Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Seine for removing algae?

Just a FYI, I haven't had "feel good" test results when using different labs. One lab where the water test was over $200 showed the results as 0. Upon further research, I found out that the levels that I needed to test down to was too small of an amount so it was below their detection threshold. My fault, I went on a recommendation and didn't research it myself. I have a lab that I use now that I have repeatable "feel good" results from.

Another thing to take into consideration is that plants and algae sequester P. Meaning that if nothing was applied to the water and the initial test was taken in January, and the 2nd test was taken in late August, there would be less P in the water because P was sequestered in the growing plants and algae. Even the amount of phytoplankton in the pond might make a difference.

When I take water samples for testing, when doing nutrient abatement, I'll take a water sample pre-application and about 5 days post application and send them both to the same lab at the same time. When doing general water quality testing I will try to collect samples from a particular pond at the same time of year. Take a secchi reading and note if any herbicides or algaecides were applied recently, and if yes, exactly when they were applied, how much was used and what was used.