LakeAdvice.com offers information on all aspects of pond and lake management, including lake weed and pond algae control, adjusting pH, water clarity issues, and fertilization among many others.

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We get this question a lot: What is the best aquatic weed killer? That is a great question, but unfortunately, it is not that simple. It is sort of like asking: What’s the best saw? Aquatic herbicides, like saws, have different purposes, and work on different weeds. Just as there are small thin perfectly tuned little dovetail saws for meticulous and extremely accurate work, and chainsaws for very heavy rough work, one lake weed killer may be made for getting rid of submersed thin weeds, and another may be specifically formulated for large broad leaf plants above the water level.

There are some aquatic weed killers that do many jobs, for instance, contact weed killers like diquat (Reward) destroy any plant tissue they come in contact with, but only the material they come in contact with. If you are treating an infestation of annual weeds, this will work well. In fact, diquat may be the best overall aquatic weed killer on the market for submersed and emergent weeds, if you pay close attention to the follow up process. See: Lake Management Lake Weed Control Water Depth Secchi Depth

If the weeds you are trying to rid your pond of are perennials, a systemic aquatic herbicide like “Rodeo” or 2,4-D may be more appropriate. Even within this distinction there are limitations. 2,4-D works well on lily pads, but is restricted in some areas, and for some purposes. On hot still days, it can volatilize and float off target. Glyphosates, no matter how much surfactant you use, seem to bead on waxy plants like water Lillis, and don’t work as well. Glyphosates work very well on both broad leaf and grassy weeds in general, as a general purpose non selective systemic herbicide, but they can’t kill what they can’t penetrate.

In short, you need to know the weed and the conditions before selecting an aquatic weed killer. Aquaplant is a great little tool for plant identification, and for choosing the right method of dealing with it, including the best herbicide for each plant.

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This article is on loan from Lake Advice

We are all aware that pond scum may be the fuel production plant of the future, but in the mean time, it is probably not something you want in your recreational fishing pond. For one thing, it is ugly, for another, it is often stinky, and to make matters worse, it can do harm to other forms of aquatic life, and harbor potential disease carriers like mosquitoes.

Different types of pond algae

So, is all algae bad? The answer is a resounding NO! In fact, the best means of preventing pond scum, or filamentous algae, is by producing another type of algae. Plankton. This single cell algae will remain suspended in water, providing food for the tiny animals that provide food for the larger life forms, which in turn, provide food for your fish, and, if you are a successful angler, food for you.

Pond algae control using algae

Not only does this type of algae feed the fish, it also colors the water. That nice green or blue green tint that you see in healthy ponds and lakes is suspended algae, and one of the best services it provides is tinting the water, thereby preventing sunlight from reaching the bottom of the lake or pond, preventing the growth of unwanted vegetation, and providing  pond algae control.

Yes, pond scum, like most aquatic plant life, gets it’s start at the bottom of the pond, and as it gains oxygen, it floats to the top where it produces all sorts of undesirable conditions, like the ones mentioned above, and including lousy fishing conditions, oxygen deprived fish, and frustration.

Algae for tinting the water

Getting rid of pond scum can be a difficult task, and if the conditions that allowed it are not changed, it will return. Remember, the problem is sunlight reaching the bottom of the pond, so something must be done to prevent it from doing so. This could include raising the water level, which may not be possible in all cases, dredging or otherwise making the lake deeper, or coloring the water. The last, is usually the chosen option. There are dyes which can color the water, but, if fish production is what you desire, remember that dyes do not feed the fish. In small ponds for catfish production, where regular feedings occur, this may work, but where no feeding takes place, or where other types of fish are desired, dyes are not the answer. Once again, plankton is needed to continue the life chain, and prevent the pond scum problem.

How to produce plankton to prevent pond algae

So, how do we produce this plankton? The answer is simple: Fertilize the pond. Now before you start thinking that it is a crazy idea, let me do a little explaining. Fertilizer, usually a fertilizer high in phosphorous, will encourage algae production through a process known as algae bloom, and this will produce the coloring needed to stop pond scum. There are a few things you need to check before you fertilize.

