Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization Pond Dye this Year, Fertilizer Next Year?

My little 1/8 acre spring fed pond is becoming full of weeds and algae that I'm trying to get under control. I would really love to fertilize instead of using pond dye, but from what I've read this will probably just cause the weeds and algae to grow more since it's already established. I'm not sure what the pH is, but I'm thinking maybe I should just use pond dye this summer and then lime in the fall and try fertilizer next spring? I was considering trying to get a couple grass carp, possibly even some tilapia to help with the problem this year. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. I have sprayed with copper sulfate and it worked great but the algae keeps coming back.

I feel your pain. I've used pond dye for the first time this year. It has abated the heat at depth, but so far it's not done anything to slow down the planktonic algae. I dont have near enough plant life yet.

What kind of weeds are you referring to? Usually, if there is plant life in the water, algae isnt a problem because the plants are using up the nutrients before the algae can. Since you seem to have both, I would suggest getting a test kit to check your phosphorus levels. Sounds like you're loaded up like me.

I would steer way clear of fertilizing until you know for sure how heavy your nutrient load is. Dye wont hurt you and may help reduce the weed growth if it's in the water.

I'm not 100% sure on what kind of vegetation it is, but it looks like Sago Pondweed from pictures. It covers about 2/3rds of the bottom of the pond.

How deep is the pond? Is the algae Filamentous or Planktonic? What's the visibility?

It's filamentous. The depth in the deepest part is 8.5 ft. The visibility when I checked a couple days ago was 45 inches. I have aeration in the deepest part but was thinking about adding a second diffuser on the other end of the pond to see if it helped anything..