Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants duck weed problem

hi,
I have about 1/2 acre pond and every summer we get a major duckweeb problem. Our pond used to be stocked with bluegill, bass,and cats. But one summer we had major duckweed and wipped everything out. I tired to restock it last year. The fish lived for a bout a year and i tired fishing this year and had no luck. i was looking in to restocking again and i was wondering if u should go ahead and stock and get an airerater or wait and do something else about hte duckweed

Chuck, I would use a small mesh net and physically remove (dip it out) as much of the duckweed as possible as wind blows it to one side of the pond. Whatever remains can be sprayed with Diquat. Be sure to read and understand the label. Use a fine mist spray on a calm day. Repeat (dip and spray) as necessary.

Chuck,

Duckweed is difficult to control. Period. We've been successful in controlling duckweed using a fluridone product such as Sonar. Depending on your geographical location, tilapia are successful at controlling duckweeed, also.

A diquat product such as Reward should be used as only a temporary cure. If using diquat, it's important to mix a 3/4% solution of a chealated copper such as Cutrine Plus in order to have more success controlling duckweed. Don't forget to add a non-ionic surfactant to your mix, also!

Duckweed is an indicator of a higher than normal phosphate concentration in your pond. Make sure you are managing your watershed as well as possible to prevent any additional nutrient loading.

Aeration systems can be helpful for encouraging aerobic microbe activity therefore processing nutrients more efficiently. Aeration, however, will not cure your duckweed problem. We have a municipal client with a 3.5 acre pond. It has two 5 HP fountain aerators and was covered shoreline-to-shoreline in duckweed and watermeal last summer. We're treating it with Sonar this spring and stocking tilapia to help control the duckweed throughout the season this year.

Hope this helps!

Will the tilapia actually work? There is mixed opinion on this site.

No long term experience with duck weed as I've only had it twice, but both times it disappeared within 2 weeks after I stocked my Tilapia. I assumed they ate it since no other changes to my water were made.

There are several methods to avoid duckweed in ponds. Manual methods include removing weeds by hand whereas biological methods involve the use of duck weed eating fishes. Third method involve the use of chemicals and herbicides. Select one of these and get back to fishing.

pest control NYC

Al is right on - duckweed is a minor problem when tilapia used as management tool as well as forage.
Small retention pond completely covered with DW - gone in two weeks after stocking tilapia - stopped spread into main pond as well - I have photos...