Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Frustrated

I have algae mats around my shoreline and filamentous algae submersed. I have raked the mats out but it comes right back. I have used Airmax KnockDown along with the Booster Plus. Several applications - some parts of the mats get brown but is not killing it. I also tried Cutrine Plus liquid with no luck. Also used Cutrine Plus granular for the submersed alge with little effect.

Other options? Should I hire someone to come in and spray it all. I have 10 grass carp that are mature and large but they do not seem to be helping anything.

Following good rains there is a small spring that flows through some other ponds above me and into my pond and then flows out of my pond. I thought about using some dye but with the outflow not sure it would help Thanks

Tim, in my experience, the pond dye does not reduce the FA in my neighborhood pond. It does, however, make the FA glow a little bit.

Are you applying the products and removing the FA or just letting it sit on the bottom to be recycled into the pond? Sounds like it's recirculating in new growth as the old decomposes.

Agree with Boondoggle. When you rake out the algal mats, they must be removed from the watershed area where surface water goes back into the pond. Otherwise, the algae breaks down and the nutrients go right back into the pond!

The water from your spring probably has a slight fertilizing effect on your pond. Calcium, iron, plus many of the other trace metals support plant growth. (Of course, N-P-K are the most important components of pond fertilization.)

Finally, I don't believe carp eat more than a tiny amount of FA. Have your read any of the threads on tilapia? They will eat your algae! I believe you are far enough south that they will probably live through your winter temperatures. (Maybe check with the other Texas pond owners that have them?)

I raked the FA to the shoreline but never considered it could cause a problem. I have thought about Tilapia - wonder how many I need in a 1.5 acre pond?

When I rake FA out of my neighborhood pond, I pull it up on to the bank and let it dry/reside there. A very heavy rain might put it back in the pond, but I haven't had that happen....yet.

I think last I heard on this was 20+ lbs per acre. Smaller is better for FA. I have also heard a preference to them dying off over the winter vs a full time population from some of the pond experts (links into carrying capacity of the pond). Do some research on them.....may be helpful for your situation.

Here in Indiana to use Tilapia successfully we have to do two things. 1) kill any FA within a few days of stocking the tilapia, either pre or post stocking. 2) We have to stock 40# per surface acre or it's like we never put them in.

If we don't stock roughly 50% female, 50% male the FA control isn't as good.

We typically stock 5"-9" fish.

In regards to you applying the algaecide, how much are you applying, how are you mixing it and how big of an area are you applying it on?

Plus, what time of the day are you spraying the FA?

For serious FA, 100lbs per acre is not out of the question. Depending on just how far south you are, in cold weather (winter) they may become sluggish enough they are easy targets for LMB-if present-and can be somewhat controlled in that manner.
Mozambique would be my choice if in a borderline area of survival for Blue tilapia because the Mozambique die at a higher temp.
Back to FA.. I have a customer that has a ground fed pond that has super high nutrient levels, first step is working to remove all growth-floating mats-manually. With an excess of these nutrients you are going to need to apply several methods for control. Killing it with chemical never really gets rid of it, just starts the cycle over-quicker. Killing it, waiting a week to 10 days, then applying Alum sulphate will lock up most of the dissolved nutrients and keep it from being useable to fire again, but a constant inflow of nutrients creates it's own set of issues, and proper experience applying Alum is mandatory for safety reasons with know-how on what and how much of what to use as a buffer.
It's going to be a very active management plan to implement but is probably going to be needed to get-and stay-on top of it.

Soooo - had bad algae as mentioned above. Treated it with no good results. Floating and submerged algae around my entire pond.

Last week we got 5-6 inches of rain and the small creek feeding my pond got to rolling - water running through my pond to my overflow - all of a sudden all the algae is gone and the water went from clear to muddy - do I just sit back and see what happens next? Temps going from 70s to 80-90s quickly - thoughts and advice?

On thought: Different species of FA (and aquatic plants in general) will grow better after the water warms. You may see different stuff growing now.

Was the algae instantaneously gone after the big rain, or disappeared over time?

I guess a huge water flow through could flush out a large proportion of your floating algae.

OTOH, algae requires sunlight for photosynthesis. Muddy pond with no light penetration, then no algae growth!

From what I've seen on our pond after big changes in water levels the chemistry and temps are off for a few days after. I wouldn't make any changes for a least a week or until you water test shows things have balanced back out.

I do have pretty limited experience here...just my personal observations.

It was gone immediately after the rain in in flow - I am just keeping an eye out for any future changes

If the inflow was not sourced from source high in nutrients like farm runoff and fertilized lawns, it may be a good thing to get the old nutrient rich water out. Time will tell if you have improved water quality as the suspended particles settle out.