Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Cutrine Plus & Filamentous Algae

I have a shallow 3/4 acre pond, 10' at deepest part. From late spring until late fall it is is choked with Filamentous Algae, getting to as much as 80% covered. Three questions: 1- Which is better, liquid or granuler? @- How much and how should it be applied? 3- Should I tirn off the Airator to keep the Cutrine in contact with the Algae longer?

I live in West Central Ohio.

I'm not from your neck of the woods, but we have our share of filamentous (i always have a hard time spelling the stuff) algae here in SW Louisiana. Sounds like you need to learn from a local pro about fertilizing instead of using cutrine to control your algae. Cutrine will not only kill your filamentous algae, but all other plants including phytoplankton, and the product is copper based and will have a buildup in your pond with continued use. Get some advise from a local freshwater fisheries biologist, I always start with the state variety and go to the private ones when I can't make up my mind after talking to the ones with free advice!?

The liquid would be the best choice for your filamentous algae problem. If you treat your pond at recommended rates, you will not have a large build up of copper as others have stated. Copper is naturally occuring and is not as bad as some say. Check out your daily vitamin. How much copper is in it?

However, even necessary micronutrients can be toxic in high or overabundant doses. Toxicity varies with the species.

Just would like to add what I have been trying for my 2yr old pond. Pond is approx. heavy 1/2 acrer.Yard run-off and house and garage have down spouts trenched to pond. This spring tried southern excellent fertilizerand with-in 3 days filmentous algea every where. Put in cutrine plus and aqua-shade,only lasted about a week and it was coming back. More cutrine and aqua-shade and back again in week. Found a amish family that grows barley straw (mixes the barley in with feed for their dairy cattle)and sells it for 1.50 bale. I drove down to jasonville, Indiana where they live and bought 20 bales, got home put about 10 bales around pond banks in 1 foot water, and with-in 3 days hardly any filmentous algea at all and has turned water a nice shade of green. I am very happy with the results after just 1 week. I should mention pond is approx 10 ft deepest, and i have a 1/4 hp gast ariation system with 2 duffusers. Just hope this helps someone at there.

PO thanks, your comment answered a question i was about to ask. good info, appreciate it. mark

Hi all. After the last message on barley straw, I figured it would be appropriate to post a message on GreenClean Granular Algaecide.

One of the theories behind barley straw is that, as it decomposes, it releases hydrogen peroxide which can act as an algaecide. GreenClean is an EPA registered algaecide, and the active ingredient is a peroxygen chemistry - all of the action, without all the messy hay!

GreenClean biodegrades into water and oxygen as it oxidizes the algae (no build up in pond), will not harm plants, and testing has shown that it is non-hazardous to fish (including sensitive species such as trout) at over double the highest labeled rate.

To treat a 3/4 acre pond with an average depth of 4 feet (3 acre-feet), here is what I would suggest...
GreenClean PRO formula:
Curative (full bloom): 250lbs (approx. 90lbs/a-f)
Preventative: 25lbs (approx. 9lbs/a-f) 1x/month

Hope this offers another solution to your problems! Feel free to call with any questions.

BioSafe- There is a pond locally (NW OH) that is relatively deep, clear water (Vis. 8ft) and growing on the sediments is a bluegreen (Cyanobacteria) algal mat composed primarily of Lyngbya sp which will be called Planktothrix with the new taxonomy standards. These spongy mats which are about 3/4" to 1.25" thick peel off the sediments mostly in August and float like "cow patties" on the surface. When growing on the sediments the mats of this alga seem resistant to CuSO4 and Cutrine. How is the best way to use Greenclean on this problem?. How is GC best spread to get an even coating of the product on the sediments?. How fast should one see effects of the GC if it is going to deter this alga?.

i found greenclean at $160 for 50 lbs , plus about $20 to ship. treat an 3/4 pond with full bloom , 250 lbs , cost about $900.00.

Bill - I'm dealing with a very similar situation in the "swimming pool - fishing pond" that was previously discussed. SAMPLE PIC: Algae Carpet

After exhausting other conventional treatments, we starting applying GREENCLEAN PRO to the pond bottom by spreading the granulated powder from the bow of a slow-moving boat. The powder has enough density to rapidly sink to the bottom.

