Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,082
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,414
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
8 members (homewardbound, Justin W, Sunil, DenaTroyer, Freg, Donatello, jludwig, catscratch), 756 guests, and 207 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5
Pond is looking good. A lot of new growth near bank. Is this desirable? Or should i treat pond with something to control?




Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
Offline
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
What you have growing is Filamentous Algae (FA). It's a good indicator that you have a very fertile pond. However, depending on how deep the pond is, it can eventually cover the entire surface. It grows on the bottom out to about 4' deep and as it dies off, air is trapped in the filaments and causes it to float.

It will eventually turn black and then sink back to the bottom, where turns into nutrients for more algae to grow. It typically grows stronger in the cooler months.

Whether it's a good thing or bad thing I think is a matter of opinion. If your pond gets deep enough, fast enough, to keep it on the shoreline, you can choose to leave it alone. It provides some shade and cover for your fish. It does create a little dissolved oxygen, but uses it all and more up again as it dies and respirates at night.

I believe every pond as some degree of FA. You can manually remove it by raking it out, or you can treat it chemically if you decide you want it gone.


.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 212
Likes: 5
Offline
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 212
Likes: 5
I agree with Mike but refer to FA growth as a sign of "Nutrient Pollution". The FA is growing as a natural response to high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. What you have, though it's hard to tell how big your pond is, doesn't seem aesthetically displeasing or detrimental to your ponds aquatic health, it is actually helping.

Like Mike wrote, harvest the dead plants rather than letting them die and decompose in your water.

If you choose to treat it with a chemical, you still have to remove the dead plants.

Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
Offline
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
I dont think its necessarily a sign of "nutrient pollution ". FA started showing up in my pond before it was even a year old. What few fish I had (Ive only bucket stocked maybe 30 fish, and not until the pond was nearly 1 1/2 years old) were in no way adding excess nutrients and I wasnt feeding then. The pond had only seen one winter so the leaf fodder was minimal.

FA still found enough nutrient to get started because the banks were still barren of vegetation. I looked at it as a sign that my pond was starting to come to life. IMO, I dont think FA requires very much food to get its legs, but when the banquet table is set, it becomes a gluttonous pig.

I will say it definitely needs to be controlled or it can become a problem and being its usually easy to reach from the shoreline, I will always take the rake/ remove route rather than use chemicals.. as long as I'm able to anyway.

I do think we need a bit more information about the OPs pond, particularly depth to know if it will become a major problem. If I see his picture correctly, it looks like there may be aeration working by those decoys.

Last edited by Mike Whatley; 06/23/19 08:24 AM.

.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
Nutrient "pollution" is a matter of definition. Nutrients can enter a pond in many ways both natural and man-made introductions. Even a crystal clear swimming pool without chemical management will soon develop green growth of some sort that will eventually grow some FA.

A good way to naturally reduce FA but not the nutrients is use tilapia to eat the FA. Tilapia do recycle a lot of the plant material into manure and nutrients. Removing something that grew in the pond such as fish or FA is about the only way to remove the nutrients other than removing the organic muck in the pond bottom which contains lots of nutrients.

I enhanced this from a NOAA website about nutrient pollution.
"Nutrient pollution is the process where too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, are added to bodies of water and can act like fertilizer, causing excessive growth of algae. Nutrients can run off of land in urban areas where fertilizers are used. Animal and waterfowl wastes are also sources of nutrients. Nutrients are often directly added to ponds to increase fish production.

Nutrient additions to water bodies are known as eutrophication. Excessive amounts of nutrients can lead to more serious problems such as too much plant growth that often leads to low levels of oxygen dissolved in the water. Severe algal growth blocks light that is needed for submerged plants to grow. When the algae and submerged plants die, they decay. In the process of decay, the oxygen in the water is used up and this leads to low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water.
Nutrients come from a variety of different sources. They can occur naturally as a result of weathering of rocks and soil in the watershed and they can also come from the watershed and mixing of water currents that re-suspension bottom sediments. Scientists are most interested in the nutrients and nutrient pollution or additions that are related to human-related inputs that are much greater than natural inputs.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 06/23/19 10:00 AM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
Offline
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
"A good way to naturally reduce FA but not the nutrients is use tilapia to eat the FA."

I agree with you Bill...if they're legal where the pond is located. Sometimes you dont have that option.


.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 884
Likes: 201
G
Offline
G
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 884
Likes: 201
To Bill Cody, I read a lot on here about Tilapia, I have never heard of them in ponds and the benefits thereof, I will be doing some research as to how I can apply the benefits of them in my situation too.
How do they do in a colder climate such as central MO, will the survive? TIA,
Again, not wanting to hijack his thread and questions, but might be useful information for both of us.


All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,284
Likes: 288
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,284
Likes: 288
Doslocos, just curious, but did the FA show up before or after you treated the shoreline plants?


