Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants I got moss bad

Sorry for the slang but that's what we always called the stuff down here in Texas "MOSS". From researching the identifcation link I am dealing with Chara musk grass or Bushy pond weed naiad. Management alternative is said to be dies. Is this my best defense? The pond is 1 acre in size. 3 foot at shallow end to about 10 ft at the deepest point. The pond is below a 2.5 acre pond which catches most of the sediment in runoff events. The bigger pond above does not clear out as much as the lower pond because of the heavy sediment inflow (300 acre watershed row crops). The lower pond is crystal clear. Before the recent droughts the pond was compltely taken over by this plant in the summer months. So much so that swimming and fishing was impossible. The surronding shore line is covered in southern watergrass which grows all around the banks. There is also a thin tight growth of some kinda of spike like plant. I was unable to identify this one. It grows on the edges and covers all the wetted area on the bank. this same plant grows in the marsh areas in my pasture also. The two fore mentioned plants are desirable to me but I have got to get rid of the other stuff before it takes over again. The pond is just now clearing from all the rain and the bad stuff is growing like crazy already. Please help.
p.s. I'm to lazy to mechanically remove it. Thanks in advance.

Rocky please consider this an apology from the entire Forum. I have never offered that to anyone before. Sometimes we do miss things. I have also had a post or 2 with no reply. I am sure you have seen the info below from Aquaplant.

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/submerged_plants/southern_naiad_mgmt.htm


Southern naiad
Control Options
Mechanical/Physical
Southern naiad can be removed by raking or seining it from the pond but will reestablish from any remaining fragments and roots.

Fertilization to produce a phytoplankton or algal "bloom" prevents the establishment of most bottom rooted aquatic weeds and produces a strong food chain to the pond fish.

Non-toxic dyes or colorants prevent or reduce aquatic plant growth by limiting sunlight penetration, similar to fertilization. Aquashade is an example of non-toxic dye and other products are available. However, dyes do not enhance the natural food chain and may suppress the natural food chain of the pond.



Biological
Grass carp will seldom control aquatic vegetation the first year they are stocked. They will consume southern naiad. Grass carp stocking rates to control southern naiad are usually in the range of 7 to 15 per surface acre. In Texas, only triploid grass carp are legal and a permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is required before they can be purchased from a certified dealer.


Chemical
The active ingredients that have been successful in treating southern naiad include copper complexes (G), diquat or copper with diquat (E), endothall (E), and fluridone (E). E = excellent, G = good

Komeen is a copper compound registered for use on southern naiad (8% active). It is a contact herbicide. Contact herbicides act quickly and kill all plants cells that they contact.

Nautique is a copper compound registered for use on southern naiad. (9.1% active) It is a contact herbicide. Contact herbicides act quickly and kill all plants cells that they contact.

Reward is a liquid diquat formulation that has been effective on southern naiad and is very effective if mixed with a copper compound. It is a contact herbicide. Contact herbicides act quickly and kill all plants cells that they contact.

Aquathol, Aquathol K, and Aquathol Super K are dipotassium salts of endothall and comes in both liquid and granular formulations. These endothall products have been effective on southern naiad and can be mixed with copper compounds for additional effectiveness. Contact herbicides act quickly and kill all plants cells that they contact.

Hydrothol 191 is an alkylamine salt of endothall and comes in both liquid and granular formulations. It is a contact herbicide and has been effective on southern naiad. Contact herbicides act quickly and kill all plants cells that they contact. Hydrothol can be toxic to fish.

Sonar and Avast are fluridone compounds, come in both liquid and granular formulations, and have been effective on southern naiad. These are broad spectrum, systemic herbicides. Systemic herbicides are absorbed and move within the plant to the site of action. Systemic herbicides tend to act more slowly than contact herbicides.

One danger with any chemical control method is the chance of an oxygen depletion after the treatment caused by the decomposition of the dead plant material. Oxygen depletions can kill fish in the pond. If the pond is heavily infested with weeds it may be possible (depending on the herbicide chosen) to treat the pond in sections and let each section decompose for about two weeks before treating another section. Aeration, particularly at night, for several days after treatment may help control the oxygen depletion.

One common problem in using aquatic herbicides is determining area and/or volume of the pond or area to be treated. To assist you with these determinations see SRAC #103 Calculating Area and Volume of Ponds and Tanks.

Many aquatically registered herbicides have water use restrictions. For General Water Use Restrictions click here.

