Unfortunately we have been noticing some very unusual and very large algae blooms in some of our communities this past month. With the air and water temperatures rapidly increasing it makes sense to expect some of the more "biologically productive" ponds to begin showing more signs of growth. However, in a few cases we've been able to trace the cause of these blooms directly to fertilization treatments that recently took place around said ponds.
If you are planning on doing a spring fertilization or know that your landcare vendor will be conducting one soon, please be sure to follow Best Management Practices (BMP) and be as careful as you can to keep excess fertilizer runoff from making its way into your lakes/ponds. An influx of extra nutrients along with increasing water temperatures will most likely result in unsightly blooms and possible fish kills. Be sure to leave at least a ten foot "no fertilization" buffer zone and use slow release fertilizers when possible.
As always, we will continue to treat any unwanted algae growth to keep your ponds looking clean and healthy, but prevention is always the best medicince and keeping a close eye on fertilization use can go a long way in ensuring a healthier and therefore cleaner waterbody.
Listed under: Gulf Coast, lake and pond management, aquatic management, lake cleaning, pond cleaning, Tampa,
Such a great post about lake and pond restoration. Keep on posting!
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