Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants controlling FA before Tilapia

NE Texas, my pond is already showing some FA growth. Can't use Tilapia until about mid Apri due to water temp. How best to contral the FA between now and April such that it doesn't get too far ahead of the Tilapia. They do great, but i don't want to have a bad problem til mid summer when the tilapia get the upper hand.

Also as a follow up - what water temp can i begin using fert for a bloom

thanks

DB,

I am not a pro but I would be happy to see a little FA getting started before I stocked the Tilapia. My thought is those new Tilapia need forage when you stock them to thrive and give you the reproduction you are looking to get to feed your predators.


...Just my 1 cent

If too cold for tilapia then still too cold for trying to bloom plankton right? Dont want to diy the water? There is always the tadpole theory? Bust out some serious frog porn. And I don't know didlely about chemicals for good reason.

I like bills advise. Patients. ..

I'm in SE Texas and have noticed FA starting to spread as well. Surprisingly I still have Tilapia alive and kicking from last season, just a hand full maybe in 10" range. They dont look sluggish. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and stock for this year. I dont know what my water temp is. What can I use to check that?

Look at a local store that sells outdoor thermometer s and get one with a ten ft lead, it should be more than accurate enough

I used a meat thermometer, same type u might use to ck the temp of a roast when cooking. Just make sure u find one that has readings broken down to single degree marks. I now use a lazer type to ck surface temps.

Tracy

DavidBliss, we use Cutrine Plus for algae control. Often the dead algae will mat on the surface, and raking or breaking up the mats is all that works for us with that. At least here at our place in NE TX, we get early winter olive colored FA that stays active until the water temp starts approaching 60-65 degrees. I'm not sure how water temp affects all this, so maybe Bill Cody or others will chime in on that.

A cheap laser thermometer, and box store glass tube pool thermometers are what I use for water temp. With the glass tube thermometer, I tie it to a string, and throw it out 10-15'. The reason I use both, is so both the surface temp, and subsurface temp, can be monitored. I usually hand feed in the winter, and the subsurface temp lets me know what temp the CNBG are actually residing in. I rarely use thermometers after May when the water permanently warms up, but I use them a lot in winter and spring.

Hope this helps.