Moss in Stock Ponds

How do I get rid of moss or algae in stock ponds or "tanks" as we call them in Texas? Ive heard you can put nitrogen in them and the moss will grow itself to death, if so, how much? What do yall do for it? It makes it difficult for my kids to fish and I spend all my time getting them untangled and out of the moss and not fishing myself!!!!!

I've used copper sulfate. Cover about 25% of the surface each day for 4 days. I just broadcast it by hand. Works for me.

Be careful, if you kill too much of it at one time it will die and rot and suck the 02 out of the water and cause a fish kill.

Good to see you back crop.

It's my understanding that fertilizer works by causing a algae bloom. The murky water chokes out sunlight causing the underwater plants to die.

The method that works well for me is cattle. They get in the water murking it up causing the same effect. They also will eat some vegetation.

I've also used round-up. Like jo mentioned you don't want to kill but a small area at one time. Spray as soon as the moss reaches the surface, before hot weather. Aireation will spraying is also a good idea. I have a aeration system that runs all summer and cost me less than 300.00 (requires electric) just ask and I'll be happy to detail it.

Go to Pondboss forum great info and very helpful members.

Crop, below is an old post of mine about controlling algae. We ended up just dumping a little Clorox in the tank, the other stuff is specifically for ponds.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=99742&hilit=algae

Grass carp

For algae don;t use copper sulfate. It will wipe out the algae but also kill the fish. Got the shirt

Aeration is out of the question. Long way to electricity for any of the 8 different tanks on our place. Round up or nitrogen not a problem. Thanks for the replys

As long as the cows continue to have direct access to it you will get the algae. Seems it has to do with the fertility of the water from them crapping in it.

dun":1lgqdz50 said:

As long as the cows continue to have direct access to it you will get the algae. Seems it has to do with the fertility of the water from them crapping in it.

Click to expand...

Where do you get this information?

Jogeephus":ueigny2n said:

Be careful, if you kill too much of it at one time it will die and rot and suck the 02 out of the water and cause a fish kill.

Click to expand...

True...reason to only do part of the pond at a time.

callmefence":kgfb7mvm said:

dun":kgfb7mvm said:

As long as the cows continue to have direct access to it you will get the algae. Seems it has to do with the fertility of the water from them crapping in it.

Click to expand...

Where do you get this information?

Click to expand...

I thought everyone knew this but there are lost of publications on it and it was before the advent of fake news.

http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2009 ... 1910.shtml

M-5":1mlymat5 said:

callmefence":1mlymat5 said:

dun":1mlymat5 said:

As long as the cows continue to have direct access to it you will get the algae. Seems it has to do with the fertility of the water from them crapping in it.

Click to expand...

Where do you get this information?

Click to expand...

I thought everyone knew this but there are lost of publications on it and it was before the advent of fake news.

http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2009 ... 1910.shtml

Click to expand...

I will agree manure may add to algae. Maybe I misinterpreted dun.
But algae is beneficial and does not foul a hook. Cattle muddy the water which chokes out the sunlight. Causing moss not to grow.
Plants need sunlight to grow.

crop hail":1jzb1x90 said:

How do I get rid of moss or algae in stock ponds or "tanks" as we call them in Texas? Ive heard you can put nitrogen in them and the moss will grow itself to death, if so, how much? What do yall do for it? It makes it difficult for my kids to fish and I spend all my time getting them untangled and out of the moss and not fishing myself!!!!!

Click to expand...

I believe you are faced with two problems. You mention moss and algae which are two separate problems in my view. It was a common practice here in clear water lakes to add fertilizer to ponds to make them green up. This would reduce the amount of light reaching the bottom and prevent moss and other aquatic weeds from establishing themselves. However, the algae scum stuff just floats around so providing nitrogen will only make this grow faster because you are essentially feeding it whether this food is coming from the cow manure or fertilizer.

In your situation it sounds like you need to address both these problems. Limiting your cattle's access to the pond would be a good start along with the use of some of the recommendations that have been made. If you are successful, it might be a better idea to use blue dye in the water once things are cleared up.

Never seen anybody fence off their tanks.
Maybe I oughtta get behind this nonsense.
Could be a better deal for fence than the dam grapes

TexasBred":1zbdae6o said:

Jogeephus":1zbdae6o said:

Be careful, if you kill too much of it at one time it will die and rot and suck the 02 out of the water and cause a fish kill.

Click to expand...

True...reason to only do part of the pond at a time.

Click to expand...

This is one of those weird deals. I've used it before and not had any problem. I actually did a smaller area then usual. Typically the only area that is affected is where I spread the stuff. This time it killed all of the algae in the entire pond and all of the fish. I'm wondering if it is a winter deal. I've done it in the summer before but this is the first time I've done it in the winter. Sure shocked the crap out of me.

dun":2epdnret said:

TexasBred":2epdnret said:

Jogeephus":2epdnret said:

Be careful, if you kill too much of it at one time it will die and rot and suck the 02 out of the water and cause a fish kill.

Click to expand...

True...reason to only do part of the pond at a time.

Click to expand...

This is one of those weird deals. I've used it before and not had any problem. I actually did a smaller area then usual. Typically the only area that is affected is where I spread the stuff. This time it killed all of the algae in the entire pond and all of the fish. I'm wondering if it is a winter deal. I've done it in the summer before but this is the first time I've done it in the winter. Sure shocked the crap out of me.

Click to expand...

When you did this was the winter cold enough to put a thin layer of ice over the lake?

dun":1vy4dqec said:

TexasBred":1vy4dqec said:

Jogeephus":1vy4dqec said:

Be careful, if you kill too much of it at one time it will die and rot and suck the 02 out of the water and cause a fish kill.

Click to expand...

True...reason to only do part of the pond at a time.

Click to expand...

This is one of those weird deals. I've used it before and not had any problem. I actually did a smaller area then usual. Typically the only area that is affected is where I spread the stuff. This time it killed all of the algae in the entire pond and all of the fish. I'm wondering if it is a winter deal. I've done it in the summer before but this is the first time I've done it in the winter. Sure shocked the crap out of me.

Click to expand...

No idea if it matters at all but I've always used it in spring. Always done a good job with no fish kill. I hear copper chelates are even better but expensive.

TexasBred":g84dhuph said:

dun":g84dhuph said:

TexasBred":g84dhuph said:

True...reason to only do part of the pond at a time.

Click to expand...

This is one of those weird deals. I've used it before and not had any problem. I actually did a smaller area then usual. Typically the only area that is affected is where I spread the stuff. This time it killed all of the algae in the entire pond and all of the fish. I'm wondering if it is a winter deal. I've done it in the summer before but this is the first time I've done it in the winter. Sure shocked the crap out of me.

Click to expand...

No idea if it matters at all but I've always used it in spring. Always done a good job with no fish kill. I hear copper chelates are even better but expensive.

Click to expand...

I talked to a guy who raises fish for a living and he said that bacteria and other critters can be dormant in cold water so rather than them feeding on the dying algae and junk along and along this stuff just settles to the bottom and begins to break down so when the water temperature increases the bacteria and stuff will spike more than they otherwise would do and end up zapping the oxygen and this can cause a pond kill even though you only treated a portion of the lake. Don't know if this is right but he sounded like he was familiar with it.