Water Hyacinth:

Water hyacinth is a free-floating aquatic plant that is native to tropical South America.  It has broad, thick leaves.  A single stalk rises above the surface and holds 8-15 purple flowers.  It is most common in the southern US but is sold as ornamental plants all around the country.  Water hyacinth reproduces very quickly by runners and seeds and it can easily cover the whole surface of the water.  This will deprive the water of oxygen and disrupt water flow.  It can be controlled using a 2,4 D, Diquat, or Glyphosate herbicide.  Water hyacinth is known for its ability to take heavy metals out of the water.  Currently, in some eastern countries, it is being used as a water purifier to remove arsenic from drinking water. 

Creeping Water Primrose:

Creeping water primrose is a perennial plant that can grow in wet soil as well as float out onto the water.  Its leaves are a reddish-green and are 2” long and ½” to 1” in diameter.  The plant produces small yellow flowers that are 1” to 2 “ in diameter.  This is an invasive species that forms extensive mats and will deter water flow and limit shoreline activities.  It is used as an ornamental aquatic plant and improper use and disposal has lead to its spread in waterways.  Creeping water primrose is spread by seeds and plant fragments that are carried by boats, water, wind, and wildlife.  It can be controlled using a 2,4 D, Diquat, or Glyphosate herbicide. 

    

Applying Aquatic Herbicides: Yourself or Pay Someone?

Applying Aquatic Herbicides: Yourself or Pay Someone?

In Ohio, a pond owner has the option to apply algaecides and herbicides to their pond themselves or to hire a licensed applicator.  In most other states, a licensed applicator must be hired for aquatic vegetation treatments.  A professional licensed applicator should be contacted if:

·         The pond owner does not feel comfortable handling chemicals.

o   A licensed applicator knows how to safely handle chemicals and must renew their license every 3 years in Ohio.

·         The pond owner needs to be able to properly identify aquatic plants and algae because herbicides and algaecides are very species specific and selective.

o   A licensed applicator is trained in species identification and can ensure that the correct product is used, in the appropriate amounts.

·         Pond owners usually under-estimate the volume of their pond which leads to incorrect surface acre measurements and incorrect product usage.

o   A licensed applicator is able to accurately measure the pond’s volume and calculate the proper amount of product to be used.

So, ask yourself these questions:

·         Am I willing to take the time to read product labels, making sure to pay close attention to warnings, safety instructions, and restrictions?

·         Am I able to correctly identify the plants causing the problem?

·         Can I accurately calculate the amount of product required to do the job?

·         Do I have the proper application and safety equipment to apply the herbicide?

·         Do I really feel comfortable handling chemicals?

If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, licensed applicators should be contacted.  AQUA DOC will send a licensed applicator to your home or business to assess your lake or ponds needs to properly determine the best maintenance program. 

Lynch, Bill (2010). Applying Aquatic Herbicides: Yourself or Pay Someone? Columbus, OH: OSU Natural Resources.

Coontail:

Coontail is an aquatic plant that can grow in large colonies.  It can be found in quiet lakes, ponds, and streams.  It is usually submerged but may sometimes float on the surface.  Coontail will reproduce quickly by fragmentation and can easily take over a body of water.  It can be treated using a 2,4 D such as Navigate or Diquat such as Reward.

        

AQUA DOC Blue:

AQUA DOC Blue is a great way to keep your pond aesthetically pleasing.  It gives the water a pleasant blue color, while inhibiting aquatic plant growth.  It can be used in natural and manmade lakes and ponds, ornamental, and fish farming bodies of water with little or no overflow.

This product prevents the sun’s UV light from penetrating submerged weed and algae growth, which breaks the cycle of photosynthesis.  It should be applied at a rate of 1 to 2 quarts per surface acre (43,560 sq ft).  For best results, apply AQUA DOC Blue to your water in the early Spring before the plants have time to establish (February – April), and throughout the season to prevent regrowth.  There are no restrictions on swimming, fishing, irrigation, or stock watering with this product.

AQUA DOC Blue can purchased online or over the phone for the value price of $24.95 per quart.  Call today!

