How to control Duckweed

What Type of Duckweed Do I have in my pond?

There are three common types of duckweed in North America. Common Duckweed, Giant Duckweed and Dotted Duckweed.

Where Can Duckweed Grow?

Duckweed can be found in ponds, lakes and streams.

What is Common Duckweed?

Where Does it Grow?

Duckweed grows in dense colonies in quiet water, undisturbed by wave action. Usually there is more than one species of duckweed inhabiting a body of water.

Is it invasive?

Duckweed normally is an aggressive intruder of ponds and are often found mixed in with other unwanted weeds. If masses of duckweed cover the surface of the water, then oxygen is depleted and fish kills will most likely occur. Therefore it is necessary to get control before they completely cover the surface of the pond.

Pros and Cons of Duckweed

Submerged parts of all aquatic plants offer habitats for several species of invertebrates. These invertebrates are then used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). When the duckweed dies off, their decomposition by bacterium and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for several aquatic invertebrates.

What is Dotted Duckweed?

Where Does it Grow?

Dotted duckweed is non-native and can be found in rivers, ponds and lakes.

Is it Invasive?

The Dotted duckweed is usually an aggressive invader of ponds and are often found growing with other duckweeds, mosquito fern, and/or watermeal. If these groups of duckweed cover the surface of the water, then oxygen depletion and fish kills can occur. These plants need to be controlled before they cover the whole surface of the pond.

What is Giant Duckweed?

Where Does it Grow?

The Giant Duckweed grows in ponds, lakes, bayous, and sluggish streams. Often more than one type of duckweed will grow together in these colonies.

Is it Invasive?

Although the giant duckweed is a native weed, it can be an aggressive invader of ponds and are often found mixed in with other duckweeds, mosquito fern, and/or watermeal. If this group of aquatic weeds cover the surface of the water, then the oxygen in the pond depletes and fish kills can occur. These plants need to be controlled before they move over the entire surface of the pond.

Pros and Cons of Giant Duckweed

Many types of ducks consume duckweed and frequently transport it to other bodies of water. Thick duckweed colonies offer habitats for many species of invertebrates, but if duckweed completely covers the surface of a pond for an extended period, it will cause oxygen depletion. These colonies will also eliminate submerged plants by hindering sunlight penetration.

How to CONTROL Duckweed

One method is by using a lake rake to rake it off the pond's surface.

Duckweed as well as other forms of aquatic weeds prefer stagnant water environment. Adding a pond aerator puts oxygen back in the pond and will get rid of Duckweed and prevent it from coming back.

Ducks will eat duckweed but they will not control it.

Beneficial Bacteria

BactiMAX+ will remove ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and organic debris (dead leaves, uneaten fish food, fish waste, etc.) the ingredients that aquatic weeds need to thrive.

• ·         Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Degrades starches and carbohydrates
• ·      Bacillus subtilis. Degrades starches, proteins, and fats
• ·      Bacillus licheniformis. Converts nitrate to nitrogen gas
• ·      Cellulomonas biazotea. Digests cellulose

Aquatic Plant Management - Cattails

Cattails

DESCRIPTION

Cattails are swamp land plants that have flat narrow or broad leaves, depending on the species and can grow to 3 or 10 feet in height. Flowers form at the end of the leaves that look like hotdogs on a stick!! Cattails might be partially submerged or in boggy areas around the eadge of the pond water. Cattails spread vigorously, because their seeds blow in the wind and are also invasive because they spread through their root system called rhizomes along the shallower edge of the pond.

Eliminating Cattails

·         Cattails can be leveled or mowed or the rhizomes (roots) can be pulled up. Timing is very important if you decide to mow or cut your cattails. Cutting them in May will activate growth, so wait until late summer if you are only going to cut once. If you raze the cattails below the water line two or three times a season, very few cattails will grow back the following year. Your cutting will deprive the roots of their important food source and reduced the amount for storage. Don't waste your time cutting in the winter, it will have very little effect on the food in the roots of the plant.

