Duck Weed

[RockenG]

We have what we call Duck Weed growing on a couple of our ponds. It the light green stuff looks like little seeds. It has taken over one of the pond, and starting on another. Any good ideas on how to get ride of it? I have treated it with a stuff called Carmex it didnt help much. I have used a product years ago called Blue Stone or Rock somethig like that for the dark green slim, but the feed store owner says it will not work on this stuff.

 

[Jake]

as long as there are no cows drinking from the pond for a little while, you can spray it with roundup. Why do you want to get rid of it? I didn't know it caused any problems

 

[RockenG]

It blocks the light and kills the fish... I thought about round up and wondered about having to keep the cows off it.

 

[dcara]

I have a similar problem with Primerose in a small pond (about 100 ft diameter). The Blue stone doesn't really affect it much since it floats on the surface, and I don't like using herbisides. I've found different ways to remove pretty much all of the surface vegatation manually usually with-in a couple of hours if done before it takes over the pond. One way is to use just a regular rake and drag the stuff up onto shore to let it dry out and die. I hired a laborer to do it (and some other stuff) this season and it actually ended up costing less to pay him for a couple of hours to clean the pond this way than I would have spent on chemicals. A few years ago I let it go to long and it pretty much took over the pond. Some of it I couldn't reach with the rake. That time I used a piece of rope attached to a stake on the bank and walked the other end about a quarter of the way around the pond and then let it sink down a couple of feet before walking back and hence dragging most of the stuff up onto shore. Both ways are a bit messy but effective, quick, and not dangerous to fish, birds, animals, etc.

 

[dun]

This site has pretty good pictures of various pond weeds to help identify the plant. Their products work pretty well too

http://www.killlakeweeds.com/

dun

 

[texasmortgageman]

I have seen this work once and some others swear by it. Especially for small ponds/tanks you put 10 pounds or so of horticultural cornmeal in a permeable type container (panty hose would be perfect but too small) some use burlap. Throw the "container" in the pond so its underwater. Dont just throw the cornmeal on top. It is non-toxic and is worth a try and pretty cheap.

 

[mobetter11]

One of the best ways to get rid of it is to deepen your ponds. It grows when the sunlight reaches the bottom of the ponds where the water is crystal clear. I have heard of people using agriculture lime to try to get rid of it, it worked for what was on the pond at that time, but, it returned the next year. There is a spray for it, can't remember the name, but it's like $75.00 a gallon. It helps some, but again, it usually comes back the next year.

Personally we re-dug all of our ponds and tanks deeper and haven't had any more problems with it.

 

[hillbilly]

How about a "grass carp" you can buy a couple for each pond.
They won't reproduce in a pond but live for a long time.
They will keep your pond clear.

Hillbilly

 

[Mike H]

Fisheries in Texas have cautioned the improper use of grass carp. Using less than the suggested number of fish per surface acre (10 in Texas) will actually do more harm than good. The fish will select the most desireable vegetation which will release the less desireable pond weeds and situation may continue to increase. Twelve inch fish are one dollar per inch in Texas and should be used if large bass etc are already present in the pond.
Elanco makes a product called Sonar A S, fluridone, labeled for use on duck weed and other acquatic weeds and labeled for use in fresh water ponds, lakes,reservoirs, and irrigation canals and rivers. It inhibits cartenoid synthesis in plants and this exposes the chlorophyll to photsodegradation.
It acts slowly so there is no oxygen depletion and subsequent fish kills. Very low mammalian toxicity, and there is no restriction on consumption if used according to label directions for humans, pets and livestock. It does not control algae. The important thing is identifying the specific group of weeds needing control. The problem with Sonar is that it very expensive. Elanco specialty product division is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Check with local Wildlife Dept folks as permits are required in some areas.

 

[Brad B]

2-4D Amine will kill it, and it's labled for aquatic use, just mix in plenty of surfactant. (make sure the surfactant is labeled for aquatic use) Round up will work, but the surfactant in Round-up can be toxic to fish.

Duckweed looks like a very tiny 4 leaf clover with a small white/tranlucent root growing out of the center of the bottom of the plant. Filamentous Algae is the stringy green stuff that grows on the bottom and then floats up to the top.

Also, if it is Duckweed, then it most likely will all blow over to one side of the pond when it's windy. It is easier to spray when it's "corraled" like that.

 

[Wewild]

Didn't have duckweed but some other growth. We used the grass carp 5 years ago. No more algae.

See link

http://www.suttlefish.com/grass carp.htm

 

[Rookie]

How about a "grass carp" you can buy a couple for each pond.
They won't reproduce in a pond but live for a long time.
They will keep your pond clear.

Hilbilly is right on here. Grass Carp cure a world of weed trouble and cause none that I have seen.

george

 

[RockenG]

Thanks for all the tips...

 

[Beefy]

i like grass carp too.