5 page 36 . You are correct I forgot about tilapia for FA control. ewest

Thanks, ewest. I was absolutely positive ML's Tilapia article was NOT in the issue with Condello's BG, so I didn't check the March/April. Shows what can happen when you're absolutely positive.

Theo,

I've been called a lot of things recently by Forum members, Patron Saint not being one of them.

i'm in north east Ohio , so algae is not really a big problem to maintain. i will get FA and this nasty floating clumps. starts in the shalows , gets lots of air bubbles and floats to the top and all over the surface if you don't keep it under control. i use hydrated lime to keep it under control. just sprikle some around the shore line when you see it starting , gone. most ponds around here are covered in it , not mine. you should never use it when fish are spawning. i talked to 2 chemical engineers and both said lime is everywhere in the environment. use about 25 lbs a season. at $6 for a 50 lb bag , thats $3 a year for a algae free pond. also the lime is in the bottom around the edge of the acre pond , so i use a paddle to stir up the water when i see some growing , so i don't even have to apply any. i have a very nice pond , everybody comments on her. one of the best around for fishing and looks.

bill deauman,

Welcome to the Forum.

I would be most happy to provide you the entire text of my paper on Tilapia, if you so desire.

I would like to tell you of my experience relative to fertilizing to "shade out" algae and weeds.

I was advised about the "theory" of fertilizing to eliminate weeds/algae by sunlight shading with the resulting plankton bloom on this Forum. Thinking it might work I tried it.

The results were an absolute disaster. I not only failed to eliminate any weeds or algae, but had an explosion of them to the extent I could only have imagined in my worst nightmares. It has taken me two years to come close to recovering...and I'm not there yet.

Without Tipalia which I began stocking last year, I never would have recovered short of complete chemical elimination and risk of DO collapse.

Now, my experience isn't necessarily what you might also see. But my results were so terrible, that I feel obligated, to the dismay of some Forum members, to provide them to anyone considering using fertilizer to reduce weeds/algae.

In fact, the pond manual in Texas now very clearly warns DO NOT FERTILIZE in the presence of weeds or algae. Get the weeds and algae under control first, then fertilize if you so desire.

That's my experience, for your consideration.

ML-nothing here besides a compliment and hope you take it that way. The above was very well said and I want to thank you for the wording.

So, Greg, you think it might be okay for me to have a signature like everyone else?

Before anyone gets excited, the signature was my idea and mine alone...in reaction to criticism over methods which I'm experimenting with.

I'd keep the one you've got, ML, just put it in fine print. :p

Yes,
I'd agree with Theo, It seems to suit you.

In honor of Theo and Norm and because I feel my methods take a backseat to no one....drum roll please...

ML, I want a nickel every time that signature runs. I am perfectly willing to split it with Norm.

You're a friend, though, so I'll let you run a tab.

Okay, send your bill to the Bank of "Tried and True".

Hi: I have been trying to find something that will control my algae. I obviously did not use cutrine + early enough. My pond is a disaster and I am not happy. I live outside dayton ohio and was wondering if tilapia would be worth stocking, will they die in the winter? I have part of my pond that is 15 feet deep, will that help? I also saw on a post that hydrated lime will help if you do this early enough? can some one give me some input please

Hi, Brian.

I think just about every kind of Tilapia, including all those we discuss here, would definitely die in an Ohio Winter - only in Florida and the very southern end of the Gulf states are they likely to overwinter outside. Ryan Freeze of Ohio (near you, I think maybe Kettering? Can't quite remember) has been working on keeping them in a tank here; this thread should have some interesting info for you and (perhaps, IIRC) availability info:

Tilapia grow out tank

HI Theo Galus:

Hi Theo Gallus:
Thanks, would it be benificial for me to stock tilapi?
I am having some serious problems with my FA(algae) I have it floating around my entire pond, depending how and where the wind is blowing
I purchased two fountains which they will go in this weekend, I have treated with cutrine + with no success whats ever. I am willing to do what ever at this point? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also some one posted that hydrated lime is very good to treat this algae in the spring? your thouhts on this, or any one else that would like to help out

I think you will be dissappointed in the fountains for FA control. Let us know how well they work to reduce your FA. You should see some FA reduction if there will be any by end of May. Any tilapia that you stock will be "gonners" whenever the water temps drops to around 55F this fall which in your area should be around the last week of October. Very few if any in Ohio have used tilapia for FA control. A few are just starting to look into the possibility of their benefits for helping keep FA at reasonable levels.

hydrated lime kills algae as soon as it comes in contact with it. my pond has never had alot , only little patchs here and there around the shore. it will kill fish eggs. i spoke to 2 chemical enginers and both saw no harm in using it in small amounts. they both said never want to use stuff with copper in it. my pond is very healthy , plenty of bugs,FH,GS,BG of all sizes,all predators are nice and fat. only thing missing is big bullfrops , heron takes care of them. that SOB

Thanks:
so should I use lime in the spring, now, or not at all?
Also, what about the use of cornmeal?

Today I spent two hours in the water taking this algae out of my pond. I still have about two more hours to get it all out. I can not handle that much work for much longer. I thought my raking and pitch forking days were done.
Any suggestions would be appreciated