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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,864 Likes: 298
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OP
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,864 Likes: 298 |
My water tends to be naturally acidic & infertile, so I must lime every couple of years. I've also made it a habit to fertilize to get a bloom, trying to do it as early as I can so don't encourage too much plant growth.
I still get too many plants, especially with water level down two or three feet this year. But if I don't fertilize, hard to get much of a bloom at all.
So I'm wondering if stocking GC might be smarter than fertilizing. They naturally reduce excess plants, and their excretions serve to fertilize water & reduce visibility. Any thoughts on this strategy?
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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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
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,531 Likes: 838 |
The trick is to get the alkalinity as high as possible, I really like to have 40 as a minimum. Fertilize early in the year before the plants start growing so the phytoplankton can utilize the fertilizer and less goes to feeding the plants. Toss some TGC in there, but remember that the plants are providing cover for the fish, without the cover you have to add more cover to make up for the plants not being there. I don't know how much fertilizer the TGC will provide since they are turning the nutrients from the plants into fish flesh too.
If the alkalinity is low, get it up before adding fertilizer or you might be trading one problem for another.
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1 member likes this:
anthropic |
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 126 Likes: 28
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 126 Likes: 28 |
I really dislike grass carp. They are essentially forever as they live 25+ years. I'm trying to re-establish native vegetation in a 70 year old lake. I fight GC and turtles for every scrap. GC won't eat the damn alligator grass and that's all you'll have if you take out everything else. It would have to be bad before I would use them. A balanced environment needs plant life.
Ross Canant
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1 member likes this:
anthropic |
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,864 Likes: 298
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OP
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,864 Likes: 298 |
Thanks to both of you for the advice! Don't like using chemicals, they are expensive and strictly a one time cure, but maybe that's best.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 126 Likes: 28
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 126 Likes: 28 |
What exactly are you fighting?
Ross Canant
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