Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization Stop Fertilizing due to FA?

I fertilized my pond with a liquid product from Dunn's. It has been 9 days since the last application and the water is very clear and the FA has really taken off. We have not had rain this month also.

My question is should I fertilze again in August according to the directions or quit because the FA is so abundant? I

What is your alkalinity ? Have you had a bloom before ? This year? Can you post a pic ?

Did you dilute the liquid before applying, Mark? I've used liquid pond fertilizer in the past but the stuff I used was much denser than water and had to be diluted or it would sink to the bottom and go unutilized, i.e. give you no bloom; the particular brand I used stated this clearly on the jug. I just looked on Dunn's site and the liquid they sell is the same formulation as what I've used, and it also has the same recommended amount per acre (1 gallon), so it's a pretty good bet it has to be diluted. Ways to dilute include mixing ten to one with pond water and splashing onto the surface, or pouring the liquid into the prop wash of an outboard motor (the best method); you can also spray the liquid through a herbicide sprayer. If you used a liquid and didn't dilute, that may have been your problem. If the product doesn't state clearly on the label that it has to be diluted, that's on Dunn's or whoever makes the fertilizer.

Normally you should get a nice bloom within a day or two of application. If you did dilute the liquid and still have no bloom, your pond might be acidic and you might need to add lime. Have you tested the pH at any point?

To answer your question as to whether to apply again, what percentage of the pond would you say is covered with FA? If it's thirty percent or less, especially if it's mainly growing only in shallow water, you could fertilize again IF we're able to determine why you didn't get a bloom last time (I'm guessing either the instructions on the jug didn't say "dilute," or your pond is acidic and needs some lime). If you have more than thirty percent of your pond covered with FA that grows all the way to the surface, you might be better off killing the FA first with Cutrine or Diquat, half of the pond at a time, and then either liming/fertilizing or just fertilizing.

Have the bluegill started eating the food yet?

Walt,

I diluted it by spreading all around the pond in the propwas. I took my time and mixed it in pretty well. The FA on the surface might cover 10-15% of the pond since the wind has piled it up in places with more submerged in the shallows. It's not that bad -been worse. I just dont want to faciitate more FA growth.

I dont know the PH. I guess a pool tester would work. On anothe note I managed to catch a few BG on lures so they are the bigger ones. They were 7-9". They were stocked Sept '06 so they are almost 3 years old. Didnt have scale out to weigh them but they seemed healthy. There are alot of minnows, especially LMB so I guess everything spawned well this year.

If you applied it in the prop wash, that's easily the best method, so I would think it has to be your pH. Sometimes it may take a couple applications to get a good bloom, but since you applied in the middle of the summer, I would have thought you would have gotten a bloom.

I would definitely check the pH first, and if it's low, add some lime (not hydrated, which will kill the fish). Then once the pH elevates, you can fertilize again. If the pond is only 15% covered with FA, a successful fertilizer application will kill the FA within a couple days as the plankton bloom cuts out the sunlight penetrating through the water.

Your bluegill are good-sized for the pond not having been fed or fertilized until recently. You should be able to grow some real monsters once you get a good plankton bloom and they figure out the pellet thing.

Mark, soils around us tend to be on the low end for pH, so you may very well be dealing with a pH problem. Some lime could do you a world of good and can't really hurt anything if that isn't the problem...

Yes probably need lime. Next adding to prop wash is good that is not dilution however. Take one gal of liquid fertilizer and put in 3-4 gallons of water then pour in prop wash. Also stir the bottom of the bucket very well most of the goodies are locked in the bottom of the bucket OR I will be a sales man get some Troghy Grower from us. http://lakework.com/cart/index.php?p=catalog&parent=5&pg=1
Posted here many times why I think water soluble is much easier and efficeint and comes to about same price with 4 lbs/acre rate.

Also I suggest an applicaiton of copper on the FA prior to adding any fertilizer. No reason to wait a month either if it did not work in two weeks to change visibility ok to do again especially if you kill the FA. Get a disk and try to monitor visibility every two weeks and add accordingly, you can scale back to 2 lbs/acre at times and in the spring might have to go as high as 8 lbs/acre. A fertilization program is not to be taken lighlty it is serious business it can be one of the best things you can do or one of the worst so I think proper monitoring is very important. Good luck.

