In article ,
Galen Hekhuis wrote:
On Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:17:55 EDT, Kurt
wrote:
In article ,
Galen Hekhuis wrote:
As requested, here is what the pond looks two days after I threw in
the aerator from the bank.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...g122009004.jpg
I know it doesn't look like much, but I really don't expect anything
in a hurry. In the time lapse photos you can see the duckweed blanket
move back and forth, east and west, or left and right as you look at
the picture, some 8-9 times a day. In the background, it seems like
cracks may be beginning to form, but maybe it's just wishful thinking.
Galen, oxygen (aeration) only promotes duckweed growth.
Was this a way to keep it under control? Forgive me if I didn't get
follow the thread.
Scoop the the stuff out of your pond and be prepared to continue
scooping it out as needed to keep the surface as clear as you want.
Aeration is good for the fish, since if you have any, they are starving
from the lack of open surface due to choking duckweed.
Once again, forgive me if i didn't understand this experiment.
I shovel out a bucket full of water lettuce every week from my miniscule
pond. It's healthy and there's a lot of nutrients in the water, but even
with my aerating waterfall, I need the open surface area for the fish
health.
I have a complete blanket of duckweed, I don't see how it could get
healthier. If the extra oxygen helps the duckweed, so be it. I'm
hoping (not certain) that the additional mechanical agitation will
discourage it. I have some reason to believe this by watching time
lapse photos of the pond, but I guess I'll find out for sure during
the coming months. Just as a worthless data point, while I have seen
some of the turtles in the pond actually eating the duckweed, they
don't seem to be effective at controlling it.
Seems to me that you are trying to dig a tunnel with a spoon.
Even with the most vigorous agitation, there will be some quiet areas of
the pond where the DW will continue to thrive.
I personally don't see how adding oxygen to the water will inhibit any
plant growth. DW may not like moving water, but if nutrients are there,
seems to me it would take a constant tsunami to discourage them.
I'd get a big swimming pool net and scoop to get most of it out, then
see how the aeration experiament works.
I'm with you on herbicides, etc.
Here's the skinny of Roundup:
So What's the Problem With Roundup?
They say: "It's Safer than Mowing"; "Biodegradable";"Environmentally
Friendly"
Some Important Facts You Should Know
? Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is the third most
commonly-reported cause of pesticide illness among agricultural workers
in California.
? Glyphosate is the most commonly reported cause of pesticide
illness among landscape maintenance workers in California.
? The surfactant ingredient in Roundup is more acutely toxic than
glyphosate itself and the combination of the two is yet more toxic.
? Glyphosate is suspected of causing genetic damage.
? Glyphosate is acutely toxic to fish and birds and can kill
beneficial insects and soil organisms that maintain ecological balance.
? Laboratory studies have identified adverse effects of
glyphosate-containing products in all standard categories of
toxicological testing.
? Glyphosate residues in soil can persist over a year.
? Glyphosate residues has been found in strawberries, wild
blueberries and raspberries, lettuce, carrots and barley.
? Glyphosate has been measured 1,300 - 2,600 feet away from its
application site.
? This year Monsanto, manufacturer of Roundup, agreed with the New
York Attorney General's office to discontinue their use of the terms
"biodegradable" and "environmentally friendly" in ads promoting
glyphosate-based products, including Roundup.
http://www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/roundup.html
--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"