• First, get rid of the existing pond scum, and give it time to decompose.
• Second, test the water pH. Anything higher than 8.6, and you need lime to lower the pH. Something between 6.8, and 8.6 is ideal. If it needs correcting, correct it before proceeding.
• Third, check the secchi depth. It should be between 18 and 24 inches. If the secchi depth is less than 18 inches, there is another problem. If it is more than 24, begin fertilizing as soon as possible, and continue the process throughout the summer, or until the depth is less than 18 inches.

Other factors

There are other factors, like muddy water, which will need to be solved before treatment, and you will need to know the details like how to use a secchi disk, and how much fertilizer, which are covered in these articles:

Lake Management | Pond Algae Pond Scum

Lake Management Lake Weed Control Water Depth Secchi Depth

Flocking Reducing Sediment In Lakes

Preventing Pond Scum In Farm Ponds

Making A Fish Pond From A Farm Pond

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Answer:

Yes, too many weeds can spoil your favorite fishing hole. I know bass and many other game fish like cover, but too much cover makes it difficult to get a lure through to them, and may make it difficult for them to forage. The result can be skinny fish that you can’t get to anyway!

Often excessive vegetation can cause problems for fish, and for fishing. It can in some cases take oxygen from the water. At times plants take in carbon dioxide, and exhale oxygen, but on still evenings, the opposite can happen. Too much vegetation can make it hard for foraging fish like bass to get to their prey, and there are about a dozen other reasons.

The problem could be excessive fertility, or the exact opposite. Too much fertility will cause excessive plant growth, ponds and lakes that receive a lot of runoff from farms, ranches, dairies, or even lawns can have this problem. Too little fertility will prevent algae bloom, and allow the water to become so clear that the sunlight reaches the bottom where most aquatic plants start. In most cases, fertility and water depth are the keys to bringing the lake into balance.

On another front, if you travel from lake to lake to fish, there are some nasty exotic weeds out there that can reproduce themselves from fragments, so please clean your boat, trailer, and other gear before moving on to the next fishing hole. Some of these invaders can reproduce under almost any condition, and could close down your favorite fishing spot if they get a start. Taking care to clean up is good for all of us.

For more details on pond and lake management see:

Lake management

Lake advice

Help! My pond is covered in algae (pond scum)! What can I do?

Answer:

This is a pretty common problem, and with the numbers of e mails we have been getting on the subject, we thought we would respond on the blog. Please read the last part, it is the most important part.

Algae or pond scum treatment

The best method for treating algae is to use a combination of  diquat and a  liquid copper product at a rate of about a gallon per acre (depending on the product) of each. If the coverage is heavy, the treatment should be limited to about 1/3 of the area, giving the first treatment long enough to work and long enough for the algae to drop and degrade before making a second application. If you don’t allow the waiting period, you could kill fish due to lack of oxygen caused by decomposing algae.

Follow the label directions!

Follow the label directions carefully, because the label is the law, and following the directions will give the best results.

Preventing future problems:The most important part

The most important thing to do, is after the algae is gone, something should be done to prevent further problems. This link should help: http://homeandgardenpress.com/category/lake-management/ there is a lot of information on pond and lake management there and it will make the job easier.

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If you have a lot of sunlight on your pond, and if your pond is shallow, and, if your pond has low fertility, there is about a 100% chance that you will have a problem with filamentous algae. Almost all farm ponds suffer from this problem.

The importance of controlling pond scum

Controlling pond scum, or filamentous algae is important for many reasons. Here are just a few:

• It is ugly
• It is smelly
• It can deprive the water of oxygen that fish need to survive
• It serves as cover for mosquitoes to reproduce

Pond scum control

The key to controlling pond scum is light. That is it in a nutshell. Pond scum starts at the bottom and if light can not penetrate to the bottom, it can not start. Plain and simple.

