Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction Hello from Idaho

Just registered as new member. Very interested in your website. We live in Firth, Idaho and purchased a place with an existing pond about 7 yrs ago. The pond is about 1.25 acres and average depth is about 6-8 ft with several deep areas of over 12 ft. It is fed by a spring that is about 58 degrees and flows all year. The flow we think is about 50-80 gallons/minute. We have trout and grass carp. Our problem is the algae (scum) that starts to form when the weather warms up and it has been our biggest problem. I have a windmill aerator that I put up about 3 yrs ago but am now installing an pump aerator. Went to PB to find solutions or suggestions. Thanks for a very informative forum.

Louis, welcome to the forum. Grass carp won't control algae, tehy focus on vascular plants.

If you want to treat the algae in the pond with an algacide, you have to remember that trout are very sensitive to copper. You can use a copper based product like Cutrine Plus, but you have to use it in small quantities and be very, very careful.

A better option is phycomycin, Green Clean or Green Clean Pro. Neither of those are harmful to trout.

Thanks for the comments. You are right about the grass carp. They have gotten quite large and I am not sure what they are eating. It seems that our algae has gotten worse since we put them in (3 years ago). I am wondering if they are eating other types of algae/vegetation and now this type of algae is taking over. I'll try your suggestions. I am concerned that the flow is such that it will not stay in the pond long enough. When I use a dye it is essentially gone in 48 hrs.

The peroxide based algacides will have run their "life" before 48 hr. expires.

That is good to know. I didn't realize that the algaecides didn't have to persist for a longer time. Any suggestions on type of product for bacteria to help with the decaying material. There are so many on the market now that it is hard to know which ones are truly beneficial.

Welcome Louis. The grass carp don't generally eat algae.

Would adding water hyacinths and other aquatic plants add further in decreasing the nutrients for algae? If the grass carp doesn't do me any good then I guess I'll try to remove them. They must be eating something to continue to grow and I am sure they will consume any aquatic plant I put in the lake. They are pretty huge now.

Yes, any aquatic plant will remove nutrients. Hyacinths are good for doing that, and in your area, because of the cold winters won't become a problem like they do down South. GC like them tho..........

Ya just gotta research what plants won't become problems themselves.

Water hyacinths normally grow in fairly warm water and may not do well in your colder trout pond water. Try a few and see if they survive. YOu may have to put plants in a fence to prevent grass carp from eating desired plants.

Thanks for the input. Have finally got some aerators in and started using Aqua Shade dye. That made a difference already. Also placed some Biotix into the pond to help with necessary bacteria.

I placed some water lettuce and water hyacinths in a screened section and they are growing relatively well (of course it is the middle of summer). My pond never freezes in winter as the spring is relatively warm (about 60 degrees). The flow is fairly constant in the winter.

Any suggestions on other types of fish I could put in pond with my rainbow trout, i.e. tilapia.