Measured the PH this morning and it is 7.5. I am beginning to wonder if I have the time to devote to a fertilization program now. What happens if I don't maintain the program correctly? I will try to find some Cutine or Diquat. I assume there are others. Do I have this right? Kill the FA before fertilizing again?

I don't recall seeing dilutions in the label but I will check the empties tomorrow.

On another note, geese are pecking apart the foamular I used for flotation of the feeder. It never ends. I wonder if they are eating the fish chow as well?

This pic was of some of the FA on Saturday. The wind had it bunched up. Today it was spread out and seemed to be more. I would still guess 10-15% coverage with more in the shallow end.

When will this stuff die naturally? Is it more water temp related or sunlight?

Greg,

Thanks for supplying the link for the secchi dish and fertilizer. I am ordering both from you later in the week as I am leaving on vacation tomorrow for a week and don't want the fertilizer being delivered while I am gone.

I apologize for not ordering from you to begin with. I did not know that you sold these things. Should have perused your website better. Anyway, your trophy grower looks easy to apply. Thanks for all your advice.

Mark

Ewest,

I have a bloom every year. I don't know what the alkilinity is. What do you use to test this with?

Thanks,

Mark

Ewest,

I have a bloom every year. I don't know what the alkilinity is. What do you use to test this with?

Thanks,

Mark

Geese will most definitely eat fish chow, and with great enthusiasm - they're a pain in the butt. Maybe you can introduce the geese to the bear and have them honk at him so maybe he'll eat one or two of them and scare the rest off.

7.5 is right in the middle of the normal, ideal range for pond pH, so it couldn't have been that. You may just have a really infertile pond and it may take a couple applications for the phosphorus to take and get the plankton blooming. As Greg noted, sometimes you have to apply a second time just a couple weeks after the first application just to get a bloom; if your pond has never been fertilized, it may be as simple as this. Also, you might try the powder-form, water-soluble fertilizer like Greg mentioned, as it requires no dilution, doesn't have to be applied in a prop wash; all you do is pour it into the water and it disperses throughout the water. I've only used water-soluble once, a month ago, but it worked great and was far easier to apply than liquid. It cost about $10 more than the liquid I used to use.

Once you get a bloom, it gets much, much easier. Subsequent blooms will usually happen with the first application, other than in early spring when a cold snap can throw things off; also, once you get a bloom going, you'll never have to worry about FA again as long as you fertilize roughly once a month in the warm months, and it may take less than that. Most importantly, though, your fish will grow about ten times faster than in an unfertilized pond. Those 7" bluegill you caught that are three years old will have children that get to be that size in half the time, a third of the time once they get to eating the pellet food.

The FA will not die off until fall, at the earliest. You could kill it with Cutrine, which is copper sulfate, or Reward, which is Diquat; Reward is a little more expensive. Copper Sulfate you don't want to use too regularly as it can build up in the pond and be poisonous to the fish, according to a study I read recently. But once is fine.

I am going to get some Cutrine and try it tomorrow. I will be gone for a week so I hope it works. I am going to get some of the powder form of fertilizer from Greg as well as a secchi dish. I did apply the Dunn's twice-9 days apart. I think it is an infertile pond as it has always been very clear.

There are 13 geese there and no evidence of pellets. They are making a total mess of the place. If they are there the morning of Sept. 5 it will be a great prelude to the afternoon dove hunt. Revenge will be swift and sure.

Mark, try 8 ounces cutrine/gal and mist well with the mix and see if the FA starts turning brown. Thanks for order, let me know when you need it. I try to not be agressive selling, but if it is used in ponds good chance we sell it. Try to find best thing avialable for my clients. I also try to give PB supporters a price break. If you can not find copper we can ship it with the fertilizer.

Geese as mentioend love fish food. Yes early goose season can not get here soon enough to put hammer down on 'em.

Greg,

I got 2 gal of Cutrine Plus. You answered my next question on the mix ratio. The instructions confuse me some and sure dont want a fish kill.