In order to prevent pond scum, you must prevent light from getting to the bottom of your pond. This can be done in one of several ways, but it is best if you can use all of them.

Deeper water

• The water level can be raised
• The pond bottom can be dredged
• The water can be shaded, or tinted

Tinting pond water

If you can not raise the water level in your pond, or cannot dredge the pond, then you will need to color the water.

Artificial colorants

Water color can be changed to reduce the depth that sunlight will reach by artificial colors, which are not recommended if you want to have the proper food chain for fish to be healthy and grow. The colorant disrupts the aquatic life at the very basic level, and prevents production of the things fish eat.

Algae bloom

Water color can be changed by allowing the natural production of another form of algae, a single cell algae that does not form long chains of cells, and will remain suspended in the water, producing a uniform green tint to the water. This is plankton.

Plankton can be encouraged by the use of fertilizer in the pond, which causes a condition known as algae bloom.

Secchi depth

To test your water, you can use a tool called a secchi disk, which will help you determine the depth that light penetrates through your pond water. 18 to 24 inches is about right, anything deeper, and you need to fertilize, anything less, and you have too much fertility. See also: Lake Management Lake Depth Secchi Disk and Lake Management Lake Weed Control Water Depth Secchi Depth

Sunlight and other aquatic plants

What is true of pond scum, is also true of other forms of aquatic vegetation, particularly, submersed pond weeds and emergent pond weeds. The best way to prevent them is to reduce the chances that sunlight can reach the bottom of your pond.

Other factors to consider

If you have a pond scum control problem, there are other things you should consider. These are things that contribute to the overall health and balance of your pond.

Test your water for proper pH

This can be done with a simple pool testing kit from a department store. If the test reveals the need for lime, liming the pond will produce better results than using fertilizers alone.

See also:

• Barley Straw Pond Algae Treatment
• Lake Management | Pond Algae Pond Scum
• Making A Fish Pond From A Farm Pond

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Some things are inherently interesting. The relationship between insects and vegetation is such a subject. Interactions can be very simple, but they can also be very complex. In this case, it is simple.

Sometimes, the removal of one form of plant life from the habitat will change the balance. A minor alteration in habitat can make a major difference in the type of insect life in an area. In the case of mosquitoes and vegetation, getting rid of cover on a pond, will usually get rid of most mosquito problems.

Mosquito habits and habitats

The best way for controlling insects is by getting a better understanding of their habits, and the habitats they prefer, and then depriving them of what they need to survive by changing the habitat. Let’s start by getting a little better understanding of the mosquito, and how the mosquito and vegetation in a pond or lake interact.

Mosquitoes and what they need

The mosquito has several needs. The female needs blood before producing eggs. So, they will seek areas with available animal life. They need a wet place to lay their eggs where they and their eggs and larvae will be protected.
This usually happens in an area where there is sufficient vegetation of some type to provide this cover. In most cases this comes in the form of filamentous algae.

Filamentous algae

Filamentous algae is only one part of the problem, but it is usually the largest part. The algae normally grows in the shallow, still water closest to the shoreline, and that is also where other cover grows. This is the perfect breeding and hatching ground for the mosquito. It has shallow still water, it is close to the places where small animals come to drink, which provides a supply of fresh blood, and the algae and other vegetation provide perfect cover. Learn more about: algae and algae control

Bringing balance to a pond

Controlling the algae, and bringing the lake or pond back into balance, will allow natural predators to take care of the problem. There is really no way, or reason to attempt to get rid of the mosquitoes until the cover is gone. When the cover is gone, the fish, frogs, birds, and other insect eaters will be able to find the larvae, and the mosquitoes, and eat them. The problem will go away on it’s own simply by leveling the playing field.

Managing vegetation and preventing insects

The best insect control is prevention. Prevention usually involves some alteration in the environment, this usually involves the control of vegetation. In fact, in almost all cases of aquatic or terrestrial insect problems, there is a vegetation management issue involved. When that is solved, whether it is high weeds and brush in an adjoining vacant lot, or overgrowth and algae in a pond or lake, the problem will go away! In most cases when a chemical is used to get rid of an insect pest, the first choice should be an herbicide!

