K-Tea Algaecide:

K-Tea is an algaecide that can be used to treat a broad spectrum of algae including blue-green, green, diatoms, and flagellates.  It can be used in slow moving bodies of water and on free-floating or mat algae.  The active ingredient is copper hydroxide and it can be used every 10 to 14 days.  Application can be done by boat or by standing on the shore.  K-Tea can also be used in combination with other herbicides to control aquatic weeds and algae more effectively.  This product is very beneficial because it does not pose a threat to people or wildlife and there are no restrictions on water use after application. 

        

Curly-Leaf Pondweed:

Curly-leaf pondweed is an aquatic perennial plant.  It is native to Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.  It was accidentally introduced to the US in the mid-1800s by hobbyists who used it for aquarium décor.  Now, it is an invasive species in the US. 

The leaves are reddish-green, have wavy edges, and are about 3” long.  The stems grow between 1’ and 3’ in water that is 3’ to 10’ deep.  It also prefers water with high alkalinity and rich in nutrients.  Curly-leaf pondweed has been reported in every state except for Maine. 

Curly-leaf pondweed reproduces using burrs that float away from the mother plant through the water.  These burrs can be transported by water currents, boats, motors, fishing gear, and wildlife.  This plant is often the first to arrive in the spring because it actually begins to grow mid-winter, under the ice.  It tolerates low light levels and low temperatures.  These attributes help it to establish first, and to not allow the growth of other native plants. 

This plant spreads very quickly and can easily overtake a body of water.  It can be controlled using a diquat herbicide such as Reward, or, a salt of endothall such as Aquathall K. 

             

Join us at our next event!

AQUA DOC Lake & Pond Management will be exhibiting at the Central Ohio Chapter CAI Trade Fair.  This show will feature many local business that can improve communities.  Visit us at this event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel North.

6500 Doubletree Ave.
Columbus, OH  43229

Show Hours:

1:00pm - 3:00pm

Microcystis:

Microcystis is a planktonic blue-green algae.  It forms irregular colonies where the cells cluster in a gelatinous matrix.  The colony will trap air to maintain buoyancy at the surface of the water.  Microcystis reproduces by cell division and it can easily take over the whole surface of the water.  Algae blooms that cover the entire water’s surface will prevent oxygen exchange between the water and the atmosphere which will deplete the water of oxygen.

Microcystis can grow in warm freshwater that is rich in nutrients.  It can secrete toxins into the water that will be harmful to people and wildlife.  It can also give water a bad taste and smell.  Microcystis can be treated with Cutrine Ultra. 

          

Water Shield

Water shield is a perennial aquatic plant with small floating leaves.  These leaves usually grow to about five inches in diameter and are green on the top, and a reddish brown on the bottom.  This plant has small flowers that will grow above the water’s surface that are a dull red color with three to six petals.  Submerged parts of the plant provide a habitat for micro and macro invertebrates as well as fish and amphibians.  The seeds are eaten by ducks and other waterfowl while the roots are eaten by muskrats and nutria.  Water shield thrives in lakes, ponds, and slow streams.  The plants produce specialized buds called turions.  These buds will detach from the mother plant and float away to a new location where they can establish a new plant.  In shallow lakes and ponds, water shield may cover the entire surface of the water and will not allow for the growth of native plants.  It can also make it difficult for fish to find food and for people to enjoy recreational activities on the water.  Water shield can be controlled with a combination of Aqua Pro and Cide Kick II.  These products can help reduce the amount of vegetation in the water so that people and wildlife can enjoy it. 

              

The Yellow Perch

The yellow perch, or shortform perch, is a sport fish native to North America.  It grows between 4” and 10” and can live up to 11 years.  The record-sized yellow perch is 21”, 4.2lbs.  This fish will lay 10,000 to 40,000 eggs in the early spring.  The fry will reach sexual maturity after 1-3 years.  It relies on invertebrates, other fish, fish eggs, and crayfish as food sources.  Yellow perch are distinguished by their yellow coloration and the 6-8 dark, vertical stripes. 

Yellow perch, like most other fish rely on vegetation such as shoreline reeds and aquatic plants to spawn and take shelter in.  This is why it is important to manage your lake or pond at 20% vegetation coverage. 

The yellow perch is a great sport fish because it is easy to catch, tastes good, and can be caught in any season.  AQUA DOC offers several fish stocking programs, each offering a variety of fish choices.  The yellow perch can be added to any of these orders.  The yellow perch, largemouth bass, and bluegill will ensure that you have an exciting fishing experience at your lake or pond. 

Navigate

Navigate is a 2, 4 D herbicide that can be used to treat a variety of aquatic weeds.  This is a systemic herbicide that will translocate into the root system.  It is effective on Eurasian water milfoil, stargrass, water lilies, water shield, and much more.  Navigate should be applied in the spring and early summer when the weeds first begin to grow.  One 50 pound bag can treat a 1/2 acre pond. 