AL

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
Tilapia are primarily vegetarians that can digest a wide variety of organic materials. Tilapia are a "tropical" fish. Depending on the strain of tilapia will determine at what low water temperature they die. Some will die at water temps of 50Fs while some such as the blue strain die at around 45F. Tilapia are prolific and will thrive well and eat lots of algae at water temps of 65F and above. The abundant offspring eat lots of small types of algae while the adults eat lots of the coarser types of algae and delicate submerged plants. Generally the warmer the better for tilapia. The larger tilapia can be harvested by angling in late summer and make very good invited guests to the dinner table. The smaller tilapia offspring as they die provide lots of food for predator fish.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 06/23/19 10:14 AM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5
Thank for all the feedback, Pond is around 10 years old. Until recently it was muddy with poor visibility from the suspended clay particles. We started to get a little more serious and do some improvements

We added
A aeration system, 3 diffusers separated across the crescent shaped pond.
Used some Cataplex to control the cattails so they dont spread more than they are
Sprayed in Aluminum Sulfate to clear the water
Using pond clear to provide some nutrients, etc...
Also added some pond dye to improve the color

Pond Is approx just under 2 surface acres, deepest part around 10ft. It has a healthy fish population of Bass, Blue Channel Cats, & Bluegills and is located in South Texas, approx 60m south of San Antonio, TX





Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 491
Likes: 13
M
Offline
M
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 491
Likes: 13
The only thing I do to control FA is rake it during heavy periods of coverage...This year, once it floats and the wind blows, most of it heads down my overflow pipe due to excessive rains. Rains add sediment and reduce light penetration and slow FA formation. Pond dye can do the same


Mat Peirce
1.25 acre southeast Iowa pond
LMB, BG, YP, WE, HSB, RES, BCP
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
Offline
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
I would venture to say that the dye you have already applied is the partial cause for all the dead FA you now have. The reduced sunlight is causing it to die off. It will take some time, but it will eventually kill most of it off.

The important thing now is to try to remove as much of the floating mass as you can before it decays and sinks. If you let that happen, it's just going to add fuel for another bloom of a different kind. Algae, whether it be FA or planktonic will be the first to take advantage of the added nutrients. You need to make sure wherever you dump it, it doesnt get washed back into the pond.

PA lives in the top 3-4 feet of the water column and while dye will hender it from growing, it will not stop it completely.


.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
Doslocos #508282 06/29/19 10:34 AM
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
M
Offline
M
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
Hi,

I am new to this forum and I have a question.

I have a 1/2 acre pond in Connecticut that is 60 years old.

Lots of Muck has accumulated. I would like to have a contractor do hydraulic or suction dredging. Unfortunately, that is too expenive.

If I could rent the right equipment (pumps) I could do the job myself. Any ideas on pumps?

Thanks

Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
T
Offline
T
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
glad you made it here, Welcome. I can't be much help with you finding a pump but I have seen this type of question come up from time to time. Seems like the best answer for a pond of that size might be using an excavator to reach out as far as it can and work around the ponds shoreline. It would give you some depth that you may not have now. But you will need a place to put the dirt. Hope this helps you out some.


Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.


Tracy
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
M
Offline
M
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
Thanks for responding. Excavators are a problem due to trees. Also, I don't want to have to drain the pond.

Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
Offline
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
I can not imagine the amount of work it would take to de-muck even a 1/2 acre pond with a pump. My 60 year old 1/4 acre pond was silted in such that the water was only 2 foot deep (originally 10'). The amount of muck that came out of it was massive, hard to explain...likely 400,000 gallons of muck...that's about 2000 cubic yards...that's over 150 common dump truck loads. And, with a pump setup, you would be sucking alot of water out with it (you could mostly drain your pond of water in the process and not have any water to fluidize the remaining muck). This would make the management of the muck very difficult unless you had a flowing stream to inject it into (I bet that's illegal anyways). Not to mention that most rental pumps are trash centrifugal pumps and sucking up rocks and such is going to destroy it over the course of de-mucking a small pond.

My pond had the dam broken in May (IIRC) by using a mini-ex, the break was dug deeper a few months later, and then a track loader was used to remove the muck and rebuild the dam in October...by the next may/june, the pond had filled back up and all was good. I think I had $4500 in the work (this included dressing the dam a yseveral months later to smooth it out to be seeded).

It's hard to think about draining a pond, but I believe it to be the most cost effective way to revive it.


Fish on!,
Noel

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Sunil - 03/28/24 12:39 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by Sunil - 03/28/24 12:39 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 11:01 AM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by Freg - 03/28/24 09:42 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/28/24 08:36 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by Justin W - 03/28/24 08:19 AM
Reducing fish biomass
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 08:18 AM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5