@!~~#! $%**@£ BLANKET WEED!!!!!!!

[pjholybloke]

I don't know whether this belongs in gardens but if anyone can give me some sound advice on how to get rid of the blanket weed in my pond I would be eternally grateful.

So far I have - increased floating plant cover to approx 40% of pond surface area.

Increased marginals to compete for oxygen.

Introduced water fleas.

Introduced Grass Carp

Tried Blanc - Kit Excel an organic blanket weed treatment.

I'm still spending 45mins - 1 hour per day fishing the vile slime out.

Right now I'm thinking that in the event of a nuclear holocaust the only living things left on the planet will be cockroaches & ****ing blanket weed!

Two conditions - I don't want a UV filter and I want any solution to be organic.

Is there a solution or do I resign myself to just netting it out?

ANY suggestions gratefully recieved.

 

[holmslaw]

lillies, they shade the surface killing the blanket weed.

 

[breezer]

there is no known 100% cure

some swear by barley straw, but like i said, there is no known 100% cure

 

[tim west]

balance may not be right, don't overfeed fish the uneaten feed acts as nutrient, make sure you clean pond filter regularly. You may need to add more plant life to restore balance, dont use excessive plant feed. Pond location is important.

 

[Jesus H. Christ]

...I would be eternally grateful.

Eternally? Are you really sure about that?

 

[pjholybloke]

OK, thanks for replies each.

Have two lillies, 3 soldier plants, bundles of crispes, australian pondweed, water hyacinths and water hawthorn all providing good surface cover - must be 40% covered.

Have one bale of rotting Barley.

6 different varieties of marginals at a textbook 3/foot around the outside of pond, well pumped & filtered water, water fleas for the world, supposedly blanket weed-loving grass carp..... and the market cornered in blanket weed.

Breezer you may be right (wounder), Holmslaw I'll plant another (probably a bit late for this season but hey-ho), Tim West I'm gonna cut down the food to one shot per day - the fish may well be gorged on fleas.

Jesus H..... yes I'm sure I mean eternally - get your sandals on and work me a miracle would you? It's been a war of attrition for the last two years and I'm starting to lose the will to fight.

Ta.

PS if anyone has had any success with Blanc-Kit Excell please let me know. Desparately searching for any form of encouragement.

 

[breezer]

as i said there is no 100% cure.

some people will say xyz and it works, others who have tried xyz will say it doesnt work

its all to do with individual pond chemistry.

but this will make you sick, my fountain never has any, but my teeny weeny puddle of a pond has no plants, no fish just a brick and a pipe, its the home of the frog, has slightly green water, and no string algae in sight, and no plants, funny that.

 

[pjholybloke]

Thanks mate.

I know what you mean though, I think I've heard of and tried everything as I keep getting the same stock answers repeated everytime I ask for advice - I've probably adopted too much of a shotgun approach if I'm honest. I'm looking for a "magic bullet" and there isn't one.

I guess the balance I'm looking for wil only be achieved over time - if at all.

I've got a newt in there from somewhere though, so it might be an ugly pond but the wildlife loves it!

Big up ya frog brother!

Cheers.

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

Try whisky, not to much as the fish might get to like it.

 

[pjholybloke]

Try whisky, not to much as the fish might get to like it.

Errrr like honestly? Whisky? Are you pulling my chain?

I'll run with it as it's something I've not heard (therefore tried before), but do I dilute it or just whack it in neat?

.......you are serious aren't you?

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

It worked in mine, well I think it did. It wasn’t meant to go in there but when it did the duck weed and the green slime went. Fish are still looking very happy.

 

[pjholybloke]

OK - will give it a go in a test area first - however if fish start tearing plants up, spitting water out of pond and generally causing a nuisance for the neighbours I'll be back!

 

[breezer]

i think you leg is being pulled, alcohol soon evaporates

 

[Igorian]

Overfeeding, as previously mentioned, is one major contributor. Have you also tried a phosphate remover?

Why don't you want a UV filter btw?

 

[pjholybloke]

i think you leg is being pulled, alcohol soon evaporates

Yeah, you're probably right, I wasn't sure but definitely desperate enough to try it.