Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Spray Cutrine Plus on 3 Acre Lake in single pass?

Just wondering if I can apply Cutrine Plus liquid in a single pass around the perimeter of my 3 acre lake. The algae is not bad and there are some very small patchy spots along the shoreline. I normally spray a 3-foot band along the entire perimeter but I guess I could just spot spray. I want to protect my fish (Grass Carp and minnows), but it's such a hassle to mix and apply it on just half at a time (7 days apart).

Does anyone else make a single application at one time to their entire lake without killing their fish?

Jadog,

Sorry you are not getting any replies.

We have several pond management people that are experts on treatments like you are contemplating.

Unfortunately, this is their busiest time of the year, so I have not seen them in the comments section.

Maybe search the archives. I would hate for you to miss your optimal treatment window, but I am not qualified to answer.

What kind of plants need treating? Whole pond applications are not necessarily the best means of treating all issues.

This would just be for algae only. I am also planning to apply the Cutrine granules around the perimeter of the lake (the first 10-15' from shore) but that would be at a later time. The granules as well would be more convenient to apply in a single application rather than half, then waiting 7 days and applying the other half. The greatest challenge for me is waiting for a calm (5mph or less wind) and sunny morning to apply. It's been windy here for the last 2 weeks.

By the time I add the solution to my large tank sprayer, apply, and thoroughly clean out the tank, I have 3-4 hours of time involved. If I am treating only half the lake at a time, I will have to do this every two weeks during the growing season to keep up. I didn't have fish last year, so it wasn't a big deal, but I do have a lot of bullfrogs. However, I never saw a floating frog last year regardless of how much Cutrine I applied. I never waited for the algae to get bad and always kept up with it.

The half-pond, 7-14 day waiting period is a conservative rule-of-thumb by the chemical manufacturer. The theory is to avoid a big oxygen crash if all the algae dies and decomposes at once. I have also seen instructions to do 1/3 of the pond at a time, so the guidelines are pretty loose.

I assume you are talking about filamentous algae on the surface? Do you have aeration? What is the alkalinity? If you follow the dosage rates and spot spray on the actively growing green algae only, then you could probably do the entire pond at once. Trout are the most susceptible to oxygen depletion. Carp, minnows, and frogs will probably be fine.

I spot spray my entire 0.62 acre pond at once when the algae is minor. I have aeration and had trout in the past.

If you hired a professional, would he do it all at once or come back in 2 weeks? I suspect he would do the entire pond in one visit. Just a hunch...

I did 1/2 pond increments when there was heavy FA infestation like this: