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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9 |
New pond owner on my first Spring with the pond. About 0.6 acres with depth of 3-11' throughout. Just noticed some watermeal around the edges.
First, is there such a thing as "just a little watermeal" or is this just the beginning of the full-on invasion that warmer weather brings.
In short, do I start treatment soon because I have a problem?
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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I would spray any you see now with Flumioxazin. You are seeing most likely the beginnings of an invasion.
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Joined: Feb 2021
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
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Does Flumioxazin require a license or can I apply myself?
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Fix this as early as possible before it is to late or very expensive to address.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,860 Likes: 940
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Does Flumioxazin require a license or can I apply myself? You can purchase and apply it yourself.
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
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Surface or subsurface flumioazin for watermeal? I've done two surface treatments and I'm wondering if subsurface would be better.
Background: I did a surface treatment with flumioazin in late April with a low dose and treated just the areas where the watermeal was concentrated by the wind. It knocked the watermeal back but within a month it was back to ~50-75%% where it was before the first treatment.
After the recommended 28 day waiting period between treatments, I did a second suface treatment at the full recommended dose and followed-up a couple days later with some spot treatments. Will be evaluating results but subsurface seems easier to apply and may be more effective on 100% of the pond.
In both cases I treated before the quantity of watermeal was big enough to trigger a fish kill
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Joined: Jul 2017
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Joined: Jul 2017
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I agree get a handle on it now. I had a 1 acre pond covered with it and got rid of it. I used a product named Clipper and added a surficant . (spelling) It's a granular that is mixed with water to dissolve in a hand pump sprayer along with the surficant. The surficant helps it to stay on the top of the water where the watermeal is. Good luck
Mike
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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I agree get a handle on it now. I had a 1 acre pond covered with it and got rid of it. I used a product named Clipper and added a surficant . (spelling) It's a granular that is mixed with water to dissolve in a hand pump sprayer along with the surficant. The surficant helps it to stay on the top of the water where the watermeal is. Good luck Mike Mike, the surfactant allows the chemical to break through the waxy coating on the plant so the herbicide can get "sucked up" by the plant.
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9 |
My orignal question was about surface versus subsurface application of Flumioxazin (brand name: Propeller). I've applied twice (w/surfactant) but I'm asking if a subsurface application would be better. Thoughts?
Surface spraying seems prone to missing spots or patches of watermeal moving across the pond surface while spraying.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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In the 2/3 ac pond, as long as you have the correct dosage, it wouldn't matter. The biggest thing is you have to watch the water pH that you are using to mix it with in the tank.
Surface Application - Mix .75-1.5 Ounce of Propeller with 1 gallon of water for every 1/8 acre (5,456 feet). So you would need to use 7.92 ounces at max dose.
Subsurface Application - Mix 2.2-4.4 Ounces of Propeller with 1 gallon of water for every 1/8 acre (5,456 feet) per 1' average depth. i.e. 1/8 acre with 3' average depth would require 12 Ounces (4 Ounces x 3) You would need to use 209 ounces at max dose.
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9 |
Thanks for the details. Still seems odd that you can get identical results but one uses 20x+ as much herbicide.
Pond PH is hovering around 7.0 so I should be good on that front.
I'm using a 2 gallon pump sprayer with fan spray nozzle. Is that the right tool for the job or should I look at other options?
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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That should work. You using the pond water to put in the sprayer?
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9 |
Yes, I'm using pond water in the sprayer.
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9 |
Update on my experience treating watermeal so far. I've been treating with Flumioxazin (brand name: Propeller) starting in the Spring.
Early April: Started seeing "just a little watermeal" around the pond edges
1-May: First treatment of Flumioxazin with hand sprayer to include surfactant. Pond was about 10% covered at this point. Pond went brown and scummy within a week and slowly began to clear in weeks 2-3. Watermeal began to spread again.
5-Jun: Watermeal was back to 10-15% pond coverage. I sprayed again and the same 4 week cycle repeated with the watermeal spreading again around week 3.
5-Jul: Once again, the watermeal was back and slightly more aggressive with 15-20% coverage. I sprayed and the 4 week cycle once again repeated.
14 Aug: Watermeal was back right on schedule and we're in the midst of the scummy residue clearing once again.
I've used higher and lower amounts of the recommend doses of the Flumioxazin with no discernable difference in results. A "feature" of my approach this summer is that the pond has looked scummy most of the time. This has been purely aesthetic. The health of the pond and fish has been great with stocking of BG in the Spring (pond only had stunted LMB) and the 4-5" BG are now at least 5 times bigger and fat!
Next Spring I'm going to try Fluridone (brand name WipeOut). For my pond size the cost difference is about $90 for the roughly 4+ treatments I've done this year versus $400 for (in theory) for a single treatment in the Spring. I'm hoping the Fluridone will keep the pond looking much better all Summer long.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,860 Likes: 940
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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For watermeal the fluridone has to be in a concentration in the whole pond at 90 PPB for at least 30 days.
What you are probably seeing is the seeds that are in the bottom of the pond germinating and growing.
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9 |
Thanks for the info on the concentration. How do you generally do the math to achieve at least a 90 PPB? I assume you use a weight per volume ratio specific to the chemical.
Barring really bad luck, I'm not too worried about keeping the PPB steady for 30 days. There is not a lot of flow through the pond as it lacks a spring or stream and the drain field is not big relative to pond size. Unless we get really whacked with several days of heavy rain the pond keeps a steady level.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,860 Likes: 940
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Thanks for the info on the concentration. How do you generally do the math to achieve at least a 90 PPB? I assume you use a weight per volume ratio specific to the chemical.
Barring really bad luck, I'm not too worried about keeping the PPB steady for 30 days. There is not a lot of flow through the pond as it lacks a spring or stream and the drain field is not big relative to pond size. Unless we get really whacked with several days of heavy rain the pond keeps a steady level. A rough rule of thumb is take the surface area x 1/2 the max depth to get the acre foot measurement. For 1 ac ft of water@ 90 PPB you need 7.78 fl oz.
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9 |
Early April: Started seeing "just a little watermeal" around the pond edges
1-May: First treatment of Flumioxazin with hand sprayer to include surfactant. Pond was about 10% covered at this point. Pond went brown and scummy within a week and slowly began to clear in weeks 2-3. Watermeal began to spread again.
5-Jun: Watermeal was back to 10-15% pond coverage. I sprayed again and the same 4 week cycle repeated with the watermeal spreading again around week 3.
5-Jul: Once again, the watermeal was back and slightly more aggressive with 15-20% coverage. I sprayed and the 4 week cycle once again repeated.
14 Aug: Watermeal was back right on schedule and we're in the midst of the scummy residue clearing once again. I thought I was done for the year but the watermeal made one last run so... 25-Sep: Watermeal growth definitley slower but still covering enough of the pond to take action. It's now 2-Nov and the last treatment looks like it will get me through to the Spring. Still saw a few traces in mid-October but they were just traces.
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9 |
So far the watermeal has yet to make an appearance in 2022. It was this time last year that I first saw it around the pond edges. Probably too much to expect that the repeated treatment in 2021 could have eradicated, but ti might have slowed in down. Will continue to monitor.
As shared above, I'm going to try Fluridone (brand name WipeOut) this year if (when) it makes a reappearance.
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 68 Likes: 9
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OP
Joined: Feb 2021
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So it's official. The watermeal is gone. I didn't think it was possible let alone likely.
However, the nutrients are still there and the filamentous algae is going to town. The algae made a brief appearance last year before the watermeal took over and (apparently) out competed it.
The pond is only ¾ acre and so I tried mechanical removal for a few weeks but it became clear that I was running on a treadmill. I broke down and got some algaecide, but used it very sparingly. I don’t mind the algae but just cleaned up a few areas for access to fishing and some aesthetics. Really wish VA allowed tilapia!
Given that the algae is anchored to the shore line, I’m not chasing it around the pond when the wind changes like the watermeal. All in, it’s an improvement. In the next year or so I’ll be putting in an aeration system and I hope that provides some help. Pond continues to be remarkably clear with visibility hovering anywhere from 3-5 feet which is certainly helping the algae grow. Luckily the pond is very deep throughout so that is working in my favor.
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Joined: Aug 2022
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Joined: Aug 2022
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I've been having a major battle with watermeal this summer. In early July, it had covered practically the entire pond. My pond is about 0.2 acres. I bought Flumioxazin and applied it on the pond surface at the recommended rate of 5 ounces. It appeared to have an excellent effect, and the watermeal mostly disappeared for a week or so. I knew it would likely return, so I was ready for it, and sure enough, it did begin to spread again. I surface sprayed it again. This time, the watermeal turned brown, but did not disappear, and within a few days, it turned green again and began to spread. I have treated it several more times, roughly weekly, by surface spraying and each time it did the same thing - turned brown for a couple of days, then became green again and began spreading. Then I tried a subsurface application, using about 12 ounces of Flumioxazin, the recommended amount for my pond size. The effect was the same, brown briefly, then green again. At this point, I am out of guesses. Everything I've read says Flumioxazin is the best herbicide to use on watermeal, but it just isn't getting the job done. Any suggestions? My pond is 0.2 acres, with an average depth of 4 feet. BTW, at the same time that I began to battle the watermeal, I added an aeration disk to the pond, to prevent fish kill while battling the watermeal. I do turn off the aeration for a day after applying Flumioxazin to make sure it stays on the surface and doesn't mix into the whole pond depth.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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WM and DW have seed like forms that sink to the pond bottom. They don't become active until the surface plants die and let light through at which point they float to the surface and start to grow. That is why some products call for full water column dispersal for up to 90 days. See this https://aquaplant.tamu.edu/management-options/watermeal/
Last edited by ewest; 08/09/22 02:55 PM.
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Joined: May 2022
Posts: 96 Likes: 9
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Joined: May 2022
Posts: 96 Likes: 9 |
A friend of mine has water meal issues in a 2 acre pond. What is the best chemical or product to use? I have seen Propeller, Wipeout, Diquat., and Clipper. Which active chemical is best? I found on here that a lot of people like Clipper SC.
With it being 2 acres what would be the most cost effective as well? Pond is 8 foot deep in center, around half the pond much shallower like 3 to 4 feet
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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See this link for many plant issues including WM and how to address the issue. https://aquaplant.tamu.edu/
Last edited by ewest; 08/16/22 01:24 PM.
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Joined: May 2022
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Joined: May 2022
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I am going to use Clipper. But I am having a time trying to figuring out how much water to mix it with. Reads like 1 lb will do one acre. But how much water? If anybody has used this please tell me how many gallons per pound or ounces. Thanks in advance
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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I am going to use Clipper. But I am having a time trying to figuring out how much water to mix it with. Reads like 1 lb will do one acre. But how much water? If anybody has used this please tell me how many gallons per pound or ounces. Thanks in advance Peel back the label and read it. ALL of it. It tells you how much water to use right there in the directions. Do you have pH measuring test strips? If not, go buy some before using it. If you don't know the pH you are just throwing the Clipper away if the pH isn't in the range that it needs to be. Cliff notes are 1) The water in the sprayer MUST BE between 5.0 and 7.0 pH, AND the water that you are spraying it on has to be less than 8.5pH. (Page 4 of the directions) 2) You must mix Clipper with a non-ionic surfactant that has at least 80% active ingredient. It tells you how much to use right there in the directions. (Page 4 of the directions) 3) You must use 30 gallons of water per surface acre when mixed with 6-12 ounces of Clipper. (Page 5 of the directions)
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Joined: May 2022
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Joined: May 2022
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The PH is 6.7. Had the water tested at local water plant. What is non-ionic surfactant? We ordered Clipper but what we got Flumigard , it seems to have the same stuff in it. Maybe the directions are some what different.
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Joined: May 2022
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Joined: May 2022
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It looks to me like 8oz per 2 gallons of water
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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BACKPACK APPLICATION
Example: Applicator wants to spray 1 gallon of this product solution per 1,000 square feet at a rate of 12 fl oz/Acre. Mix 0.27 fl oz (1.6 teaspoons or 8.1 mls) of this product in 1 gallon of water
You would use that 12 fl. oz in 43.56 gallons to cover that one acre........
That's from the Flumigard label (page 3). Also on that same page, For an application rate of 8 fl. oz. per acre you would use 0.18 fl. oz. in one gallon of water, or 8 ounces in 43.56 gallons of water to cover that acre.
Flumigard is the generic equivalent of Clipper.
I use Cygnet Plus for my non-ionic surfactant.
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Joined: May 2022
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Joined: May 2022
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Langster, I know you have the herbicide now, but if you have to use something again in the future and you have underwater plants that you don't want to kill look at Stingray aquatic herbicide. It affects the following plants: Water-lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), Water-hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), Salvinia (Salvinia minima, Salvinia molesta), Duckweed (Lemna spp.), Mosquito fern (Azolla caroliniana), Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), Watermeals (Wolffia spp.), Alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), (Suppression), Water primrose (Ludwigia octovalvis) (Suppression).
13.5 fl. oz. per surface acre is the maximum application rate and that is to be mixed with between 20 and 200 gallons of water to get complete coverage. Again, use a non-ionic surfactant.
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Joined: May 2022
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Joined: May 2022
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Great stuff took 72 hours but it has worked
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