·         Use the Beachroller Weed Eliminator to cut weeds at the root. Then use the Weed Raker to rake up the weeds from the lake bottom.

·         Take a proactive approach to pond management. Use BactiMax,  CleanMax and Muck Digester for beneficial bacteria and Pond Dye to keep your pond looking great.

·         Improve oxygen levels by installing a pond and lake aerator. To obtain & keep a healthy vibrant pond, the key is aeration.

Aquatic Weed Identification and Control Solutions

Aquatic Weed Identification and Control Solutions

As ponds are starting to thaw, and weather is starting to warm, it is important to consider getting ahead of weed and algae control before it becomes unmanageable. Over the next couple of weeks Discount Pumps will be posting many blogs. Each blog will identify a plant and offer ideas for natural control.
With 4 different categories of aquatic green life and many different types in each category, it is important to identify what you have in order to deal with it appropriately.

Many ponds have more than one type of aquatic plant, and it is important to identify all the aquatic plants inhabiting the pond. Some pond plants may be beneficial to local or migratory wildlife, and therefore, may want to be encouraged or at least not eliminated. 

Algae are very primitive plants. Some algae are microscopic (planktonic algae). Others are thin and stringy or hair-like. While still others are large and resemble higher plants but without true roots. Types of algae - Blue Green Algae, Bryozoans, Chara, Euglena, Filamentous Algae, Golden Algae, Nitella, Planktonic Algae.

Floating plants are not attached to the bottom. Floating plants come in sizes from very small to over a foot in diameter. 

Floating Plants - American Featherfoil, Azolla, Bladderwort, Common Salvinia, Dotted Duckweed, Duckweed, Giant Duckweed, Giant Salvinia, Floating Crystal Wort, Florida Mudmiget, Rooted Water Hyacinth, Watermeal, Water Clover, Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce.

Underwater plants are rooted plants with most of their vegetative mass below the water surface, although some portions may stick above the water. One characteristic of submerged plants is their soft stems, which is why they do not usually rise above the water’s surface. Underwater Weeds - American Pondweed, Asian Marshweed, Baby Pondweed, Brittle Naiad, Brittle Waternymth, Bushy Pondweed, Fanwart, Coontail, Curly-Leaf Pondweed, Cutleaf Watermilfoil, Hygro, Eelgrass, Egeria, Elodea, Eurasian Watermilfoil, Fineleaf Pondweed, Floating Pondweed, Gulf Swampweed, Horned Pondweed, Hydrilla, Illinois Pondweed, Indian Swampweed, Largeleaf Pondweed, Leafy Pondweed, Parrot's Feather, Ribbonleaf Pondweed, Richardson's Pondweed, Sago Pondweed, Spotted Pondweed, Starhorn, Variable-Leaf Pondweed, Variable-Leaf Watermilfoil, Water Stargrass, Waterthread Pondweed, Water Wisteria, Widgeon Grass, Willow-Leafed Hygrophilla.

Rooted plants are often along the shoreline that stand above the surface of the water like (cattails). The stems of emergent plants are somewhat stiff or firm and rooted. Rooted Weeds - Air Potato, Alligator Weed, American Bur-Weed, American Lotus, American Water Plantain, Arrowhead, Beaksedge, Blue Flag, Black Mangrove, Bogbutton, Brazilian Pepper Tree, Bulrush, Bur Marigold, Buttonbush, Cattail, Carolina Pony's Foot, Carolina Redroot, Cogongrass, Combleaf Mermaidweed, Common Reed, Common Rush, Cordgrass, Cow Lily, Creeping Burhead, Dodder, Dollar Bonnet, Egyptian Panicgrass, Floating Heart, Flowering Rush, Frog's Bit, Giant Cut Grass, Giant Reed, Horsetail, Mare's Tail, Mud Plantain, Pipewort, Privet, Shade Mudflower, Southern Watergrass, Spike Rush, Swamp Lily,  Sweet Flag, Virginia Buttonweed, Water Lily, Waterleaf, Water Primrose, Water Taro, Water-Willow, 

Pond Maintenance gets a little easier!!

