A customer recently contacted us regarding lake weed control. Below is his question and our response.
Question:
I live on a fresh water lake, our beach is sand covered with a little mud. It’s a gradual slope out about 200’ to a depth of 15’...I have used Aquacide Pellets before with some success but my question is if there is a product I can apply now while the lake is out that will kill the weed roots? The lake is all the way out and the bottom is exposed. Not frozen, just damp?
Answer:
There are two main types of aquatic weed killer, systemic and contact.
Systemic aquatic herbicides (Aquacide Pellets, Restore/Sonar & Shore Klear/Aqua Neat) are absorbed into the lake weed as it draws in sunlight and nutrients to grow larger.
Contact aquatic herbicides (Aquathol Super K Granular, Hydrothol Granular & Weedtrine-D Liquid) simply kill the lake weed foliage they make good contact with and do not directly affect the root system. Aggressive repeat treatment with a contact product may cause the weeds to die completely.
To answer your question, lake weeds need to be visible and actively growing for either herbicide to be effective. The best option for exposed shoreline weeds is a systemic herbicide for emergent weeds (Shore Klear/Aqua Neat) or physical removal with a Lake Rake. Yes, physical removal is labor intensive, however anything you do physically to remove lake muck and shore weeds will reduce nutrients in the pond. Once the water level rises, there will be less nutrients and less new growth in the pond.
Once water returns to the pond, apply a systemic herbicide (Aquacide Pellets or Restore/Sonar) at the first sign of new growth. Normally one early spring treatment is all you need.
If some weeds are still present after treatment with a systemic herbicide, follow 30 days later with a contact herbicide (Aquathol Super K Granular, Hydrothol Granular or Weedtrine-D Liquid).
Please email or call me if you have questions or need additional information.
Please feel free to email me or post questions you may have and I will respond accordingly.
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Pond water needs to be clear for good production of fish. Clear ponds produce several times the amount of fish than turbid ponds. Lets face it, clear ponds are much more fun to swim in! Most ponds become muddy after heavy rain, runoff, when ponds turn over or from excess decayed vegetation. Normally, silt or decay should settle out within one week’s time. Water clarity is normally 1 foot or more during most of the year. Fish production will be decreased in water with less than 1 foot visibility.
If pond water does not clear within a week’s time, the problem may be due to a combination of factors.
Turbidity is normal caused by clay particles suspended in the water that repel each other (colloidal clay) and will not settle out. This problem can be treated by adding material to the pond that causes these particles to clump and settle out.
Fish (such as bullheads and carp), along with crayfish, will cause water to be muddy due to their burrowing and feeding on the pond bottom. Remove these species and introduce predatory fish like largemouth bass or channel catfish. Ponds with a good population of predatory fish will not have crayfish problems and turbidity will be reduced.
Excessive weed growth decays and can become suspended. Heavy rain and runoff flush nutrients into the pond that weeds will thrive on. This weed growth then dies causing an overabundance of decayed vegetation or “muck”. Wave movement or wind can cause this “muck” to rise causing turbidity throughout the pond. Reducing fertilizer applications near the pond, maintaining septic system, redirecting nutrient-rich runoff away from the pond will all reduce nutrient level. This reduction of nutrients in the pond will in turn reduce weed growth and decay.
3 good control options are:
Gypsum (hydrated calcium sulfate) (available from fertilizer dealers) can clear colloidal clay problems. Scatter gypsum evenly over pond surface at the rate of 525 lbs. per acre-foot of water.
Aluminum Sulfate (Clear-Pond) is a second option for clearing colloidal clay. An application of 50 lbs. per acre-foot will clear pond within one week. Alum is best applied by dissolving in water and spraying over water surface.
If the pond is acidic (low pH) or soft water, add about 20 lbs. of lime (calcium hydroxide) per acre-foot of water. This may also help the clay to settle.
Beneficial Bacteria (AquaClear) is an option for pond muck removal. One gallon will treat 1 acre-foot of water. Best applied by mixing with 9 gallons of water. Normally, 4 weekly treatments will clarify the water and reduce the suspended solids.
http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/layout/set/print/fishing/special-fishing-programs.com
Please feel free to email me or post questions you may have and I will respond accordingly.
