Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Chara treatment options

Browsing past posts has confirmed that I have a Chara problem. While pulling it out of the pond yesterday I thought I smelled a skunk in my area and remembered something about if it is crushed and smells like a skunk then it is Chara.

How do I treat it...control it?
I started raking it out and it's coming out by the wheelbarrow load. HELP?

Hey Travlinman,

I too have a lot of that wonderful Chara!! Last year I didn't have any when I treated my pond with Cutrine Plus Granular. That stuff works if you use it correctly.


I believe you can't use it though if you have trout and maybe catfish? I can't remember but I bet you don't have any trout being in Texas!! Some others will chime in I am sure, but it sure works good on that stuff!!

RC

Thanks RC. Do you know if grass carp or tilapia will eat it?
David

Tilapia I don't think will eat Chara no. They will eat floating type algae but not rooted type like Chara.

I have a few Grass Carp and they havent really even put a dent in my Chara. The problem is I do'nt think GC much care for it and you would have to have a bunch of GC in your pond to handle it. I don't really want to fill my pond up with a bunch of small submarines!!

RC

P.S. Whatever you do dont rake it out it will just make it worse and start growing even more!! It really is a problem child! Keep in mind though if you do treat it with CP don't do but 25 to 30 percent of your pond at a time or you could risk a fish kill from killing off to many plants at one time.

I had a lot of chara in my lake and stocked grass carp and they completely cleaned it out. I don't have any chara left and have not had any since 2006.

Bill how big is your lake and how many GC did your put in it per acre?

Thanks,

Mine may be eating it but just cant keep up I am not sure. I only have 3 in my 1 acre pond.

RC

My lake is 20 acres and I put in 25 per acre. I need to get a bunch out now that the chara problem is gone. I was advised to go with a large number of carp to get fast results. They were right about the fast results. The carp took care of the problem in one year. If I were to do it again, I would put half the number of carp and let it take a little longer to get control of the chara. Currently, I have a good number of large carp eating with the bluegill at the feeder and basically no weed growth in the lake. I try to make up for the lack of weeds for cover by adding a bunch of Christmas trees each year.

Good to know. Placed an application with the state for grass carp today. Many thanks.

Yes thanks for that info.

Rc

Not to me, but I will offer the answer...

Tilapia will readily eat chara when FA availability is reduced....starting at the terminal end and then consuming like a spaghetti noodle to the roots, then pull out and consume the roots.

Chara is a "favored food" of Blue Tilapia.

RM thanks I was not sure on that sorry. I knew they liked the floating FA but did not know they would eat Chara! Good to know.

Thnaks,
RC