esshup,

Thanks for the input, but your post is at least three levels above my knowledge base. (I generally become more educated when learning things about 1-2 levels above my current knowledge.)

I believe Curly Leaf Pondweed is considered an invasive species in many states? Therefore you are posting a cautionary tale?

It sounds like it ALMOST fits my criteria of a submerged plant that sequesters the nutrients away from the FA. Unlike most of our other pond plants, it generally grows very early in colder waters, right when the FA is also starting.

However, it grows so quickly that it can become a matted obstruction itself in the pond. And then it dies off so rapidly in the summer that it dumps a bunch of dead organic matter in the pond water column that can either resort in fish kills and/or fuels late season growth of undesirable plants/organisms such as the Cyanobacteria bloom?

I assume the native Pondweed varieties would be much better in your area where you get to observe the life cycle of lots of ponds?