Pond Maintenance gets a little easier with the right tools!!

Now that spring has sprung, thankfully, it is time to tend to your pond or lake just like you would a garden.

No matter what the job is, having good tools makes the job so much easier. And that is the same with pond maintenance and weed elimination. 

Here are a 5 tools, reasonably priced, that will make this job much easier. Let's break down each one so you can see what will work best for your pond or lake.

Aquatic Weed Eradicator

The Aquatic Weed Eradicator is a great cutting rake for lake and pond weeds. Its 28-inch, serrated cutting blade and 11-foot pole allows you to easily reach and slice weeds at the pond bottom. The rust-proof blade is reinforced to handle heavy loads of cut weed, so you don't have to worry about it bending under a heavy load of weeds. Its two-piece, powder-coated aluminum handle with new push pin splice design assembles and dissembles for easy storage. 

Beachroller Weed Eliminator

The Beachroller weed eliminator is an great and simple tool that eliminates lake weeds at the roots. It's the only manual lake weed-cutting device that gets to the problem: the bottom of the lake. The Beachroller cuts and pulls weeds out by the roots while simultaneously loosening muck and silt on the bottom. The roller is 2' wide and equipped with six custom blades connected to the 15' handle, so you can cover a large area in a short amount of time. Cut weeds don't stick to the roller, so you don't need to clean it off.

Lake Rake

This handy tool is 36 inches wide. Use it to skim algae, leaves, and all other types of floating debris from your water. The lake rake is engineered to be durable, the floating surface rake comes complete with an 11' rust-proof handle; a detachable polyethylene float; and 50 feet of  rope. This rake does double duty, by shortening the handle and removing the float, you have a professional grade landscaping rake, perfect for grooming the beach! A 66-inch center extension is also available.

Weed Raker

The Weed Raker pond and lake rake is the ultimate aquatic weed removal tool. Use this multipurpose lake rake to clear away underwater weeds after cutting them. The Weed Raker easily removes debris and free-floating weeds. It also clears away debris from the lake or pond bed.

Featuring 8-inch-long teeth, the Weed Raker digs and pulls weed stems and roots from the bottom, slowing or eliminating re-growth. To clear floating material on the water’s surface, simply fill the hollow rake head with foam. Or fill it with gravel to reach weeds, debris and organic matter on the bottom or your lake or pond. 

Weed Razer

The Weed Razer is the one of the most cost-effective, efficient, environmentally friendly tools available for cutting all sorts of aquatic weeds. The Weed Razer's unique design lets you throw it from dock, shore or boat; watch it sink to the bottom; cut a 49-inch-wide path; and retrieve it with its 25-foot rope.

The Weed Razer blade is 49-inches wide, and includes a 9' handle and 25' rope, plus a hand sharpener to keep the razor blade edges sharp and ready.

Weighing under 8 pounds, the Weed Razer is light enough to throw 30' or more, yet heavy enough to sink to the bottom. Because the Weed Razer slices weeds at their base, there's no need to drag or tear the weeds as ordinary weed cutters do.

Warning: The Weed Razer blade is dangerously sharp. Use caution when assembling, using, and stowing. Use of gloves is advisable.

Spring has Sprung!!

Spring has sprung!! 

 Get a head start on pond maintenance, time for Barley Straw Pellets!!

UltraClear Barley Pellets offer a safe, effective, natural way to treat ponds in the spring for clarity and can be safely used with all other UltraClear products.

ULTRACLEAR BARLEY PELLETS

The pellets are cleaner and easier to use than the bales (and requires a lot less space than the unsightly bales). UltraClear Barley Pellets are 100% safe for fish, birds and plants.

UltraClear Barley Pellets are fortified with humic acid prior to the pelletizing process. Humic acid enhances water quality, water softening and balances out the effects of phosphate in the pond water.

The slow decay of the barley pellets produce essential, beneficial bacteria that helps maintain clarity in the pond. The optimized pellet size offers maximum surface area for controlled decay. It is not a chemical. UltraClear Barley Pellets can be used during spring, summer and fall. So get a head start on controlling your pond environment!!