         



Water Shield



Naiads

Naiads are an annual, freshwater aquatic plant.  Its leaves are 1” long and very narrow.  Leaves are arranged in a whirl around the stem in groups of three.  Stems grow 10” to 25” in length.  Naiads can grow completely submerged or form floating mats.  It will reproduce through seeds or by fragmentation. 

You should begin treating naiads as soon as the plants begin growing under the surface and once the water temperature is above 60 degrees.  A granular herbicide can be sprinkled into the water to treat the submersed weed while a liquid herbicide can be sprayed onto the floating mats.  Reward and Hydrothol 191 are both effective in controlling naiads. 

Hydrothol 191

Hyrothol 191 is a broad spectrum algaecide and herbicide (salt of endothall).  This product is a good alternative to using copper products.  It is available in liquid or granular forms to control both floating and submersed aquatic weeds and algae.  It quickly dissipates in the environment and will not bioaccumulate in fish or soil.  Hydrothol 191 has a half-life of less than one week.  It will not harm fish or wildlife and can be used to control hydrilla, milfoil, pond weeds, elodea, chara, spirogyra, and pithophora.  It is effective in turbid water because it will not bind to suspended sediment. 

Water Stargrass:

Water Stargrass is so named for the star shaped flowers that rise above the water’s surface.  It has grass-like stems with thin branches.  These stems can grow up to six feet long and form floating colonies.  This aquatic plant reproduces through seeds and fragmentation.  Small pieces of stems can break off, lay dormant under mud, and then sprout in the spring.  The floating colonies provide an important habitat for macro and micro invertebrates.  These invertebrates an important in the food chain for fish, amphibians, and water fowl. 

Water Stargrass can grow in shallow water in streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes.  It can also grow in mud banks and in water with high salinity.  It can even grow on land if stems are washed ashore.  This plant can be controlled using Reward herbicide. 

Anabaena:

Anabaena is a type of cyanobacteria that contains over 40 species.  It can live in waters with a diverse range of temperatures and salinity.  Anabaena is a well studied organism in the scientific community due to its formation of specialized cells.  These are cells called heterocysts which are vegetative cells that have lost the ability to photosynthesize.  However, they have gained the ability to fix nitrogen in low oxygen conditions.  It is a colonial organism that forms long chains called trichomes which reproduce by fragmentation.

Anabaena form symbiotic relationships with other species of plants.  In a symbiotic relationship, both the host organism and the occupant organism benefit from each other.  Anabaena lives inside of other plants where it is protected from predation.   The host plant is benefitted by this because the Anabaena can fix nitrogen that the plant can then use for protein formation and the creation of nucleic acids and other cellular constitutes.  Plants that may contain anabaena are ferns, liverworts, and angiosperms (flowering plants).  While Anabaena can benefit plants, it can be harmful to animal species that drink water contaminated with the cyanobacteria.  Because of this, Anabaena should be controlled with Cutrine Ultra algaecide. 

Pithophora

Pithophora is a type of filamentous algae that thrives in shallow ponds high in nitrogen and phosphorus.  It is bright green or brown in color and can form dense mats at the surface of the pond. It can be one of the most difficult types of algae to control.  In heavy wind or rain, the algal mats will sink to the bottom and then float back to the top.  Pithophora floats by trapping air bubbles at the surface where it forms tangled clumps that resemble cotton or wool.  This algae can be treated with a diquat herbicide, applied at a rate of 1-2 gallons per surface acre. 

     

Diptera:

The order Diptera contains the True Flies.  A true fly has one single pair of wings on the thorax; two pairs of wings would put the fly into different insect families.  This order contains over 240,000 species including the mosquito, gnats, and midges.  As the ice on top of your pond melts, you may notice the tiny macroinvertebrate larvae of the true flies in the water.  This should not alarm you.  These larvae, including mosquito larvae, are a very important part of the food chain in the pond’s ecosystem.  Fish fry, tadpoles, and other organisms will all consume these as a major part of their diet. 

Largemouth Bass:

The largemouth bass is also referred to as the widemouth bass or the bucketmouth.  This fish is olive green with dark blotches that form a horizontal line along the body.  It is distinguished from the smallmouth bass by noticing that the upper jaw extends past the eye.  The record size is 29.5” and 25 lbs.  They can live up to 16 years. 

Adult largemouth bass will eat bluegill, snails, crawfish, frogs, salamanders, even small mammals or birds.  In lakes and ponds with heavy vegetation, the largemouth bass may not be able to find enough food to survive.  However, in lakes and ponds with scarce vegetation, the largemouth bass will decimate other fish populations. 

