Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants FA Strings

Hello.

I am new to this whole thing, and I was out cleaning some corn cobs, etc... from around my rip rap from the wind yesterday. Anyways, when I was out there doing this I noticed a couple of what appeared to be some strings of filamentous Algea out in a couple of spots in the pond - nothing major, just looked like some strings of it below the water surface.

It was far enough out from shore that I couldn't cast my lawn rake out to try and snag it, or I would loose my rake.

Is this something to be worried about at this point?

See this thread from the archives.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92633#Post92633

Hi guys. I'm new to ponds and PondBoss.Finally got my pond finished in October. I'm seeing FA growing and I want to get ahead of it.Some info on my pond to help you help me.My pond is just short of 1/2 acre.It was a hole with 4 to 5 springs. We cleaned it out, dug it to 10 feet,put in a nice dam and pipe system,sloped it,filled pretty quickly and put in an aeration system(diffuser)in November.This week I stocked 25 Bass,250 Bluegill,500 fathead minnows, all fingerlings.What do I do? I would rather not use chemicals,as I'm afraid I would hurt my fish.Chemicals are OK but I would need some guidance.How about Tilapia? Thanks in advance.

Lilpond, Wait a couple years for tilapia unless you are willing to clean up a lot of dead fish in the fall. FA is pretty normal for freshly built/rebuilt ponds due to the fresh nutrients available. Since your pond will not really be fishable for aat least a couple years, I would let nature do her thing the first two years. If it gets too bad, just rake out some.

More importantly, welcome to PondBoss!

Also, get 10-15 more pounds of Fatheads (FH) fir your LMB and BG...You do realize at 500 FH there was less than a 2 fish average for the LMB and BG to eat right?

Be sure to put some spawing structure in your new pond for the FHM. Something that floats and has a hard underside to it, ie. wooden pallets. They will give you about 3-4 spawns if you can keep the LMB from gobbelin them up to quick. I don't think you can get too many forage fish in a pond. Well, yeah you can, but it's really hard if you're balanced.

Thanks a bunch for the info guys.Also being a new guy I called the Virginia Tech extension agent.He told me to stock the amounts I did, but it seemed light on the minnows to me.I took his advice anyway.He really acted as if he did not want to fool with me because I did not get a permit(it was not required at the time I started but is now,and consult the Army Corp of Engineers).Time to get more minnows. Should I also be feeding the fish? Thanks for the help!