Back again!
After identifying my current situation (discussed
here ), I am now on to the "treatment options".
First, the latest pics.
I think the gentlemen in my "Identify" thread are correct regarding the hydrilla - I too now think it is elodea.
So,
Sago near the "beach"
Elodea out in the "flats" (~4 feet deep)
A constantly forming and collapsing floating algae bloom
A HEAVY planktonic algae bloom overall (the pea soup look)
Shoreline "stuff"
Lately - some "foamy" bright green floater stuff on the shoreline (FA?)
Still a few signs of duckweed but that seems to be drowned out by the other stuff at the moment.
I have used a quart of Blue Aquashade in this pond about a month ago.
This weekend I spot treated the floating mat areas with granulated Cutrine Plus (~ 2 lbs) (from the pond advisor 2 years ago - never even opend) and some sprayed on Copper Sulfate on the heavy floating algae areas (less than 1 lb).
Aerator is running 24/7 unless the temp gets > 80 (manual switching).
My goal this year is to just clean up the pond. I can see FHM swimming and I have TONS of frogs along with a pair of Terns that dive-bomb the pond surface all day long - so the current food chain must be doing OK.
After some reading, I'm thinking "no more CuSO4" - anyone know what to do with a 50lb bag of it?
I have the granulated Cutrine Plus - but that seems to be primarily for the rooted algae types. Will it have any effect on the Sago and Elodea.
I forgot to mention that I have leaches like crazy - at least around the pea-stone beach. I waded in and pulled some of the grass the other day and had them all over my feet. They didn't seem to draw blood though - have read that there are "decay" leeches that just eat rotting organic matter - could that be these? Either way - it has really turned me off to swimming at the moment.
Am planning on donning some booties and a wetsuit and "harvesting" those large floating nests of Sago and Elodea (mind those leeches
) - can't really reach most from the shore.
As mentioned in the aeration thread, I do have a Kasco water circulator. Any reason to fire that up for a while in addition to the bottom circulator? It uses a lot of electricity and needs a new bottom stand - but I'm anxious to accelerate the water quality improvement.