Apply 8 to 16 ounces per 100 gallons every 4-6 weeks or as needed.

UltraClear Barley Pellets can be applied directly in the pond by hand and your pond aerator will disperse it throughout the lake.

How to Anchor your floating fountain or aerator!

Anchoring your Fountain

The floating pond fountain or pond aerator can be anchored to the bottom of the pond or tied off to the shore. To anchor you will need nylon rope, 1/8” – 1/4” thick. To anchor to the bottom of the pond, tie off ropes and drop blocks in opposite directions of each other. Bring ropes up to the center and tie to the float or the handle of the pump. This method will require entering the pond with a boat. 

If using the shoreline method, tie the ropes to the float or pump handle and tie off one rope to one side of the shore. Mobile home anchors or dog tie stakes work well for this. Set decorative fountain in water, be very careful not to get mud into the pump. The other rope can now be walked over to the other end of the pond and attached to the stake. This method works well in smaller ponds and for small pond fountains. Your fountain may look different than the illustration but the anchoring set-up is the same.

Benefits of adding Blue Pond Dye

Benefits of adding Blue Pond Dye and does it really work?

UltraClear Blue Concentrate provides a beautiful blue tint for your lake or large pond! UltraClear Blue Concentrate is formulated to instantly dye pond water blue. This product also blocks sunlight and is an excellent tool for providing a pleasant visual appearance versus water with unsightly suspended solids floating in it.
UltraClear Blue Concentrate is completely biodegradable. It is organic. It will be neutralized by many natural pond bacteria. This means that the blue color will dissipate within a month or two, depending on the particulars of the pond in question. Best of all, this means that there is no toxic or problematic build up from use of the product. This product is a great tool for pond enthusiasts.

HOW DOES ULTRACLEAR ORGANIC POND DYE WORK?

The mode of action of this product is very simple. When used according to direction, a significant portion of sunlight is blocked. That means that the energy that most algae use for growth is limited. This product still permits the growth of some algae. After all, algae are a natural and required component of an aquatic system. However, a severe algae bloom is symptomatic of an environmental imbalance. This product is simply a tool to help restore the aquatic system to a natural balance.

IT ONLY TAKES ONE QUART TO TREAT ONE ACRE OF WATER! We poured just a very small amount into this pond so you can see the difference and how blue it makes the water. Also we poured it at the shore where the water is murky and it turned a vibrant blue.

When a floating fountain or pond aerator used, it will evenly distribute the pond dye around.

WHY IS ULTRACLEAR BLUE CONCENTRATE BETTER THAN COMPETING PRODUCTS?

First, our product is completely organic. It does not contain any metals, or biologically non-degradable dye. That means that there are no problems with toxic build up from continued product use.
UltraClear Blue Concentrate is highly concentrated. That gives the user the best economy possible. And the high concentration is achieved without making the product dangerous to the user, animals, desirable plants, or the environment.

HOW SAFE IS ULTRACLEAR BLUE CONCENTRATE?

This product should be treated like any household chemical. That means keep it out of the reach of children, and use appropriate caution when handling the product. Use according to directions. As long as the product is used as designed, it provides excellent benefits (a beautiful blue color and reduced algae problems) without being dangerous in any way.

Weed Control in a Pond or Lake

    Weed Control in a Pond or Lake

·        When your pond or lake is being invaded by algae or weed overgrowth, its beauty is significantly decreased, and it’s harder to enjoy all that your pond environment has to offer. At Discount Pumps we have several products that help with pond management naturally.

·      Problems Caused by Algae and Weed Overgrowth

·        Not only are invasive algae and weeds unsightly, they can also sometimes be dangerous to aquatic life and even humans, depending on the species or type of plant or plants. Algae and weed overgrowth can also cause cloudy water and a foul odor if left untreated.

