Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Fighting Chara

With the dry summer and low water last year it unleashed a chara problem on our pond we don't normally have. By the time it was noticed and chemicals were bought it had gotten out of hand. With Chara being an indicator of hard water, would liming the pond to make it "normal" or very slightly acidic prevent future outbreaks?

Interesting question. Chara isn't an invasive plant. When water levels drop, it makes chara look bad. During 'normal' conditions, chara rarely manifests itself at the surface. Unless it covers more than 25% of your pond bottom, I would leave it alone, especially this time of year. If you eradicate chara, you openly invite other plants, most of the time more invasive than the chara ever hoped to be.
Regarding water amendments, you trade problems. More acidic water invites plants which grow in acidic water.
As you will see, if you research our site, there are three keys to plant growth. Sunlight, food, and temperature. When those three come together SOMETHING will grow.
Personally, I would pick chara over many, many plants.

Bob, thanks for the input. The pond was 3 or ft low last year. I'd say chara covered a good 40-50% of the pond bottom and it came up to within a foot of the surface. Fishing was virturally impossible, and definetely not enjoyable. It would have been too costly and at the dangerous time of the year to try and kill it off. I do understand about the trade off. We have planted water willow and allowed some smartweed to grow along the shores to help with the uptake of nutrients (and to attract the ducks). Other than some filamentous algae we've never had much of a weed problem other than one other low water year when the chara first appeared. Theoretically speaking though, do you think liming the pond would decrease the chance of chara taking hold like it did last year? Thanks.

No, it won't. Chara's crunchy feel is due to lime. Chara absorbs lime. It needs it to grow. So, even though you aren't actually feeding the plant with lime, you give it some of what it needs with lime.
Remember what chara looks like when it sits out of the water for a few days? It turns white, and disintegrates. Pull a chunk of the stuff out on the shore, give it a few days, then pick it up. The white is lime.
Also, you may want to know that chara is an algae. That's important to know to choose the best course of treatment, should that be your choice.

Greenhead,

Are you allowed grass carp in Illinois? One of their preferred plants is chara. I have out of control char in two of my ponds. I will be adding grass carp to see what happens. I'll be stocking a high number and if that is too much will electroshock some of them out. I prefer an algae bloom, but with the out of control char the nutrients are being diverted to the chara and the water is very clear. I'm hoping if the grass carp eat a significant amount of chara I can get my algae bloom back. I'm adding some Talapia in summer just in cast the filamentous takes over for the char instead of the phytoplankton. What was that Blondie song? One way or another?

Greenhead, I have also had good luck with white amur (grass carp) eating Chara. Younger fish (2-5 yr olds) seem to do a better job of eating Chara than old timers. I have gotten pretty good Chara control by using 7 to 9 amur per acre. Cecil will need to stock more per acre because he has colder water and amur feed best in warmer water (>70F). Degree of infestation of Chara also is a factor for stocking density. AS Bob mentioned earlier, complete elimination of Chara may not be your best option.

Note that some southern ponders on this forum have stated that they did not get very good control of Chara by amur. I am convinced that amur as individuals in the group posess some variability in their taste for various plants. I think all amur are not created the same.

We have chara growing all the way across the bottom of our pond, mostly in deeper water. One of the interesting things is that in a some of the areas that we have previously treated for the milfoil the chara is actually choking the milfoil and coontail back and taking it's place. I consider this a good thing since it does not grow to the surface like the milfoil and coontail does.

Right now it looks like we will be treating for just the milfoil and the coontail this year with "navigate" again, we are planning to leave the chara alone.

What does Chara like? I guess you people mostly try to fight it. I know it likes lime so far. Has anyone noticed positive effects on growth under certain circumstances(heat, nutrients). And which factors except chemicals can make it disappear(all natural factors;fish etc.)?

Looking forward to reading answers...

/Tobias, student of Biology

Sorry,I meant Chara likes hard water.

Vi vet bara att Chara tycker om klar och hard vatten. Det hander varldvid. Tilapia ater det eller du kan satta pa "Aquashade". Jag laste i Lund for tio ar sedan. Glad att se pa en svensk.