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THAD COOK HAD BEEN WORKING as a biologist on the Illinois River, a few hours south of Chicago, for nearly a decade when his boat began to fall apart. The depth finder busted first, followed by the radio, the generator, and finally the fuel tank.
He wondered if this was related to the stories he’d been hearing from downriver. Weird tales of boats with no drivers, spinning wildly in the water. Men hauled ashore with lacerations. Anglers covered in blood.
Then it hit him: a 25-pounder, right in the gut. “It was like a cannonball,” he says. A few weeks later, he was struck again. Then again and again. Now just about every time he and his colleagues with the Illinois Natural History Survey go out on the water, they get pummeled. “Like we’re in a cage match with these things,” he says.
See entire article at: www.minnesotamonthly.com/meda/Minnesota-Monthy/March-2011/The-One-That-Got-Away/
Asian Carp have been cultivated in aquaculture in China for over 1,000 years and are the most important fish worldwide in terms of total aquaculture production. Asian Carp have been a popular food fish in Asia. It is said to taste like cod and is very low in mercury. To make the fish more appealing to American consumers, the fish have been renamed silverfin or Kentucky tuna on menus.
These large filter feeding fish can weigh up to 110 pounds. They have low set eyes below the mouth and large upturned mouths without whisker-like tactile organs. They eat huge amounts of planktonic algae and compete for food with native species that rely on plankton for food. This includes mussels, larval fishes and some adult fish. This competition for food could result in fewer smaller sport fish. They were imported to the United States in the 1970’s to help clean commercial ponds and escaped aquaculture ponds into the Mississippi River during 1990 flooding.
Some Asian Carp can jump up to 10 feet out of the water and are notorious for being easily frightened by sounds of water craft. They can jump into boats and injure boaters, personal watercraft operators and water skiers. Numerous boaters have been severely injured by collisions with fish including cuts from fins, black eyes, broken bones, back injuries and concussions.
They are well-established in the Mississippi River basin, including tributaries of the United States. They have been captured in the watershed from Louisiana to South Dakota, Minnesota and Ohio.
The EPA is also concerned about the possibility of Asian Carp migrating to the Great Lakes. In 2002 the US Army Corp of Engineers completed an electric fish barrier in the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal (navigable aquatic link between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River). By 2009 Asian Carp genetic material was detected beyond the barrier. In 2010 a 19 lb. Asian Carp was ground near the shore of Lake Michigan in Lake Calumet.
These fish are thought to be highly detrimental to the environment in parts of the United States.
How you can help?
Drain lake or river water from live wells and bilges before leaving any body of water.
Never use wild-caught baitfish in waters other than where they came from.
Don’t move live fish from one location to another.
Learn the features that distinguish young Asian Carp from Gizzard Shad and other minnows, carry an Asian Watch Card (obtained from local DNR) in your tackle box.
If you think you’ve caught an Asian Carp, take a picture of the fish laid out flat, include nose and tail, or put the fish on ice and bring to your local DNR Office or contact them.
For your lake and pond solutions see the links below.
Posted by
Tom Markoe on Wed, May 02, 2012 @ 10:55 AM
Here is another recent email question from one of our customers regarding the treatment of watershield.
Q: I have an approx. 60 yard by 80 yard pond that I would like to clean up. The past six years I have struggled with watershield. The majority of it is covered with watershield, only the center fifteen yard by twenty yard area is not covered yet and actually has not advanced for the past three years. The gel has not started to form on the vines as of yet. What I am concerned about is, does the entire pond have to be covered? If I stand on the bank and scatter the Aquacide Pellets, will that scatter far enough and be sufficient around the pond? I know it will not hit all of the covered area. Does that matter if I scatter the entire 50# bag around a ten to twelve foot band of watershield around this pond? Would it affect the remainder of the watershield farther out? Suggestions needed.
A: The watershield typically will only grow in the shallow waters, so the deeper area, regardless of what you do, will likely remain watershield free.