·       Managing Your Lake Naturally

·        We understand that your property is where you and your family live, work, or play. To ensure the safety of you and your family,, use natural treatment options, like introducing certain types of fish that eat algae, or by installing a pond aerator or  air system that helps treat and prevent algae caused by stagnation. These products really work well and will make you feel confident that your pond management efforts are as safe for your outdoor environment.

Pond and Lake Management

Is Your Pond or Lake Flourishing?

A healthy pond or lake does not mean that it is weed-free. Each pond or lake is a unique ecological environment made up of many variables. With proper management, most ponds and lakes can flourish with a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria, plants and animals.

Accomplishing a Healthy Balance

Balanced chemistry is achieved through aerating with a pond aerator. Many times aeration is obtained by wind activity or water flow; but in most cases, supplemental aeration is needed with a floating aerating fountains.

Aquatic plants consume excess nutrient contents and also can add an pleasing look to the pond with seasonal flowers. These beneficial aquatic plants will compete with unwanted aquatic plants for nourishment.

Animals complete the balance by consuming the micro-nutrients and/or aquatic plants. Triploid Grass Carp are ordinarily the choice of stocked fish in ponds and lakes because of their herbaceous diets,

Several Reasons for Aerating your Pond or Lake

Why Aerate with a Pond aerator?

Aerating puts oxygen back into the pond. Adding pond water aeration is not only beneficial for your fish, who need oxygen to survive, but will also improve the overall health of your pond's ecosystem. Here are the reasons you should be adding a floating fountain or floating aerating fountain into your pond, and the importance of aeration:

1. Aeration significantly reduces pond muck. As your pond ages, nutrients collect at the bottom of the pond and it becomes muck. Not only is muck unpleasant to see, but it can also give ponds a bad odor and provide a habitat for leeches. Aeration is important because it combats muck and other decomposing debris by increasing the dissolved oxygen and by mixing up the water. This pond water aeration encourages the colonization of beneficial aerobic bacteria that eat up the nutrients to reduce existing muck build-up and prevent it from accumulating.

2. Aeration significantly improves water quality. Nutrients not only accumulate at the bottom of the pond to become muck, but they can also be suspended in the water causing your pond to look murky. By reducing the muck and excess nutrients, increasing oxygen, and circulating the pond water, you will significantly improve your water quality and clarity. Also, aeration will reduce algae and weeds since there will not be as many nutrients for it to grow.

3. Aeration helps dissolved oxygen levels. Oxygen is needed from pond water aeration to maintain your fish environment, but it is also needed to support beneficial bacteria. Aeration is important because without oxygen, your pond will go into an anaerobic state. Anaerobic bacteria are not as efficient at breaking down organic material as their aerobic counterparts. In addition, anaerobic bacteria produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide when digesting this organic material, producing the rotten egg smell in the pond. In contrast, beneficial bacteria produce a harmless gas when breaking down muck and debris. Aerating the pond increases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water creating a healthy aerobic system.

4. Aeration eliminates thermocline. Thermocline is the transition between the warmer, surface water and the colder, deeper water. Aeration is necessary because it circulates and mixes the upper levels and the lower levels of the water to eliminate these stratified layers, by moving the cooler water to the pond's surface so it can become filled with oxygen. The warmer, oxygen-rich water than moves to the bottom of the pond to feed your beneficial bacteria. With all this circulation, the water temperature of a properly aerated pond, upper and lower, should be no more than a few degrees difference.

5. Aeration reduces the risk of a fish kill. Fish die from time to time, but when many die at once, it is often linked to low oxygen conditions in the water. In the winter, the gases released when organic debris is decomposing can become trapped when the pond freezes over and reduce the oxygen available for your fish; if enough oxygen declines your fish will suffocate. Aeration is important because it will induce fresh oxygen into the pond and help to keep an area open in the ice to allow for gas to escape. In the summer and fall, turnover events due to stratified water can cause a fish kill. During a turnover event, a stratified pond rapidly mixes, depleting the oxygen from the surface water as it combines with the bottom oxygen-starved water. Pond aerator will eliminate the thermocline and prevent spring and fall turnover.