Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Neglected pond and many weeds...

Well, I've got aeration but I don't think that will remedy these critters.

Last year I didn't do much with the pond and by mid-July I had a HORRIBLE case of a mat-like algae within 6-8 feet of the entire shoreline of my pond.

This year, I put some dye in (cheap stuff from Fleet Farm) in late-April/early-May.

So far that mat stuff hasn't shown up but plenty of other stuff...

Pond from a distance - shore line completely covered with grass.



The "beach" (pea stone). Pile at the bottom of the pic is some long stringy stuff that looks like a horse's tail. Pulled out with a pole basket - but there is an AWFUL lot of it (and now I've read some things warning against mechanical removal.) Weeds in the background were minimal last year and are 4-6' tall this year.


Here is some of that horse hair floating in the water. By the way - when I was raking it out with the scoop, it seems to be attached to the bottom. If I pushed the scoop along the bottom, I would see the surface floss get pulled under. When I would pull it up, there would be black muck dripping from the bottom tendrils.



OK - next weed. These little bright green "flowers" seem to be attached to that super-fine flossy stuff that was all over my pond last year.


Cattails I'm sure (more to the right with the "pod" already starting).

Wait Wait ... not done ...


Nexxxxxxxtttttt. Strands with little leaves. This is all in a "flat" area on one side of the pond where I would guess the ice goes all the way down to the bottom or very close.


OK - last one.

This floating layer covered the entire pond the day before I started the aerator. By day two it had pushed to the outer perimeter, and now seems to be cornered on the back side (lowest sunlight side against the quarry wall) only.



One still of the aeration at work - just for the heck of it.



Had a pond maintenance guy in two years ago. He talked to us about placement of our circulator (Kasco) and sold us Aquashade, Copper Pentahydrate (I think - its in the barn) and Cutrine Plus. I used the Aquashade and in fact reapplied Aquashade just 4 days ago - but never used either of the other products because the floating mat was SO heavy, I was afraid it would kill all of the FHM in the pond and just end up leaving a nasty muck layer. Guess it probably did that anyway....

I realize that was a monster post. So let's just start with ID and then I'll move long to the next sub-forum and ask about treatment/management once I know what I've got.

Why can't this just be like fuel, hydraulic and electrical systems - I get those...

Thanks in advance.

Barry

You might want to bookmark this link It's worth having for a reference.

To me it looks like a type of Pondweed, very possibly Sago Pondweed. Then Duckweed, then Cattails for sure. Not completely sure about the last one, look on that website for submerged plants.

esshup - thanks for the link!!!

So here is my side-by-side based on your thoughts:

MY PICS...............................................................AquaPlant Website


Maidencane (shore line grass???)




Sago

(note the little "seed"-like nodes...



Duckweed



Cattails - I'll skip. I'm sure.



Hydrilla?




Planktonic Algae??? (or pollen - but I don't think so.)

I think you got them all right, maybe that hydrilla is elodea, and I have no idea on that dainty shoreline grass. Nice variety, a bit different from out here, but I imagine you have the native potpourri.

I'm with TPF also. I was going to say Hydrilla, but I'm not 100% sure and I know that it's hard to kill.

I have the same grass around my pond, and it makes good shoreline cover. My pond water lever fluctuates, and that grass will grow thru water, which for me is a good thing.

MY biggest immediate concern would be the duckweed. Nasty stuff.

Will GC or Tilapia take care of any of these plants?

I think I have a few of them myself.

Thanks

Yes.

Some if not most of those plants are just slowly take care of them, as you go. Mechanical or manual is labor intensive but best. But that duckweed can explode on you, cover the pond and leave a sun blocking mat, killing everything below it. Tilipia are great for it, if you want to go that route. One of the keys to duckweed is get it early before it has a chance to take over. Plants tend to battle each other for growing space, nutrients and sunlight. Surface plants can kill everything below them. I have a pond where it is battle of the invasives, creeping water primrose vs parrotfeather. Not much beats them. But in your case I think most of your plants are natural and regional. I try to leave a little of everything and just keep it in check as I go. Cattails I like 5% of less of shoreline. The shoreline grasses should not be too much of a nuisance. And you want a algae bloom of some sort. A little effort and you can have a very nice pond.

The shoreline grass looks a lot like the reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) that is growing all around my pond (and well into the pond on the shallow end) It is very common in eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota. I have read that it becomes quite invasive, but it has not been a problem at my house.