Early in the season the Aquacide Pellets will be a great option for getting rid of the watershield. It typically takes a heavier application due to the larger root system and the "mucky" bottom. We recommend 10 lbs. over a 50' x 50' area with an average of 4' deep.
Eventually, the watershield will get a gel-like substance on the underside of the foliage as well as along the stem mid-season, at which point the Aquacide Pellets will not be as effective. At that point spraying the watershield with the Shore Klear and Cygnet Plus combination will be a better option for treatment.
Both treatment options are systemic and will kill the entire root system on the watershield. You may need a second treatment two to three weeks after the first if you miss any spots on the original application.
Often customers will also use the AquaClear Pellets in these types of settings because they will help dissolve the "muck" and dead vegetation that has built up at the bottom. If you can get rid of most of that sediment, the watershield will be less likely to grow as prevalent in the future.
Please feel free to email me or post questions you may have and I will respond accordingly.
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Duckweed and Watermeal are free floating pond weeds that are found in wetlands and nutrient rich stagnant water. They are often mistaken for algae. Pond weed identification can be done by recognizing its small, round floating “frond” or leaf. Duckweed frond has hanging roots and is roughly the diameter of a pencil eraser. Watermeal has no roots and looks like floating grass seed about the size of a pin-head. Duckweed and Watermeal reproduce by budding on the margin or base of the frond. Each frond can only do this a limited number of times before dying. Both survive freezing and drought by producing seeds or buds “turion” that sink to the bottom after being released from mother frond. Both are most commonly transported by waterfowl.
Duckweed and Watermeal do serve as food for waterfowl and fish. They multiply incredibly fast when conditions are right. Both block sunlight and absorb nutrients (phosphorus & nitrogen) from the pond thus out compete algae. By absorbing nutrients, they act as a natural water purifier by removing unwanted matter by as much as 99 percent. Both also block sunlight which can reduce water loss from evaporation by as much as 33 percent.
Overabundance of Duckweed and Watermeal indicate excessive nutrients exist in the water. These nutrients may often come from runoff. Heavy infestation will inhibit oxygen exchange and reduce dissolved oxygen when weeds die and decay. This can kill fish and clog outlets such as water drains.
2 ways to kill these pond weeds:
Physical control is accomplished by netting or raking off the water surface. Vacuum devices can also be used to skim these pond weeds from small ponds. Aerators also disrupt surface water which may limit growth.
Chemical control is accomplished with fluridone (Restore Liquid) or diquat dibromide (Weedtrine-D Liquid). Chemical intervention won’t solve the problem of excessive nutrients in water. Ponds with high nutrient level may require chemical treatment every spring to maintain control.
Long term control is best accomplished by reducing or redirecting nutrient sources from pond. Do this by:
• Reducing fertilizer applications near the pond.
• Maintain septic system.
• Redirect nutrient-rich runoff away from pond.
• Maintain vegetative buffer strips around pond.
• Apply beneficial bacteria for pond muck removal and reduce nutrient level.
For further information visit: www.sfr.cas.psu.edu/water
Please feel free to email me or post questions you may have and I will respond accordingly.
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Fertilization is done to improve the quality of fish growth. In the United States, fertilization has been used extensively since 1925 as a means for increasing pond productivity.
Applying proper pond fertilizer to a lake has the same effect as fertilizing your garden, it increases production. Research has proven that pounds of fish produced may be increased 300 percent or more by proper fertilization. How does this happen? Pond fertilizer increases the small green algae called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is eaten by tiny insects called zooplankton. These little insects are eaten by your fish. The more food you produce from fertilization the more fish you can grow.
When NOT to Fertilize:
• If your pond has excessive water flow.
• If your pond has extensive areas with a 2 foot depth.
• If your pond has a history of pond weed problems.
• If your pond is acidic.
• If your pond is constantly muddy; phytoplankton requires sunlight for growth.
There are several types of pond fertilizers, granular, liquid and a new concentrated dissolvable powder. The powder option requires no mixing and only takes 5 lbs. per acre. This is the easiest type of fertilizer to use and very effective in developing and maintaining plankton bloom.