Pond Turnover:

Pond turnover is the mixing of the stagnant, stratified layers of water in a pond.  The upper level of water is known as the epilimnion.  This is where the water warm and has a high oxygen content.  This is also where fish are found.  The middle layer is known as the thermocline.  This is where the water temperature and oxygen level will gradually decline with increasing depth.  The lowest layer is the hypolimnion.  This is the layer that is the coldest and is the most oxygen deprived. 

Pond turnover occurs when weather conditions favor the mixing of these different layers.  In the Fall, the upper level is cooled by the colder air.  This makes the water more dense and it will sink to the bottom.  This will cause the bottom layer to then rise to the top. The opposite occurs after the winter when the water warms-up in the Spring.  Pond turnover can also be caused by cold rains or high winds during the summer.  This event can cause fish kills because the deoxygenated water is brought to the surface where the fish dwell, and can suffocate them. 

Koi:

Koi are ornamental varieties of the common carp.  The word “Koi” literally means “carp” in Japanese.  However, Koi can also mean “affection” or “love” and so the Koi is a symbol of love and friendship in Japan and all throughout the world.  Koi can have many different colors, patterns, and scalation.  Most colors are white, black, red, yellow, orange, and blue.  Koi are genetically selected carp for their coloration.  The carp that produced different colors out of a batch of fry were used to produce another generation, and over time, the fish produced brighter and brighter colors.  This is why if Koi are allowed to reproduce naturally they will become all grey-colored after a few generations. 

In order to keep Koi in Ohio, it is recommended that a pond be at least 4 feet deep.  This will help the fish to survive the cold winter.  The Koi are most active when the water temperature is between 59 and 77 degrees.  During the winter when the water temperature is low, you do not need to feed your Koi.  The digestive tract of the fish will slow down so much that if they are fed, food will just sit in their stomach and may cause them to become ill.  It is also recommended that Koi are only raised in ponds that have a liner or in watergardens.  If stocked in an earthen pond, the Koi will constantly stir up the mud on the bottom of the pond causing the water to always be turbid.  This will deter swimming and other activities. 

AQUA DOC carries several different types of Koi that you can add to your own backyard pond.

Purple Loosestrife:

Purple Loosestrife is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Europe, Asia, and Africa.  It was probably introduced to North America through the shipping trade.  It is an invasive species that can reduce the biological diversity of native plants which can affect the life cycles of other organisms such as waterfowl, fish, and amphibians. 

This is a colonial plant that can grow 1 to 1.5 meters tall.  Many long stems will grow out of one root mass.  The flowers are reddish purple and are 10mm to 20mm in diameter.  Purple Loosestrife reproduces extremely quickly as it produces 2 million seeds annually. 

      

Nostoc:

Nostoc is a genus of cyanobacteria.  It forms colonies encased in a gelatinous sheath.  It can be found in soil, on rocks, and in lakes and ponds.  Nostoc can live in extremely cold or arid conditions.  This ability to survive these conditions makes them particularly interesting to scientists.  Nostoc also has the ability to lie dormant for long periods of time and recover metabolic activity after it is rehydrated.  When Nostoc is in the dry soil it may not be visible to the eye.  However, after it rains, the Nostoc will expand and form visible spherical colonies.  There are over 200 species of Nostoc, some of which are edible and are considered a delicacy in China. 

   

The Great Blue Heron:

The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird.  It is common near open water and wetlands.  It has a wide distribution and can be found all throughout North and Central America, as well as the West Indies.  This heron has a blue body, a grey neck, and a white face.  Its long legs allow it to feed deeper than most other birds.  It will eat fish, shrimp, crabs, rodents, frog, turtles, and snakes. 

Unfortunately, the beautiful koi pond that you have in your back yard will attract these birds, and they will feed on your expensive koi.  They are attracted to these small ponds because it will save them time and energy when hunting for food, because the koi are right there for the taking. 

Herons can be deterred from your pond in several ways.  A “fence” can be built around the pond using fishing string.  The fence should be about 14 inches high so that the heron cannot reach over it.  However, this solution will not always work because the heron can just land directly in the pond.  Another device is the scare crow.  This will spray a stream of water at any movement that it detects and scare away the heron.  Also, a heron decoy can be placed at the pond.  This decoy will be much larger than an average-sized heron so that real herons will not want to get in the way of the larger, fake heron. 

