How to control Chara in a pond or lake

What is Chara?

Description:

Chara has a strong almost garlic like smell. Grayish green micro branches that has a stiff or crumbly texture, and can resemble a flowering water plant. It does not flower and won’t extend above the ponds surface.

Pros and Cons of Chara:

Chara is eaten be a variety of ducks. Portions of Chara that are submersed provide habitats for many species of invertebrates. As the food chain goes, these invertebrates are then consumed by fish and other wildlife. As the water plants die, the bacteria and fungi from the decomposition provides nourishment for a variety of these invertebrates.

Natural Management Options

Physical Management Options:

Chara can be managed by using the Aquatic Weed Eradicator and Lake Rake, but is difficult to control because it re-establishes from spores and fragments.

Many types of mechanical weedremoval devices are available that cut or chop up aquatic weeds. Remember that many submerged aquatic weeds can regrow from fragments, therefore removal of cut fragments is also necessary to keep from spreading the unwanted plant.

Use products that are safe for pond environments like Muck Digester to naturally reduce the nutrient supply that feeds the Chara and many unwanted aquatic weeds.

Fertilization to supply a plant or algae bloom prevents the formation of most bottom rooting aquatic plants and produces a powerful organic food chain for the fish.

Non-toxic pond dyes or blue colorants stop or retard the growth of aquatic plant by limiting sunlight penetration, similar to fertilization. However, dyes do not enhance the natural organic phenomenon of the food chain.

Biological Management Options:

Grass carp does not control aquatic plants the first year they are stocked in the lake.. Grass carp stocking rates to control Chara are usually in the range of 7 to 15 carp for each surface acre.

Adding aeration to the pond:
All aquatic weeds prefer a stagnant water environment including Chara. Adding a pond aerator puts oxygen back in the pond and help prevent it from coming back.