The largemouth bass will bite at lures, plastic worms, jigs, crank bait, and spinners.  They have been introduced to many lakes and ponds because they are a good sport fish and have a mild taste.  In Canada, they are an invasive species where they bring sea lice and eat native fish species, greatly reducing their populations. 

    

Spatterdock:

Spatterdock, also known as the Cow Lily, is a large aquatic plant with floating or emerged heart-shaped leaves.  It blooms yellow flowers from June through September that appear to be “half-opened”.  Spatterdock can grow in lakes, ponds, and sluggish streams where it establishes its large leaves, thick stems, and flowers.  Spatterdock spreads easily through pollination by insects and can quickly take over the surface of a body of water.  This aquatic plant can be treated with a glyphosate herbicide such as AquaPro mixed with Cide Kick-II. 

      

UltraClear Dechlorinator:

Tap water and well water contain chemicals that are unsafe for watergardens or aquariums.  Tap water contains high chlorine levels while well water contains extra metals and water hardness.  UltraClear Dechlorinator is formulated to make tap water safe for fish, wildlife, and plants.  It accomplishes these 4 tasks:

1.       Removes chlorine and chloramines

2.       Promotes slime coat to protect fish gills

3.       Detoxifies heavy metals

4.       Reduces nitrate buildup

UltraClear Dechlorinator contains sodium thiosulfate which is a safe chemical that neutralizes chlorine.  This product also contains polyvinylpyrrolidones which are polymers that promote the slime coat on fish at a healthy level.  There are also organic chelating compounds that detoxify heavy metals and proprietary reducing agents that reduce nitrogen levels.

This product is safe for use in watergardens, freshwater, and saltwater aquariums.  It should be used at a rate of 8 ounces per 1,000 gallons of water. 

Tapegrass

Tapegrass, also referred to as Wild Celery and Eelgrass, is a perennial grass with long narrow leaves.  This plant is almost entirely submerged except for the single white, female flowers that grow above the surface.  Tapegrass consists of flat, thin, ribbon-like leaves that are up to 3 meters long and only 2.5 centimeters wide.  It can be distinguished from other aquatic grasses by the stripe or midrib running down the center of each leaf.  Tapegrass produces cylindrical pods that contain seeds but its primary mode of spreading is by runners under the soil that allow it to form thick meadows.  This aquatic plant is native to eastern North America where it grows in lakes, ponds, and streams that are 1 meter to 4 meters in depth.  Here, it provides a habitat for fish and other invertebrates, and provides food for waterfowl. 

Tapegrass has the potential to form dense meadows where it can become troublesome for fisherman, boaters, and swimmers.  It can be controlled with granular hydrothol which can be applied at a rate of 27-136 pounds per acre foot.  Liquid hydrothol can also be used at a rate of 1-3 gallons per acre foot.  After the Tapegrass has been eliminated, AQUA DOC blue can be applied at a rate of 1 quart per acre foot to shade light from stimulating the growth of new Tapegrass. 

        

Phragmites: The Common Reed

Phragmites, or the Common Reed, is a perennial grass that grows in temperate and tropical environments all over the world.  It can form extensive strands called reed beds that can take up as much as half a square mile of land.  Each stalk can grow from 6-8’ in height.  The leaves are very long for a grass measuring 7-20”, and 2-3cm in width.  Phragmites grows in wetland areas or on the banks of lakes and ponds.  This reed provides an animal habitat but it can also crowd out other vegetation from growing in and near the water.  Phragmites can be controlled using a systemic herbicide such as glyphosate.  Glyphosate should be applied at a rate of 4-6lbs per acre during the late fall. 

     

The Channel Catfish

The channel catfish is North America’s most popular catfish.  It is the official state fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee.  This fish is becoming increasingly popular as a food and has led to numerous stocking and aquaculture programs across the states.  The channel catfish thrives in large rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and ponds.  They are cavity nesters meaning that they lay their eggs in cavities, hollows, and debris to shelter them from currents. 

The channel catfish has taste buds all over its body, this feature, along with long whiskers, allows it to find food in dark, muddy, and turbid waters.  This fish is omnivorous and it will bite many types of bait including worms, crickets, frogs, crawfish, and minnows.  

Channel catfish can be identified by the dark spots along its body and its rounded anal fin.  If the anal fin is squared then it is the blue catfish.  The channel catfish has the potential to reach 40-50 lbs in the wild, with the world record being 58 lbs.  However, average size is under 10 lbs. 

GreenClean

GreenClean is a granular peroxide based algaecide (Sodium Carbonate Peroxhydrate).  It is one of the few algaecides that does not contain copper so it is safe to use in smaller koi ponds.  It should be sprinkled directly on nuisance algae and it will begin to release oxygen as it controls algae growth and biodegrades.  Application rate is 3-17 pounds per acre-foot, depending on the resiliency of the algae.