Farm Pond Cleanup

plowjockey · #1 06/09/10, 08:04 PM

We have about a 1/4 acre pond, average depts about 8ft, with a small area 14ft deep.

It was quite clean when we move in 5 yrs ago, as it had been recently dug out deeper.

Well, the honeymoon is over and we now have weeds and muck. I'm building an bottom bubbler aerator, but I was looking to see if anyone has any good , inexpensive ways to clear the weeds (mechanical or chemical) and to speed up clearing up the muck.

I know you can get commercial microbes and other stuff to clean up, (The Pond Guy) but most are pretty pricey, some $100 or more for a small bucket.

texican · #2 06/09/10, 08:20 PM

Are you wanting a pond (a living ecosystem full of all sorts of life) or a watering hole, for water storage only.

No matter what you use (biologic or chemical) to control your weeds, it'll be a one time deal only. You'll have to do this over and over again, forever.

I have grass carp in mine, to control 'duckweed' (or whatever the fine stemmed 'moss' that grows to lengths of over 12' are called)... they've started knocking it down better over the years. I've put geese on it, and they also eat a lot of greenery. Nothing touches the cattails (except the goats) or the reeds.

The lake that borders my property has trillionaires on it, and they spray the 110 acres regularly to keep the weeds down. There's about 50 of them, and they pay $500/month for this enjoyment! I've seen three foot long grass carp swimming out of the water up on their yards, trying to find something to eat... pitiful.

So, yes, there are aquatic weed killers that'll do the job. You just have to do it forever.

CaliannG · #3 06/09/10, 11:30 PM

Why would you want to get rid of cattails? They are one of the best water filtration systems you can find.

English Oliver · #4 06/10/10, 05:31 AM

I have about a 1/3 acre pond that was completely over run with cattails except for the center. I wouldn't put any type of chemical in the pond so I made a cattail mower to get rid of them. I took three pieces of 3" angle iron and welded them in a triangle with the vertical flange to the inside. I sharpened two of the horizontal edges and attached a cable to the corner between the two sharpened edges. Simply drop this in the pond and drag it through the cattails with the tractor and it will cut them off at the bottom along with anything else growing in the pond. You can let them in the pond to rot or you can drag a rake through to remove them. I only do a third of the pond at a time so as not to disturb the pond too much.

"O"

geo in mi · #5 06/10/10, 07:07 AM

You may want to look at grass carp: http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/GRASS_CARP.pdf

However, you should consider it carefully if you want other fish or plant eating birds such as geese. Also, are you getting any ohosphorus runoff from surrounding land areas? That will add to the vegetation to your lake.

geo

lisa's garden · #6 06/10/10, 08:11 AM

I have read (but haven't tried this) that barley straw reduces the algae in your lake or pond. You would probably want to use several bales and maybe search online for information. As for the cat tails, they are a good source of survival food. So I would keep them and maybe just dig out one area each year so that there are cat tails growing in at least part of your pond at all times.

You can dig the roots to eat as a starch, like potatoes, and the new shoots in the spring can be used in stir fries and salads in place of bamboo shoots. There may be other food uses that I am not aware of.

fishhead · #7 06/10/10, 09:07 AM

Aeration will get rid of the organic muck over time. I made aerators on my commercial fish farm with a loop of soaker hose. Run some stiff wire inside to hold it's shape and tie weights every foot or so.

There are some inexpensive little compressors that will work. Get one with enough pressure to reach the bottom. It doesn't take a lot of volume of air (cu.ft/sec) to aerate a pond that size. Take a look at Stoney Creek Equipment website.

Forget the bacteria. Your pond already has plenty of bacteria.

Any kind of straw works on filamentous algae. Put a 2" thick slice about every 30' around the edge so that it's just below the surface. Add new slices when you see it breaking down.

ronbre · #8 06/10/10, 09:59 AM

well someone here made a rake with metal tines and metal handle with a loop on it..a nylon rope was attached to the loop and it was thrown in as far out as you could and then raked up to the edges, and it gathers the "seaweed" and brings it up ..you can pile it up till it drains and then compost it

Rick · #9 06/10/10, 10:14 AM

plowjockey - I hope you don't mind if I add these questions.

I am curious if oak leaves along the edge of our 35 by 70 by 8 foot pond are good for the algae. They donl't break down fast and could be raked out easily. The only place there is algae is on one end where there are logs for shelter.
I am also curius how to tell if the bass the former owner stocked the pond with are still there. There are fifty to two hundred bluegill - we havenl gotten a good count yet. I need several people to help feed / count. My son says get up there before dawn and fish to get bass. Are worms good bass bait? Smalll fish?

thanks...

#10 06/10/10, 01:45 PM

The best bass bait I've ever used is minnows .

fishhead · #11 06/10/10, 03:00 PM

I would take the leaves out. Over time they will accumulate on the bottom and turn to muck.

Chances are good that the bass are still there unless they have been fished out. A small pond like that has a tendency to get "bass heavy". That means that the bass eat themselves out of house and home and then stunt.

plowjockey · #12 06/10/10, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

Are you wanting a pond (a living ecosystem full of all sorts of life) or a watering hole, for water storage only.

Both actually.

The pond is rather small and the muck and weeds are starting to take over, to the point of where they will eventually consume the pond, turning it into a swamp.

From what I have read, controlling the amount of nutrients, will help control weeds and alage. Oxygenating the water, will help the consume the nutrients (muck) faster, which is why I'm building a aerator.

It does not need to be perfect, just managed.

plowjockey · #13 06/10/10, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

plowjockey - I hope you don't mind if I add these questions.

I am curious if oak leaves along the edge of our 35 by 70 by 8 foot pond are good for the algae. They donl't break down fast and could be raked out easily. The only place there is algae is on one end where there are logs for shelter.
I am also curius how to tell if the bass the former owner stocked the pond with are still there. There are fifty to two hundred bluegill - we havenl gotten a good count yet. I need several people to help feed / count. My son says get up there before dawn and fish to get bass. Are worms good bass bait? Smalll fish?

thanks...

I think the oak leaves will eventually break down to muck, which will be nutrients for both weeds and algae. I try to keep out leaf and grass matter (usually without too much success), as much as possible.

We only have 1 bass left and it's about 13". I see it swimming around near the shore from time to time.

Bass won't eat fish food, but if you feed the other fish, the bass will often cruise around, looking for an unsuspecting live meal. You might try that.