I'd like to understand the life cycle of FA better. The old saying is "know your friends well, know your enemy better." It's my understanding that it grows on the bottom of the pond, feeding off of certain nutrients, forms a mat which traps oxygen/gases, then floats to the surface, we then spend ridiculous amounts of money and sweat only to have it repeat itself. Am I close?

I had a lot of FA in my new pond in July which eventually covered more than half the surface area at one one point in early Aug. I raked and sprayed best I could at the time and it's currently a fraction of the problem it was. I assume some of that happened naturally along with my intervention.

Questions:

Is spraying just a temporary fix since it's my understanding that the nutrients that fed the FA bloom will stay in the pond?

After a bloom, is raking and physically removing the FA the most effective way to remove the actual problem of nutrients?

Are the nutrients that initially fed it coming with the plant material when I pull it out of the water?

I am also working to plant some beneficial plants in hopes of them using the nutrients before the FA does. What other options (if any) can help be added, taken away or used to limit the available nutrients? My runoff/water sources mostly come from outside of my property so I cannot change the topography.

Ewest shared with me on another post that low "P" is typically the limiting factor in most ponds which is why a typical pond fertilizer might be 0-46-0. I'm getting my water tested now to see where I'm at now. Final question, is a water test from October going to still tell the story I need to know from earlier in the yr?

Thanks in advance!!!

J Waters
Dam'd Waters Farm
2/3 ac dam'd stream pond
BG, HBG, RES, LMB, YP