Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants filamentous algae only temporary

Last year in my trout pond I had Prolific filamentous algae along the edges for about a month in Spring that I continuously scooped out with a net once clumps floated free to the surface. At some point into early summer the filamentous algae disappeared, and I believe it was largely replaced by suspended algae and primarily chara and some small pond weed.

Anyone else have this happen? I'm assuming this is because the other aquatic plants became dominant and starved the filamentous algae for nutrients? And/or water temps played a part and cooler temps were more condusive to the filamentous algae I have?

I did add bacteria last year which may or may not have been a factor. However this year I will forego the bacteria, as I just can't justify the cost, and want to see if this phenomemon occurs again without the bacteria. I also aerate with a bottom diffuser in this small 1/10 acrea pond and flow throug well water at 38 gpms. Pond is 9 feet deep in the center. I harvested over 500 pounds of trout from the pond last year before draining and refilling.

Of course the chara is coming back, but so far the one I really don't want-- the small pond weed-has not been seen.)(fingers crossed)

Any thoughts? Anyone else observe filamentous algae disappear at a certain time of year?

Chara is also a type of algae. It is usually more desirable than the filamentous. It will take a lot of the nutrient from the water that the filamentous is using to survive. With increased numbers of chara your filamentous should drop out. Both are fairly easy to control if they become a nuisance.

Yes, typically Chara and Filamentous Algae are easy to control, but not in trout ponds where copper products are a no no. As you may know trout are very sensitive to copper products. Since my filamentous algae is temporary and it does uptake nutrients and ammonia I can live with the problem. Additionally I treated the trout pond with Hydrothol 191 last fall after removing the fish, and hopefully that eliminated the small pond weed which is the real nusiance. I also drained the pond and removed 90 % of the dead plant material.

Cecil, this is my 2nd spring as a pondmeister and have seen the same thing, only last year it was 10 times worse due to extremely clear water, thanks to a neighbor who was sneaking in copper sulfate, but this year the algae returned in early march, and is totally gone now. My bloom has kicked in very nicely and I haven't done a thing to the lake. The neighbor was told to stay away from my lake and I am very pleased with the way things are going now.