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I was just wondering if there's any real good, safe way to kill moss on a farm pond. A friend of mine has been stocking his pond this year, but the thing is covered in moss, and he wants to get rid of it. Is there anything you can throw on there that will kill the moss without harming the fish?
If it was my pond and depending on its size, I would seriously think about 1 or 2 grass carp. Many use various chemicals that are said to be safe, but they are chemicals and may or may not affect the aquatic life in the pond. In the past grass carp have been used but have been overstocked in various lakes and have quickly eaten up everything and had to be removed.
his pond probably needs oxygen. he needs to install a sprinking system to create some oxygen in the water. this would help the moss and the fish.
I had the same problem early this year. Pending on the amount of pond covered in moss, If he kills the moss it will fall to the bottom and decay.
I took multiple garden hosses and hooked them together, then pulled them across my pond and worked all the moss to one end. After removing the majority of the moss I then sprinkled copper sulfate (its blue crystals) over the remaining moss.
I have a water fall, 4 grass carp and still get moss on my pond. I sprinkle coper sulfate occasionally when ever a little green shows up around the edge.
Make sure he doesn't over treat the pond. Sprinkle a little give week and retreat if needed.
There are some very safe algaecides that can be used to control algae. Fish kills are usually caused by killing too much vegetation at once. This vegetation starts to decompose and uses up oxygen.
It is best to start treating in the spring and prevent the algae from getting bad. It may take 6-12 treatments a season to keep it under control. The algaecide only kill what is there, they can't prevent it from coming back. If the algae gets bad (over 1/3 covered) you should only treat half of the algae and wait a week and treat the other half.
Check out this website for more info [url]www.aquaticcontrol.com[/url].
when i worked at a hardware store about a year ago we sold aqua shade,it is blue die that filters the sun to kill the moss and algae it was about $40 a gallon but many customers liked it.its not a poison.this late in the year i would rake off what you can let the weather kill and start next spring or try ducks if possible i have 6 on a 1/4 acre pond and its clean as a pin.
whisker
Grass carp won't eat filamentous algae, which is what pond moss really is. The best product is cutrine + (sold at Southern States at approx. $22/gallon). Copper sulfate works basically the same way, but is potentially toxic if overused, especially at higher ph levels. Cutrine also comes in a granular which works better on bottom growth, but is steeper in price. Aqua Shade is pretty, but in my experience DOES NOT prevent algae. I also have a diffusing aerator, which prevents thermaclines and "pond turnover", but has not prevented algae growth. You have to be careful with really heavy growth, because if you kill it all at once, you will get oxygen deprivation and a fish kill. My pond is about 1 acre/ 15 foot deep at the deepest (only about 9 now with this **** drought). We fish and swim in the pond and water visibility, even with AquaShade is about 5 foot. I continously have to fight the algae around the perimeter of the pond and in 2 bays that are shallower than the rest.
I read an artical about using barely hay as a treatment you may have to do a little reading to get it straight apparently when it is sprinkled over the pond and sinks it creates a thin chemical kind of like peroxide that helps I would suggest talking to one of the wildlife biologist or the county agent both groups work with folks for little or no fee.
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I have to agree with whiskers. I had a 1 1/2 acre pond with a weed problem. I bought 3 grass carp and 5 ducks. They cleaned it up and I didn't have to worry about using chemicals. It may take a little while but it works. Do NOT feed the ducks. They will start following you around looking for food, and it's hard to fish with ducks chasing your top water lure.x(
Steve
You need to identify what type of algae you have before treating,here is a link to info from KDFW that answers alot of questions= [url]http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/navigation.asp?cid=136&NavPath=C101[/url]
Thanks for the info guys, this has been just what we needed. I'll pass this on to him, and see what we can do to clean this up.
[QUOTE=steve604;269444]I have to agree with whiskers. I had a 1 1/2 acre pond with a weed problem. I bought 3 grass carp and 5 ducks. They cleaned it up and I didn't have to worry about using chemicals. It may take a little while but it works. Do NOT feed the ducks. They will start following you around looking for food, and it's hard to fish with ducks chasing your top water lure.x(
Steve[/QUOTE]
How do you protect the ducks from raccoons and coyotes and fox? I had ducks one time and the raccoons killed them.