Thanks, canyoncreek. That pump is clever, and it looks suitable for occasional cleanup of small, floating, patches of FA. However, I have thick mats on the surface, and boulder-sized mounds of FA below the surface, which would bog down that pump.
I have pricey rake with 11-inch tines that was recommended by another forum member. It works well, but the loads are heavy. I use the pool noodle float to snare just the surface mats and keep the algae off the frame of the rake. I take off the pool noodle float to scrape my SMB spawning beds that are 2-5 ft below the surface.
Yeah, I figured a tractor or skid steer with a bucket would be the way to go.
I am seriously considering tilapia next spring. Also, I am reading up on phosphorous binders. I'll start a new thread on that topic