Question. Is it practical to mix up 2 gallons at a time and spray and wait for the results? The FA is concentrated around the shoreline and the shallow end. It is hard to estimate the percentage of FA coverage because it is all scattered now and it is difficult to see how much is on the bottom of the shallow end.

As I said I will be gone next week so would it be practical to spray Cutrine AND fertilize simultaneously upon my return? Depending on the advice I will spray 2 gal tomorrow.

In a partial spraying should I start with the large mats or spray the shallow end first which has the highest concentration of fish? Remember, I will have to wait a week to begin pond management after initial spraying tomorrow.

Thanks very much too all.

spray now, tommmorrow morning if not rainy. Yes I think I would do 2 gal sprayer twice. That would in theory be about a quart of product and thus .25 acres of FA. That is not enough to harm any fish. Also if you have a surfacant it might help it "stick" to the algae. This way you might be in good shape to fertilize upon return. If you want place the order so it is ready we can ship whenever you wish.

I can't get to pond until tomorrow afternoon. I read where morning is best but is it still worthwhile in the pm?

Can you mix Cutrine with strained pond water in sprayer? I know Roundup directions require pure water.

Mark, early goose season is September 1... I got a shotgun and a lab, I'll gladly help with the goose problem! HAHA

Mark you need a good 2 hours of full sun so pm is fine with right weather especially with our long days right now. Yes fine to mix with pond water. If you get any junk in there it will clog sprayer so do strain it.

CJ,

Geese are in the pond every day until hunting season it seems. This bunch consists of 2 family groups and the goslings have full plummgae now. If the past is any prediction of the future they will leave as soon as the season starts.

If we keep full pool in the pond then we can have geese during the season. If it drops 3 feet and is ugly looking then they move on because the banks are steep( I think). In 3 years I have shot 1 goose in 4 hunts. Pitiful.

They do fly all around however and if you want I would be more than happy to let you try. I can't call geese well. Geese and deer are borderline vermin IMHO.

I planted sorghum for dove this year as the deer destroyed the sunflowers the last 2 years. If the sorghum survives the deer and we have doves I would love to have you and your lab join us. WE had incredible dove hunting in '07 I believe bc the deer hadn't figured out that sunflowers are so good.

I just assumed that goose season started the 1st Sat in Sept like doves. If it starts earlier then better. They are messing up the place.

CJ,

Geese are in the pond every day until hunting season it seems. This bunch consists of 2 family groups and the goslings have full plummgae now. If the past is any prediction of the future they will leave as soon as the season starts.

If we keep full pool in the pond then we can have geese during the season. If it drops 3 feet and is ugly looking then they move on because the banks are steep( I think). In 3 years I have shot 1 goose in 4 hunts. Pitiful.

They do fly all around however and if you want I would be more than happy to let you try. I can't call geese well. Geese and deer are borderline vermin IMHO.

I planted sorghum for dove this year as the deer destroyed the sunflowers the last 2 years. If the sorghum survives the deer and we have doves I would love to have you and your lab join us. WE had incredible dove hunting in '07 I believe bc the deer hadn't figured out that sunflowers are so good.

I just assumed that goose season started the 1st Sat in Sept like doves. If it starts earlier then better. They are messing up the place.

Walt,

Should I start fertilizing at a specific water temp every year to preclude FA? That would be really easy to start and maintain a schdedule going forward if that is the case.

Thanks for all the help,

Mark

MS Pond Mgt

Begin fertilization in late winter
or early spring, but definitely by
the time water temperatures have
stabilized at 60 °F or higher. Usually
this temperature occurs
around March 15 in south Mississippi
and April 1 in central and
north Mississippi. Early fertilization
will shade the pond bottom
and help control filamentous
algae, a common problem in Mississippi
ponds in spring.
Make the first three applications
of fertilizer two weeks
apart; then apply whenever you
can see your hand clearly with
your arm under water at elbow
depth. By fertilizing only when
water is clear at18 to 24 inches,
you will fertilize the pond at approximate
3- to 5-week intervals
from spring through September.