To see the labels for these products click on the name. Always read and follow all label directions. Check label for specific water use restrictions.


Cultivation Options
Southern naiad can be propagated by transplanting large volumes of the plant during late summer into shallow, clear water.



http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/algae/muskgrass_mgmt.htm

Chara

Control Options
Mechanical/Physical
Chara can be removed by raking or seining but is difficult to control because it reestablishes from spores and fragments.

Fertilization to produce a phytoplankton or algal "bloom" prevents the establishment of most bottom rooted aquatic weeds and produces a strong food chain to the pond fish.

Non-toxic dyes or colorants prevent or reduce aquatic plant growth by limiting sunlight penetration, similar to fertilization. Aquashade is an example of non-toxic dye and other products are available. However, dyes do not enhance the natural food chain and may suppress the natural food chain of the pond.



Biological
Grass carp will seldom control aquatic vegetation the first year they are stocked. They will readily consume chara. Grass carp stocking rates to control chara are usually in the range of 7 to 15 per surface acre. In Texas, only triploid grass carp are legal and a permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is required before they can be purchased from a certified dealer.



Chemical
The active ingredients that have been successful in treating chara include copper based compounds (E) and alkylamine salts of endothall (G). E = excellent, G = good Copper Sulfate or "blue stone" is probably the most commonly used algal treatments because of its availability and low cost. Copper sulfate comes in several forms depending on how finely it is ground. Smaller crystals will dissolve easier than larger crystals. In very hard water it is difficult to use copper sulfate because it binds with the calcium, precipitates out of solution, and renders the copper ineffective as an algaecide.

All copper compounds can be toxic to fish if used above labeled rates and can be toxic in soft or acidic waters even at label rates. Before using copper is it best to test the pond water's alkalinity and adjust copper treatments to alkalinity concentrations. For additional information on using copper sulfate see the SRAC #410 Calculating Treatments for Ponds and Tanks.

Cutrine Plus, K-Tea, Captain, and Clearigateare all chelated or compound copper herbicides that are effective on chara. Other chelated or compound copper formulations are available but are not linked to this web site.

Hydrothol 191 is an alkylamine salt of endothall which can be used to control chara and comes in liquid and granular formulations. It is a contact herbicide. Contact herbicides act quickly and kill all plants cells that they contact. Hydrothol can be toxic to fish.

One danger with any chemical control method is the chance of an oxygen depletion after the treatment caused by the decomposition of the dead plant material. Oxygen depletions can kill fish in the pond. If the pond is heavily infested with weeds it may be possible (depending on the herbicide chosen) to treat the pond in sections and let each section decompose for about two weeks before treating another section. Aeration, particularly at night, for several days after treatment may help control the oxygen depletion.

One common problem in using aquatic herbicides is determining area and/or volume of the pond or area to be treated. To assist you with these determinations see SRAC #103 Calculating Area and Volume of Ponds and Tanks.

Many aquatically registered herbicides have water use restrictions. For General Water Use Restrictions click here.

To see the labels for these products click on the name. Always read and follow all label directions. Check label for specific water use restrictions.


Cultivation Options
Chara can be propagated by collecting and transplanting whole plants into areas of shallow, clear water. Chara prefers hard or alkaline waters.

On a note to ALL forum members, if we haven't answered your question in, say, 48 hours, please give yourself a bump.

RockyT,
First thing you should do is establish if the problem is Chara or bushy pondweed. There is a big difference between the two. Chara is technically an algae whereas bushy pond weed (naiad) is a rooted plant (nonalgae). Treatment will be very different for each. Get a couple close photos: one in your hand and one in a pan of shallow water and post them. Or take a sample to someone knowledgable - Univ extension office?.

Since your pond ocassionally has a flow through, chemicals and dyes are iffy to use for control.

Pond Boss mag Jul-Aug 08 has a photo of bushy pondweed (pg 41), although the close photo is not really close and one cannot see any details of the plant "leaves" or stems.

If it were my pond, I would fence off the overslow and use grass carp. They will readily eat both species of plants that you discuss.

Thanks Bill, unfortunately fencing the overflow is not an option. I can't risk it. My house is way to close to the pond and believe me I need ever inch of out flow I got. Would Tilapia be an option in controlling these types of vegetation?

To my knowledge tilapia will not eat Chara or bushy pondweed. Theyprefer large planktonic algae probably zooplankton and some species of filamentous algae(FA). There are no doubt species of FA that tilapia will not eat.