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Joined: Mar 2020
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OP
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Hey guys new to the forum first post here. I live in South Georgia and have a 1/8 to 1/4 acre pond. It’s roughly 10ft in the middle and it’s stocked with bluegill and channel cats. It also has bass in it from the previous owners but I’ve been removing a lot of them to try and get a more healthy population between the three. The pond is bare for the most part besides an occasional shrub here or there over hanging the water and the three Xmas trees I have thrown in there over the years. It has zero plants in it and the filamentous algae has started to become a problem. It’s not horrible and I’ve sprayed cutrine to try and keep it under control but I read where plants would take some nutrients out of the water and help to keep the algae at bay while also adding habitat that’s much needed for the young fish to hide. Sorry for the long post I’ll post a picture next time. Any advice would be great on what plants would be good for South Georgia that would be aesthetically nice to look at while serving the purpose of adding habitat and controlling algae. Thanks
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110 Likes: 478
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110 Likes: 478 |
If tilapia are allowed in GA get some tilapia and they will control your FA (filamentous algae). in your small pond depending on your amount of algae - start with 4 to 6 pounds of Tilapia. More towards 6 lb if you want faster FA control. Watch how they perform and adjust numbers next year. If the FA is pretty abundant before you add Tilapia then trim back the FA with your Cutrine-Plus before adding T.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 03/04/20 09:04 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Thanks Mr. Cody for your reply. Looks like talapia aren’t going to be an option after looking on the DNR website for GA. The algae is very minimum right now I’m just trying to be proactive before it gets to be a problem. Would you recommend lilies and hornwort for a pond this size? I don’t mind every now and then taking some out if it gets to be too much. I just feel like something needs to be added for some habitat for the bluegill spawn they’re easy pickens for the bass with the pond being so bare and also would help to filter out some nutrients from the water. Any suggestions are appreciated since we can’t do the talapia here. Thanks
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714 Likes: 281
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714 Likes: 281 |
Marginal plants and water lilies work for me.
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That’s looks great man. Definitely wanting to do something similar in my own pond. Did you order plants online and if so from where or are those just natural? Do you have any submerged plants like hornwort or anything?
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714 Likes: 281
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
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I bought the original water lilies from Lowes and got more from a friend. Many suggest planting them in pots or getting dwarf varieties to lessen their spread, but mine are large spreading types. We initially ordered marginal plants from a native-plant nursery in Indiana, but populated additional ponds on our place by splitting plants. We used a DNR program designed to establish wildlife habitat to defer costs on the original plant purchase and also to seed surrounding ground with prairie plants. You might see what is available in your local. We really love our place! P.S. Protect those original plants! We did by placing thorny honey locust branches over them, but many just temporarily fence them off.
Last edited by RAH; 03/05/20 10:02 AM.
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110 Likes: 478
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110 Likes: 478 |
JordyM It is a yes for lilies. I suggest that you start with a few small varieties (spread 2-5ft) of hardy water lilies. They spread slow so don't be afraid to buy several. If you are cautious then buy several dwarf or miniature lilies. All lilies are easily controlled with glysophate.
IMO it is a big NO for the hornwort aka Ceratophyllum dimersum. it can spread way too fast and cause you long term problems in a pond. It is not rooted and comes out easily but grows very fast.
If you want a slower spreading short submerged plant for GA climate then get some short growing spiral eel grass (aka cork screw eelgrass Vallisneria spiralis or V, biawensis) and or dwarf Sagittaria subulata. These plants prefer warmer winter conditions of more southern US. Vallisneria americana grows too tall 4-7ft; I don't suggest it. They spread very slowly so you may want to buy 50-100 of each. I would plant some direct into the pond and some in a shallow basin or tub. As they multiply transplant the clumps into the pond to insure good establishment.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Thank y'all for the all the help. I think I'm going to get a few different lilies and see how they do. A little off topic but my pond has been stocked with channel cats and copper nose BG. LMB were already in there when I got the property. I feed the CC and BG a few times a week. I like catching bass but understand my pond is really not big enough for that to be the main focus. Would you suggest keeping the bass population to a minimum to give more size to the few that would be left in there or just trying to remove them all together?
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 28
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 28 |
P.S. Protect those original plants! We did by placing thorny honey locust branches over them, but many just temporarily fence them off.[/quote] I second this! I spent much of last year establishing some arrowhead plants and they were doing well so this spring so I took the chicken wire off...2 weeks later the turtles (I think) ate through every stem
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