Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants FA??

Just noticed this last weekend. I'm guessing FA in the early stage? I know, bad pics but it's all I got.

Sure looks like it to me but some of the guys on here will know for sure. Last year my newly redug pond had a little but not bad. This year it exploded faster than I realized it could. I had floating mats of the stuff covering half the pond. Sprayed half the pond with Cutrine Plus last Friday and it turned it brown in a day and it is sinking now. Going to spray the other half of the pond next nice day. Good luck.

Poppy, be cautious as to how much you treat at one time. IIRC, about 1/4 of the pond at a time due to consuming oxygen as it's degrading. DO crash could result in a fish kill!

Hopefully one of the experts will chime in to suggest how long to wait before treatments.

You may be surprised to know it could disappear or die back when water temps warm. Some FA prefers cooler water.

Are you sure it's a problem? I have some in my ponds but don't worry about it unless it's a fry pond and I want to get an algae bloom going. Then the FA competes with the algae bloom.

I've learned to coexist with it.. my pond has an acre of 3 ft or shallower water perfect for FA growth.. it can't be beat in my pond with the pond budget I have

My pond is really set up for tadpoles and frogs and not predators like bass etc that would soon eat the tadpoles. So I have tadpoles in the thousands until the winter kill. The tadpoles remind me of the commercial you use to see on TV of the little scrub brush cartoons in the toilet boll cleaning like crazy. The tadpoles are all over everything in the water eating algae. Along with plants and only minnows for my fish including Golden Shiners that some believe eat some FA I am usually free of algae.

Yeah I got the mats this year already too. I am not as worried about them as I am what comes next! CHARA everywhere!!! The mats make it a little hard to fish but that dang chara will make it almost impossible to fish once the water starts to go down some. I will be getting some Cutrine Plus pellets for that. They work great for it as long as you can catch it before its full blown! I don't treat it all I treat about 1/2 the pond or so. I don't mind having some of it but not everywhere! Usually I can use 30 lbs in my 1 acre pond and it does good. Plus I have 4 grass carp that I believe eat some of it as well. Grass carp won't eat floating FA though from what I have seen.

RC

My concern was that if I plant more this year, is it going to suffocate the new plants like it did last year? Last year just weeks after putting in arrowhead, duckweed and some water willow, it started floating and pretty much swallowed the plants. that was in August I think.

Thanks Cecil. I didn't know it might die back on its own but I should have from my years of fishing. I can remember ponds having moss in the spring but none later on in the summer. This must be a good year for it around here. I've noticed several ponds I drive by nearly covered with the mats.

Mine is gonna be horrible this year it just multiplies as it heats up and I already have a bunch.

I've got FA fairly bad right now, but as soon as the water warms a bit more and the water primrose comes on it all goes away. It's sort of cool how one type of vegetation comes on and changes and/or eliminates another. For me the water primrose is a pretty good plant to have. My banks are fairly steep so it doesn't go out much more than 8 feet or so and it's a great water cleaner which really eliminates the algae mats. And it creates a great habitat for small critters and fish.

I am not sure but that's why I was only treating half of my pond with the chara. I let the other half fight with the floating FA. That chara wins every time!!

RC

I have CLP growing in the pond now, not much FA if any is seen. I've noticed water clarity is increasing (bloom is disappearing) the longer the CLP is growing.

My chara doesn't get out of hand anymore as long as I add Aquashade early in the year. What chara I do have IMHO is great for holding invertebrates and gives the fatheads a place to hide.

I've had FA all the way around the big pond out about 5 feet but it's great for keeping herons out along with the staked lines. The herons can't wade through it. My banks are quite steep however. It also protects the frogs from the herons. I like to see a few frogs around. Love to hear them too!

The weed that I do have issues with getting out of hand is Sago Pondweed but the addition of a flouridone herbicide takes care of that. Just wish it wasn't so expensive.

Personally I prefer not to add any copper products if I don't have to.

CLP?

Curly Leafed Pondweed

At this point, I'd just like to have something growing in the pond. The only thing I haven't done yet to clear up my water is to rock the entire shoreline. My back ain't what it use to be! I'm down about 2' so far so it wouldn't do much good unless I came up with a lot of rock. I have a lot of rock but getting it to the pond is another story.

Cecil I never thought about it keeping out the blue heron!! Thats one positive for sure!!

RC

You can't rent or borrow a Bobcat front loader or something like that?

I've got a tractor with a FEL but getting the rocks from around my place(and there are plenty) into the FEL is the problem. I just can't see buying rock when I have so darn many. My grandson in law(?) was helping some but his parents are in the middle of a divorce so I won't be seeing him for awhile. I might have to wait till the FA does it's thing and then do some more planting.

Cecil when do you add your AQ to help with your Chara?

Thx
RC

Optimum is as soon as the ice goes out! I prefer not to block sunlight under the ice.