Water-meal and a Fish Kill-What Now?
Posted by Jeff Kennedy on Tue, Mar 29, 2011 @ 08:08 AM
Q. Over last 3 years have had a cover of watermeal. We have had a complete fish kill after last winter. What do we do?
A.Sorry to hear about both your water-meal and your fish-kill.
Water-meal is a very prolific plant and is very difficult to control. Water-meal is typically an indicator of excess nutrients in the pond.
Fish-kills due to ice-over have been quite common the last few cold winters. With thick ice and snow cover there is no way for a self contained pond to generate oxygen.
You can prevent the potential for both water-meal & a fish-kill by adding bottom aeration. Bottom aeration energizes a natural biological process that reduces nutrients over time. Aeration also eliminates thermal & oxygen stratification which provides a healthier fish habitat. In addition, using aeration in the winter will keep oxygen flowing year round and will likely prevent a future fish kill.
http://info.organicpond.com/vertex-pond-aeration/
http://www.organicpond.com/Vertex_AIR_1_Acre_Pond_Aerator_p/air%201%20sh.htm
Nutrient reduction can also be achieved by adding beneficial bacteria designed to digest the muck layer(decomposing organics) that is feeding the plant growth. Starve a plant of nutrients and it goes away.
http://info.organicpond.com/clean-clear-blue-pond-treatment/
http://info.organicpond.com/purebacteria-pond-muck-reducer/
There are three ways to control water-meal; manual, biological or chemical. Manual is simply skimming the plant off the surface, difficult and not very effective. Biological is adding koi or grass carp to consume the plant. Works sometimes but the carp start with the big weeds and work their way down. Chemical treatments especially fluridone based products work well. Sonar and Whitecap are brand names of fluridone based products.