Don’t use insecticides on or near the water.

Insecticides should not be used in areas where the residue might end up in the water! At the very least, insecticides will kill the bugs that the fish use for food. Most insecticides are nerve toxins that have more impact on lower life forms than higher life forms because of their less complicated nerve systems. Because of this, it takes less insecticide to kill a bug than a human being with a much more complex nervous system. Since the fish have a very simple nervous system, it takes very little insecticide to kill them. Herbicides work in a completely different manner, and the proper ones, used properly, will not harm the fish.

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Whether you are a regular person, an environmentalist, a fisherman, or a homeowner, the subject of lake weeds and aquatic biodiversity is important to you, whether you are aware of it or not!

Exotic lake weeds effect aquatic biodiversity, which not only effects marine life and the biodiversity of an area in general, but also recreational fishing and boating, water delivery systems, and the long term health and well being of your private pond or lake. Few elements of our environment effect so many areas of our lives from our recreation, to our industries, to our drinking water, and our property.

Lake weeds and water supply

With water shortages predicted for parts of the United States, planners are scrambling to figure out just exactly what our water needs will be for the future, and just exactly how to deal with them.

Preserving what we have.

One thing is for certain, we need to preserve the viability of the reservoirs we already have. With the continuing invasion of exotic weeds, and the persistence of the ones present, this has become a growing problem for water delivery systems across the country.

Environmental problems.

Aside from the problems with water delivery systems and transportation, that is, infrastructure, these lake weeds pose a potentially far more devastating problem, and that problem is environmental in nature, and has to do with biodiversity in particular.

Interdependence.

In any ecosystem, animals are dependent on plant life. Plants depend to some degree on the existence of other plants for proper shade, nutrients, and other, more complex, symbiosis. The removal of any one from the mix, is potentially destructive to flora and fauna. The removal of all except one, could completely alter life as we know it! The effect can be more wide spread than you might imagine, moving from one region to another rapidly, and effecting one species after another as parts of the whole dissolve, destroying the areas aquatic biodiversity.

What you can do

If the idea of a native species destroying, lake clogging, fish eliminating aquatic monoculture is something you don’t want to see, there are a few things you can do to protect your lake and become part of the solution.

Lake owners

As a property owner, you play a large and important role. Protecting your own lakes and waterways from exotic lake weeds protects not only your property, but the property of others, as well as lakes in the public domain.

To protect your own lake or pond, make sure that anytime you travel to another lake or pond, your boat and all equipment is clean and weed free before you leave the body of water. This will help to assure that you don’t bring any invasive exotic lake weeds back to your property. Sometimes, even the smallest fragments will reproduce in a new habitat, so make sure the cleaning is thorough and complete. Some aquatic weeds can double in number in a week. This goes on at a geometric rate!

Don’t purposely plant exotic aquatic vegetation in your lake. Stories are told of folks who thought they needed a little extra cover for their bass fishing lake, and ended up destroying it in the process. Don’t let that happen to you! If you need added encouragement to avoid such practices, remember that in most states, it is a crime to transport exotic lake weeds!

What should you look for?

The problem lake weeds may be different in different parts of the country, but there are a few which are destroying aquatic biodiversity here in the Southern United States. You may want to make your own list for your area.