Most ponds require applications every month from March through October. Begin application when water temperature reaches 65°F, continue until water temperature drops below 65°F. Reapply when you can see an object 22 inches below the water surface.
Common Mistakes:
• Failure to maintain adequate bloom. Infrequent fertilization can increase pond weed problems.
• Waiting too late in the spring to begin. Once rooted pond weeds become established, fertilization will only worsen the pond weed problem.
• Failure to check the total hardness. Lack of lime will reduce the development of adequate bloom and encourage pond weed growth.
Improper or infrequent fertilization procedures can cause major pond weed problems and oxygen depletion. A clear weedy or slime infested pond is not productive and cannot be properly fertilized. Fertilizing pond weeds or algae make them grow more rapidly. Pond weed removal is necessary before fertilization can begin. For pond weed identification and control options, contact your local environmental agency or pond professional.
Please feel free to email me or post questions you may have and I will respond accordingly.
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Posted by
Tom Markoe on Thu, Apr 19, 2012 @ 12:25 PM
Augusta, GA (AP) - Eight bald eagles found dead on a lake near the Georgia - South Carolina border died of a disease linked to an invasive weed, authorities have determined.
The deaths, which occurred during the winter and early spring, were the result of an algae-borne neurotoxin linked to the invasive weed hydrilla, The Augusta Chronicle reported.
Scientists working to find ways of controlling the problem say they aren't the first bald eagles deaths linked to the weed. They say 11 eagles died in the area during the previous season.
The eagles succumbed to avian vacuolar myelinopathy, caused by algae that grow on mats of hydrilla, wildlife officials said. The weeds are part of popular feeding sites for small aquatic birds, which are eaten by eagles and help spread the disease to them.
Low water levels and unseasonably warm temperatures may have hastened the growth of the weed, made it more accessible to birds and helped spread the disease, said Ken Boyd, a biologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The deaths are the focus of research by wildlife agencies and University of Georgia scientists.
One option being studied involves introducing grass-eating-carp to the reservoir in hopes that the fish would eliminate the hydrilla, which in turn might reduce the likelihood of disease outbreaks.
Despite the eagle deaths at Lake Thurmond, the overall bald eagle population in Georgia continues to expand, the state Department of Natural Resources reported last week.
Information from: The Augusta Chronicle
http://augustachronicle.com
COONTAIL
Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum, also called Hornwort) are rootless, submersed, perennial lake weeds that often form dense colonies. Leaves are stiff, whorled with many forks and have small teeth along one edge of the fork. Coontail gets its name from the physical resemblance to a raccoon’s tail. Email a digital photo to Weeds@KillLakeWeeds.com for proper lake or pond weed identification.
Lake weeds, including Coontail, provide habitat for many micro and macro invertebrates. This invertebrate is food for fish, ducks, reptiles and other aquatic wildlife.
Coontail reproduces from fragments, pollination and seed production. It is very aggressive and grows best in water temperatures of 55°F and warmer. Coontail behaviors are similar to dandelion reproduction in early spring. If you have ever mowed your dandelion covered lawn, you know how quickly dandelions can repopulate your lawn with flowering stems.
Mechanical & Physical Removal Options
Raking and Cutting is one method, that if done aggressively, can be successful. Lake weed removal devises such as the Beachcomber Lake Rake, Water Weed Razer and Water Weed Rake are available to cut or rake weeds. Remember, Coontail can regrow aggressively from fragmentation so removal of cut fragments is necessary. Cutting should be the last option due to its aggressive ability to reestablish.
Fertilization will produce a phytoplankton “bloom” that prevents pond weed growth when applied properly and will also produce a strong food chain for fish ponds.
Pond dye (Aquashade) is non-toxic and used to reduce pond weed growth by limiting sunlight but does not enhance the natural food chain.
Lake drawdown is a method achieved by draining as much as 1/3 of the given body of water during the winter to expose the lake bottom where the Coontail was growing. Cold winter temperatures kill the exposed vegetation. This is a very good method to use, but can sometimes lead to deeper water infestation.
Biologic Control Options
Grass Carp will consume Coontail. Stock range is 7-15 per acre. Contact your local Parks and Recreation Department for permit requirements and certified dealers.
