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Removed. PB has strict rules compared to other forums in regards to unpaid advertising and SPAM - and I think we all appreciate the moderators efforts to continually police and limit membership to those who are truly concerned with pond management issues. That's one of the reasons this forum is such a special community. I guess the forum wasn't always such a family friendly place - we owe this to Mods.

Scott's right - with increased exposure come increased incidents of SPAM. It's a fact of online life. On a happier note, PB has exploded from page 12 to page 2 on a Google search for pond management, traffic is up by 50%, and forum membership has grown by 150% monthly - all this without a new website. Growth will be exponential in the coming months...exciting times - the Pond Boss mission to reach the legions of pondmeisters out there is coming around.

WhooHoo!! Keep up the good work. And a thanks to the mods who are continually policing the boards.

I would assume the mods are not talking about me? I don't have anything for sale....But looking into how much it's gonna cost me to get those dern cattails removed I may have to start selling something..lol

Not you at all, snide! There was a post a couple of days ago that was removed because it was pretty obviously just spam for a website in the "poster's" signature. You're good, though you may be required to pay an advertising fee if you start listing your cattails! (Just kidding!)

Got my first price back on cattail removal around my 2.5 acer pond. I think the fella misinterpreted the question and thought that I wanted a new pond dug altogether cause he shot me a price of 5 grand!! Still looking for a reasonable price to remove cattails from my Indiana farm pond...

Snide, consider spraying the cattails with glyphosate (sold as Roundup and under many other names and at a wide range of prices) you can get at any feed store or farm supply. Using label instructions for mixing, spray the cattails from the bank and, if necessary, from the pond side as well. Wait a month or two and re-apply as necessary to remaining plants. Steepening the bank would be a move that I think you would regret later when you mow the grass on the bank.

Dudley,

I understand what your saying however, I was not going to go the chemical route if I could keep from it. If I spray them and they die then essentially I have the same problem it's just now I have a pound surrounded with dead withered cattails. I looked at many options and figured in my particular instance, full removal was the best. I then am going to raise the water level 2-3 foot and control any cattail new grown from there forward with chemicals...I am just hoping to find someone to handle the job reasonably and properly. Hopefully I will find that person and I will have a pond that is a bit easier on the eyes because of it. And then off to my next project...Pond Aeration!

snide:

If you spray them and they die, when winter sets in and your pond ices over thick enough to walk on you could either cut them off at the water line, or on a calm day with snow on the ground you might be able to burn them.

Then when you raise the water level the cattail stumps won't be visible above the water. They would provide habitat for fish tho!

Esshup,

Good point, and am not opposed to trying just that unless I find someone reasonable enough to preform the work.. Off topic but I think your North on me up by the IN, MI line. I see you have Blue Tilapia in your pond...How they working out? When do you stock them and when you notice the dying out? I would assume that you reach the colder temps a few weeks before I do down here?

snide:

Just another option if the mechanical removal prices you get are too much $$.

You are correct. I stock the Blues as soon as I can get them after the water temps hit 60�. This year it was towards the end of April, but the fish weren't available 'till the last week of June.

Last year the temps got down in the 50's the 1st week of November. I have a pond that has a lot of groundwater flowing thru it, and it normally stays warmer than the local lake thats' 2 miles away. It will get 6" of ice on it, but usually not more than that. The top water is the coldest, the water temps deeper are in the low 40's. Last year once the thermometer was below 5' depth, the water was 40� - 43�.

Well I have read everything I can on here about Blue Tilapia's and planned to get around 100-200 of 'em. Just wondering if you found someone here in Indiana that stocks them Or if you had them shipped looking for the best method, and was picking your brain...Hoosier to Hoosier..lol The pond I acquired is plenty deep, and sets in a valley out of the wind and below the elements for the most part. The current owners (well at least for the next 20 days) tell me the pond is fed by an underground spring and it has to get VERY cold to freeze completely over on top...So I was hoping at the lower levels a small majority of my Blues would make it through the winter...This seems doubtful in part is why I asked you. If they can make it through your fall/winter they should make it through mine no problem..

I got mine from Rainman (Rex). With LMB in the pond, they have to be at least 6" long or they become an expensive snack.

I doubt that they will overwinter. While they die at 45�F, they get weak and are susceptible to diseases at 50�F or so.

Got ya thanks!! Rex will be getting a call from me next April...

Update:

Now have possession of the property and found that my buddy's price of 5 Grand for the cattail removal and total haul away was cheap compared to some of the other prices I received...We pulled the trigger on the job and they are supposed to start next week..Pictures are soon to follow!!

BTW, I have learned BOATLOADS of stuff surfing previous post on this site!! THANKS A MILLION!!