Harmful Algal Blooms:

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are caused by planktonic bacteria.  Cyanobacteria is not a true algae.  These bacteria can float and form “scums” near the surface.  An HAB can often times be confused with duckweed or watermeal, both of which are aquatic plants.  HABs cause problems when environmental conditions, often human induced, favor their growth.

HAB cyanobacteria consists of Microcystis, Lyngbya, Anabaena, Nostoc, Aphanizomenon, Planktothrix, and Cylindrospermopsis.  Factors that contribute to HABs include:

·         Excess nutrients in water

·         Sunlight

·         Low-water or low-flow conditions

·         Calm water

·         Warm temperatures

·         Low salinity

·         Selective grazing by zooplankton. (Zooplankton may choose not to eat the cyanobacteria)

HABs can cause taste and odor problems in water, pollute beaches with scum, reduce oxygen levels for fish, cause processing problems in water supplies, and produce toxic chemicals.  The toxins produced can be nerve toxins, liver toxins, and skin toxins.  The toxicity level depends on the strains of bacteria present and on environmental conditions. 

The World Health Organization states that monitoring of public drinking water should be increased after cyanobacteria concentrations reach 1 ppb (parts per billion).  Risk of health problems from recreational contact is considered to be low at 4 ppb and moderate at 20 ppb. 

The best way to reduce your risk of being harmed by HABs is to avoid waters with HAB advisories, water that is pea green, water with floating bright green scum, and discoloration.  Rinse family members, pets, and yourself after swimming in natural waters.  Do not drink natural water and do not eat fish from waters experiencing an HAB event. 

Signs of HAB poisoning include:

·         Numbness of lips

·         Tingling in fingers and toes

·         Dizziness

·         Headache

·         Rash

·         Abdominal pain

In pets:

·         Weakness

·         Staggering

·         Convulsions

·         Vomiting

·         Respiratory distress

HABs can be prevented by eliminating excess nutrient sources.  Limiting the use of lawn and plant fertilizers, maintaining septic systems, not allowing geese to reside at your pond, and maintaining natural plants in the watershed will all help reduce nutrient sources. 

   

Sago Pondweed:

Sago pondweed is a perennial aquatic plant.  It forms thick mats under the water’s surface; it does not have any floating leaves.   Sago pondweed has leaves that grow in thick layers and produces nut-like fruit that is 1/8” to 1/4” long.  The submerged stems of this plant provide a habitat for many micro and macro invertebrates which in turn provide food for fish and other wildlife.  Because sago pondweed reproduces by fragmentation, it can easily take over an entire body of water.  This can disrupt recreational activities such as boating, swimming, and fishing.  Sago pondweed can be treated with copper, endothall, and fluridone. 

Tadpoles and Frogs:

Tadpoles, also known as polliwogs, are the larval stage of the life cycle of frogs or toads.  They metamorphosize from the tadpole stage into a fully grown frog or toad in 12 to 16 weeks.  When the tadpoles first emerge from the egg, they attach themselves to submerged leaves or grasses where they remain “stuck” for about 1 week.  Here, they consume the remaining yolk from their own egg.  After 7 to 10 days, they will detach from the pond’s bottom and begin to consume algae and phytoplankton.  At this point, they have one long tail to help them swim through the water.  After 4 to 7 weeks the tadpole will begin to develop lungs.  During this time, the tadpoles will begin to spend more time at the surface of the water to breathe.  After 6 to 9 weeks have passed, the tadpole will begin to grow small legs.  The back legs form first, followed by the arms.  The final transformation stage is when the mouth changes from a small hole, to a mouth the width of the whole head.  The entire process is complete after 12 to 16 weeks. 

Frogs are important to ecosystems because they control insect populations and they are also a food source for some fish and water fowl.  Frogs are also good bioindicators meaning that the presence of frogs in a body of water is a good indication that that water is clean and the ecosystem is healthy.