Chemical Control Options
Coontail is a lake weed that is sensitive to most contact herbicides, when they are applied in the appropriate amounts. These herbicides, which include diquat dibromide (Weedtrine-D Liquid) and endothall (Aquathol Super K Granular and Hydrothol Granular) work by contact and subsequent burning of the vegetation. These options only affect the vegetation that they come into contact with. Roots and parts of the lake weed that the herbicide does not touch will not die. Repeat treatment may be needed to make good contact with all of the foliage.
Coontail is also susceptible to systemic herbicides known as 2,4-D (Aquacide Pellets) and fluridone (Restore Liquid & Sonar Granular). The term “systemic” means that the herbicide will be absorbed and move within the lake weed, killing the entire root.
Oxygen depletion from decomposition of dead lake weed material may kill the fish in the pond. If the pond is heavily infested with weeds, treat pond in sections and let each section decompose for 2 weeks before treating another section. Aeration at night for several days after treatment may also help with oxygen depletion.
http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/managment-options/coontail
Coontail, Wikipedia free encyclopedia
Please feel free to email me or post questions you may have and I will respond accordingly.
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Posted by
Tom Markoe on Sun, Apr 08, 2012 @ 09:57 AM
A customer recently contacted us regarding the control of Milfoil, Parrot Feather and Water Primrose. Below is his question and a response.
Q: Hi, I need to know if this product is going to be harmful to the fish, frogs, turtles, ducks and other wildlife in and around my lake prior to purchase and use. I read the FAQ but it says nothing except to read the label before use which would require me to purchase it first. To be sure, we would be using the product best suited for the treatment of Milfoil, Parrot Feather and Water Primrose.
Thank you for your time.
A: The Aquacide Pellets are registered federally with the E.P.A. and is safe for all wildlife. There are no swimming restrictions on the product either. Keep in mind a state permit may be required for application. State permits can be obtained through your local county extension, Department of Natural Resources or your equivalent.
We have all product labels on our website under the Downloads section for your convenience.
We recommend using 10-lbs. of Aquacide Pellets over a 4,000 square foot area with an average of 4 feet deep. They are systemic so they will kill the root system on all broadleaf weeds. Milfoil, Parrot Feather and Water Primrose are all considered broadleaf weeds.
Please feel free to email me or post questions you may have and I will respond accordingly.
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Posted by
Tom Markoe on Sun, Apr 01, 2012 @ 09:18 AM
Question five in the Q+A Series deals with the recommended timing and annual schedule of aquatic weed control products, algae control, and a lake muck removal application. Keep in mind each individual case is different. Many situations will only call for one or possibly two of these applications, or possibly something all together separate from these three.
Question #5- What would be my application schedule for this? When do we begin? How often? When do we stop? In other words, what could I put on my yearly calendar to remind me to do this each year? (Feel free to refer back to questions 1-4 if need be.)
Application timing can vary depending on where the application is to occur. Typically you will want to wait until spring. We are in Minnesota where spring obviously comes a fair time later (than for you in Florida, Louisiana or California for example), so we typically focus on water temperature as a gage. Generally speaking, growth will usually start around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Again, noticeable active growth is the key.
I would recommend starting at that point with the Aquacide Pellets (if you plan on treating the Water Willow). Again, it may take one treatment but often times you may see spots of continued growth after the first application. When you start to notice some of the weeds dying, give it a week and if you still have green active growth in certain spots, we recommend giving those areas a second application.
Three weeks after the final treatment of the Aquacide application you can switch to weekly applications of the AquaClear Pellets for "muck". Continue using the AquaClear Pellets until the "muck" and dead vegetation are completely dissolved, or until you are happy with the level of degradation accomplished. (If you do not plan on using the Aquacide Pellets for the Water Willow, you can start with the AquaClear Pellets as soon as the water temperature reaches 40 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Cutrine-Plus can be applied in conjunction with either of the pellets without any negative effects. However, algae growth tends to occur later in the season, so again, wait until you have noticeable active algae blooms before applying an algaecide. Please feel free to email me or post questions you may have and I will respond accordingly.
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