Within 15 minutes, large and small chunks of the now-brown algae mats began popping up to the surface - en masse (GC PRO tends to cause treated algae to become very buoyant). Sequence Pics: #1 #2

I don't know if the algae was entirely "dead", but it certainly brought it up to the surface rather quickly. The owner's "maintenance crew" (all nine of 'em) were standing ready with pool nets and wheel barrows - removing the yuck as it came within reach. In a "typical pond", I suspect that the algae would have eventually become beached along the shoreline. I don't know if it would die as a result (if it wasn't already dead) or continue to multiply at that site.

In this particular case, the GREENCLEAN PRO did what we wanted it to do.

Passat--I realize that this is late in the season, but just another point of view. I had problems with the filamentous stuff and got rid of if by putting in talapia. I would think that somewhere you could find them in your area. I did a google search for "talapia-aquatic"...and found a web site for " Opposing flows technologys" that talks about raising talapia in Maryland. So I think that they could be found up north . But I guess that it depends on what your water temperature runs in the summer. They die off in cold weather , below 60 degrees , they get really sluggish and swim in the shallows, looking for heat, and you can catch them easily and eat them after they have cleaned up your pond. The Fish are very prolific. They are pellet raised in heated tanks, and ate their fair share of pellet food, once the algae was gone. I had no more problems with in two weeks of their introduction,and for the rest of the summer.I paid $ 10.00 a pound for mine. I put 15 pounds in my approximately 3/4 acre pond, in late april here in East Texas. This is what was recommended by the salesman, but I think that if I have to go this route again , I might try just 10 lbs. for my pond since they cleaned it up so fast, or start them earlier if fertilizing doesn't help enough.

Next year I am going to try and fertilize earlier to avoid the algae problem. Did not learn about this approach until to late, so talapia was the best approach for me. Do not buy grass carp as I did, they do not eat algae. They may eat most any other grasses that cause problems, but algae eating is not their forte.

I wanted to use some of the pond water to irrigate my flower beds, so I was not wanting the copper stuff to accumulate in the flower beds.

If you have any predators ( bass, catfish ) they will love the summer production of talapia. This takes a little heat off of the bream , so that the bream will be there for the winter chow line.

I bought mine at Boat-Cycle in Henderson, Texas. While I was waiting in line I talked to some other customers that had driven 5 1/2 hours to come and get these fish for their pond algae problems. One fellow was from Beaumont,Tx and another two were from Oklahoma.

I have heard good things before about the barley hay, there was a good article last year or so in Pond Boss, but it is a little scarce in East Texas as far as I could find. I would be interested if anyone has a source reasonably close to my area though.

Bill,
Lyngbya is one of the toughest algae out there right now – and everyone from MI to FL is trying to find the silver bullet. No such thing thus far.

GreenCleanPRO can make a dent in this type of alga, but it may take several high rate treatments (90lbs/a-f PRO) once a bloom has occurred. The one thing that is promising (in preliminary studies at Clemson University) about treatments with GreenCleanPRO vs. other algaecides is that we seem to be working better as a preventative and as a longer solution once the algae has been killed off (no re-growth).

It may also be a situation where one might take the Kelly Duffie approach to a no win algae situation…use the GreenCleanPRO to raise the algae from the bottom and then skim it out or even dose it heavy at the surface.

When applying GreenCleanPRO, it is a fine granular product, and several different methods have been used in application – everything from hand spreaders and scoops to backpack blowers and liquid applications. The type of application method generally depends upon the situation. For Lyngbya, my feeling is that a granular application would be preferred in order to get the product to the bottom.

You should begin to see results within 60 seconds of application (see Kelly’s pictures). The algae will continue to die off for up to a week.

Ken,
The suggested resale price for GreenCleanPRO will almost always depend on where you buy the product and how much product you buy – keep your eyes open for better deals.

Also if you notice, to treat a ¾ acre pond preventatively for 4 months, it would only cost $320 – even using your $160 price…an ounce of prevention…(sorry, had to say it)…

And lastly, please keep in mind that GreenCleanPRO can be used as a spot treatment or as a perimeter treatment, which would significantly reduce the cost.

Hope this helps clarify.

i can get high calcium hydrated lime for $5.75 for 50 lbs. i have pond just shy of acre. i put in 25 lbs when theres alot of that carpet crap growing or any type of algea , it kills it dead. through the coarse of the year , i see it starting , i put a little to kill it. one other thing i noticed is if you stir the soil by the bank it kills it to. so i guess the lime is still there. so i have been using even less now. i have the only pond in miles with nothing floating on the water. i spoke with 2 chemical engineers and they both told me that using 100 lbs over the year will be no problem. never use too much at one time , because it changes the PH fast. both said never use copper based products. i'd like to read your thoughts on that application. thank you