Hydrilla

Hydrilla is a perennial plant from Europe and Asia, and was used as an aquarium plant. It now causes problems by clogging waterways, and preventing water intake to water supplies, and other equipment. It can form heavy mats, preventing fishing, swimming and boating, and can grow up from a depth of 20 feet or more. The problem has been increased due to the fact that bass seem to like a little hydrilla as cover, and some has been transplanted for that purpose, and much more damage has been done by boats and trailers transporting the plant from one lake to another accidentally. See also: Hydrilla

Giant Salvinia

Giant Salvinia reproduces so rapidly that one plant can become hundreds of thousands of plants in just a few months. This aquatic fern comes to us from South America, and causes many of the same problems as hydrilla. See also: Giant Salvinia

Water hyacinth

Water hyacinth is another invader from South America. It presents the same sort of problems as Giant Salvinia and Hydrilla, but has one survival mechanism that the others don’t, it is a very attractive plant! The succulent looking foliage, and the attractive purple flowers cause people to want to take some home for their own pond! As a result, many otherwise nice ponds and lakes are bereft of almost any other form of life. See also: Water Hyacinth

All the plants listed above are invasive, create nearly impenetrable mats, and cause severe oxygen depletion which often results in fish kill.

These plants, and other exotic aquatic lake weeds should be prevented if possible, and destroyed if present. As a property owner, you should become familiar with the plants in your ponds and lakes, and keep a watchful eye out for invaders, for the sake of your own lakes aquatic biodiversity, and the well being of others.

The links given in this post are to Aquaplant, an excellent lake weed resource, and a very well structured website.

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Pond Algae Pond Scum

These are the most common forms of algae found in East Texas ponds and lakes, that is where I am writing. There are, of course others, in this area, and I am sure there are other types in other parts of the country, but this should give a nice, simple, overview.

Muskgrass or skunkweed

When you see it, it looks more like a weed than a form of pond algae. When you smell it, you will know why it is called skunkweed! It is not necessarily a bad thing in small quantities. Like most aquatic plant life, it provides food for other biological entities.

Filamentous algae

This single cell algae, often called pond scum, forms long chains or filaments and display themselves as mats on the surfaces of ponds and lakes. It usually forms at the bottom of ponds and lakes in the shallow areas. It feeds off of the fertility of such things as decaying plant matter. Often a temporary increase in algae will result from the treatment of other plant life in the water. This pond algae provides food and cover for some other forms of aquatic life, but too much is never a good thing. It can deprive fish of oxygen, provide a habitat for mosquitoes, and interfere with recreational use of the water body.

Stonewort, or Nitella

Another multi branch pond algae that resembles a weed. It does not have an odor, and is more feather like than skungrass. It also provides food for the food chain.

Planktonic algae

This is what you need in your lake or pond to provide food for the lifeforms which provide food for fish. Single cell algae is relatively un connected, and when in proper balance throughout the water, will greatly increase the “fishability” of a pond or lake. More is not always better. As with all forms of aquatic plant life, it needs to be kept in balance.

Pond Algae Treatments

The best way to treat unwanted pond algae is with algae! All forms of algae start at the lakes bottom. If light is penetrating to the bottom of the lake or pond, there is a good chance that the water does not contain enough single cell algae in suspension. Single cell plankton algae colors the water, providing shading, which prevents the suns rays from reaching the bottom, thereby preventing the growth of the unwanted varieties of pond algae, and other lake weeds.

Algaecides

Copper

Most algaecides are a form of copper. usually copper sulfate. Some of the crystalline type copper products have been used for many years as a form of lake weed and pond scum control. Copper sulfate lake weed control products have worked pretty well, and some of the more refined products work very well, especially in conjunction with other herbicide products.

Herbicides

Diquat dibromide is a good choice as an algaecide for treating pond algae. It is almost immediately effective. Copper sulfate products, particullarly the liquids, can be used with diquat for added effect.

Treatment Cautions

Too much of any of these, can cause oxygen deprivation. Special care should be exercised when treating for these. If too much pond algae is killed at one time, the rotting plant material will deprive the fish of even more oxygen, and commonly results in fish kill.

There may also be water use restrictions and other warnings. Please check the label on any product you decide to use, and follow it completely. The label is the law! It is a violation of Federal law to use a product in a manner inconsistent with it’s labeling. It would also be wise to check for any local ordinances that might have bearing on your treatment.

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Aquatic weeds can be a huge problem for the property owner. If you use your lake primarily for recreational activities, lake weeds can put an end to your fishing, and other water sports in a matter of weeks if the wrong conditions exist. A lake weed invasion can also cause other problems, like pests in general, and mosquitoes in particular.

