We used the dye this year but it was after the grass had already got going. My thought is that if we would have gotten it in earlier, maybe it would have kept the growth down from the get go. However, we did start dyeing significantly as I started in on the raking. The growth in the areas I had already raked slowed down to the point that I can't even see evidence of new growth. For next year, we'll either use dye through the winter or return to using it towards the end of winter.

We tried dark blue first, then blue/black mix, and we didn't like the blue color. The all black seemed more natural.

I'm no expert by any means. I just wanted to share my experience with you in case it could help. I am only a personal pond owner but I'm really trying to maintain a wonderful water body for fishing and recreation. The coontail has been far and away the biggest bummer, and really the only significant bummer that's tried to get in the way of our enjoyment.

I also followed the advice of not getting grass carp until we need it and I wished I would have went with my gut and got them before I first saw the grass. Maybe it wouldn't have mattered because they don't seem to make a difference but also maybe they would have knocked it out immediately as it first tried to re-establish after our pond redo. By the time I realized I was going to have a coontail problem all over again, it just blew up and got away from me in no time at all.