Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Sonar?

I have about a 1/4 acre pond. Last year I had a major problem with duckweed and watermeal. I treated it with Sonar and it cleared it right up by fall. I thought I had the problem whipped, but in the last 2 weeks, it's started coming back. Can anyone tell me where they have found the cheapest place for me to purchase a pint of Sonar? Thanks in Advance!

Tony,

been kinda waiting for a reply as I too am interested in the bargin price sonar.

Have you tried here?

http://www.stoneycreekequip.com/form/weed-algae.htm

http://www.aquaticcontrol.com/products/ProductDetails.cfm?ProductID=1&ProductNumber=L00364

try here

they seem to be the cheapest I have seen lately

You can buy it from the maker , see below

https://www.pondpak.com/ItemGroups.aspx?CategoryID=20

Thanks for the replies! Two more questions...does the pellet form of Sonar work as well on duckweed and watermeal as the liquid form? And is it any cheaper?

Thanks in advance!

You can compare the cost by taking the price from the web site and then look at the labels to get the treatment area from the charts. This will give you a lbs or oz. per area and the price can be calculated.

My GUESS is that liquid which is applied by spray would work better as it will be in closer proximity to the floating DW/WM roots. Sonar is a systemic herbicide. The pellets sink and dissolve and then the ingredients mix and float up. Pellets would work better on plants rooted to the bottom and where a limited area is to be treated. Always read and check the label.

From the web site

https://www.pondpak.com/ItemGroups.aspx?CategoryID=18

Sonar*AS, a liquid herbicide, provides selective control of undesirable aquatic weeds for a year or longer. Sonar AS is your best choice for controlling DUCKWEED, WATERMEAL and many other undesirable plants in ponds with soft or muck bottoms.

For watermeal it is suggested to use liquid.

I found a 8 lb tub of Sonar Q at our local farm supply for half the cost of a quart of the AS, Do you think it would work on my pond or could a pint of the AS work killing my WM and DW instead of me having to buy a quart of it. I noticed the sonar Q is only 5% where as the liguid is like 40% floridone. My pond is 1/4 acre and avg. maybe 4'

Here is the label.

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/guide/sonarq_label.pdf

• Pounds of Sonar Q required per treated acre = Average water
depth of treatment site x Desired ppb concentration of active
ingredient equivalents x 0.054
For example, the pounds per acre of Sonar Q required to provide
a concentration of 25 ppb of active ingredient equivalents in water
with an average depth of 5 feet is calculated as follows:
5 x 25 x 0.054 = 6.75 pounds per treated surface acre.

From the max rate table 90ppb

4 x 90 x .054 = 19.44 per acre / your .25 acre pond = 4.86 lbs.

Thanks ewest!
Do you think it would be worth a shot to try the Q or would a pint be enough to do the trick of the liquid.


And also will the granuals be hindered by the muck and crud on the bottom of my pond?

Look at the label. It has charts. I don't know if it will work but the label provides that for a 90ppb application on a .25 acre pond with avg. 4 ft. it should take 7.84 ozs.

http://www.sepro.com/documents/SonarAS_Label.pdf

https://www.pondpak.com/ItemGroupItems.aspx?ItemGroupID=38

"Eight onces of Sonar AS Aquatic Herbicide. Treats 1/4 .25 acre assuming average depth of 4-6 feet. "

Duckweed is tough. It often takes several treatments depending on the product. Often one like sonar (to kill the entire water col. including the seed bed in the bottom) and a contact herbicide (Reward) to get the banks and pockets which will pop up.

Thanks ewest for your time and trouble, I have posted a new topic regarding same thing only different please check out and give me your thoughts.

Comparing price-per-containers of SONAR Q vs AS is comparing apples and oranges. For one, they're two different "tools" for different types of situations. Secondly, you're technically buying "active-ingredient" rather than pints or pounds. Both factors play heavily in the comparison-game.

Definitely use the liquid ("AS" = Aqueous Suspension, although some say it stands for "Algae Stimulator") for susceptible floating species, and also for submerged targeted species in static-water ponds (with little risk of overflow). Use the Q (pellets) for submerged species in ponds with potential for minor to moderate flow-through/discharge. If a significant flow-through event is imminent or highly likely (probable) within 30-days post-treatment, then SONAR may be a big and expensive gamble - regardless of the selected formulation.

As for relative formulation cost-comparisons, use the following example to establish the cost-per-lb of active-ingredient (a.i.).

NOTE: These costs are random figures used for illustration purposes only.

Ex: 1 pint (1/8th gal) of SONAR AS (a 4-lb/gal a.i. formulation) contains 8 oz (mass) of fluridone (the product's a.i.). If the pint costs $330, the cost per lb of a.i. = $660

Ex: 8 lbs of SONAR Q (which is a 5% a.i. formulation) contains 6.4 oz. (mass) of fluridone. If the 8 lb pail costs $250, the cost per lb of a.i. = $625

In the above examples, the 8# pail of SONAR Q is a better value "per lb of a.i." than the pint of AS formulation. But, the AS would still be the better choice for treating duckweed. However, see what happens when the 1-gal jug-price for SONAR AS is used in the cost-comparison.

Ex: 1 gal jug contains 4 lbs a.i. and costs around $1,700. So, its cost per lb of a.i. = $425 (which is 35% LESS than the pint-container's cost per lb of a.i.)

Now if you had 4 people that needed a quart each you could split the cost and have some savings.

The Avast is a little cheaper, but has worked good for me the past three years, the problem is it only comes in gallons. Email me direct for a current price list aklusmire@farmers-national.com