What is the best way to handle lake weed problems?

That depends on the nature of the problem. If the problem is an overly fertile body of water, you will need to lower the fertility.

Too much fertilizer

Excess fertility can be caused by nutrient runoff ending up in your lake. These nutrients can come from agricultural sites like adjacent farms and ranches existing upstream from your lake, or from over fertilized lawns in your area, which could even be your own.

Low fertility.

Low fertility means that the pond or lake is not getting the nutrients it needs to produce plankton. If plankton is not produced in sufficient quantity to tint the water enough to keep light from penetrating to the bottom, light will reach the bottom, and plants will grow up from it. This includes the filamentous algae that is often seen floating on a lakes surface.

Shallow lakes

Is your pond or lake so shallow that lake bottom gets light, weeds will grow. The best way to solve this problem is by either raising the water level if possible, or dredging.

Weed types

You should also know which category your lake weeds fall into. Are they submersed, emergent, floating, or algae. There is a difference when it comes to treating them. There is a great tool from Texas A & M to help in the identification process. It is called Aquaplant. Aquaplant is also an excellent example of what a website should be!

Methods of aquatic plant control

Prevention:

This is the very best method for controlling any situation. If you can prevent it, you won’t have to control it or manage it in other ways. It just makes sense.

Biological control:

Most environmentally aware individuals prefer biological controls to chemical controls. There are some problems with that idea. Biological controls can be unpredictable, and run the risk of getting out of control if conditions should change. After all, you are adding another invasive predator into the mix!

Mechanical control:

Mechanical controls are great for some aquatic weed work, but not for all. Many aquatic weeds can reproduce from fragments at rates higher than fifty percent!

Unless you are resigned to mowing your lake as you do your lawn, it is a bad idea to fragment the living plants. If they can be cut smoothly, without much fragmentation causing vibration, and completely collected , that is great, but the problem will return from the roots.

Chemical Controls:

Sometimes, in fact, most of the time, the best weed management method, the most eco friendly method after prevention, is chemical lake weed control. It can, and should be, selective.

Aquatic weed control chemical types

Chemicals for controlling and managing aquatic weeds, fall into two categories:
Contact, and Systemic.

Contact Herbicides

Contact herbicides, work quickly, and kill all the vegetation they touch.

Systemic Herbicides

Systemic herbicides, work more slowly, but travel to the root of the plant to kill all parts of the plant.
Which one should you use? That depends a lot on the conditions, and the plant you are trying to get rid of. For more information on lake weed control types see:

Lake Weed Prevention

Biological Lake Weed Control

Mechanical Lake Weed Control

Chemical Lake Weed Controls

Lake Weed Killer: Aquatic Herbicides

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A “Secchi Disk” is a tool for measuring the depth to which light penetrates liquid. Since sight, is based on light, then the distance at which you can still see an object in liquid, is the depth that the light can penetrate that liquid.

In order to have a standard measurement for this, the secchi disk is used. The disk is an 8 inch disk with 4 alternate triangles of black and white. It is attached to a string, or pole, and the distance at which it disappears from view in a pond or lake is the secchi depth. Ideally, that depth would be 18 to 24 inches. A secchi disk can be purchased from lake supply dealers, but it is easy to construct one of your own. Mine is an 8 inch steel disk, painted solid black, with the white triangles painted on top of the black, and a hole drilled in the center to attach a rod. I chose to attach a landscapers measuring rod to mine, in order to be able to use the disk and measure the depth in one operation.

Secchi disk top veiw measuring stick attached

This secchi disk is homemade, and has served me well for years. Note the alternating black and white triangles, the measuring rod, and the mud on the the disk.

A side veiw of a Secchi Disk hooked to a measuring stick

This is the same secchi disk from a different perspective, and with the measurements visible.

Lake Management Lake Weed Control Water Depth Secchi Depth

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