Ok, in todays market there is a lot of competition. This extends to all product types, including herbicides. This post will not assume to even attempt to name them all or the brands that use different types. When it comes to selecting the proper herbicide it will likely depend on how you deal with your pond that makes the most difference.
Any good herbicide is going to cover most weeds and other undesired plants in your pond. One thing to make sure of is that your selection is safe for water use. Doing so will help you in a couple different ways. Not only will this remove possible death of your livestock but it will also mean it may not harm water plants that are desired.
So now that we have some of the minor things covered how do you know what you should buy? This is the hard part. There are really two things you need to know. First and foremost you need to have identified what you are wanting the herbicide for. Secondly, how much do you want to spend and how do you intend to apply treatments.
When making your selection, keep in mind that there are many water safe herbicides that are not intended to kill plants that are below the water surface. So if you identify submerged problems then you'll want to stick with a treatment that is made to be effective like Weed Plex Pro, Reward, White Cap or any product based off the same main additive. The same can be said about dealing with plants that are growing out of the water line or on the shore. While you could use Weed Plex Pro on this type of plant to kill it, it may be cheaper and faster to use a product like Catt Plex or Avocet.
That other thing to think of is how you want to treat your pond. Some products allow ease of maintenance by lasting for long durations like Whitecap. However, this product will cost a little more up front, but tends to equal out in the long run. Also, unlike some other chemicals, dosing will be much more important than when using a sprayed on application since the chemical is left to treat the entire pond not just the spots you spray it. Dosing is important with all herbicides but you may need a small amount to mix with a couple gallons of water that you can treat all your visible problems with when doing it by spray. You will have to do this often to keep up with weeds as they regrow or new ones show up.
The last thing I would like to suggest is checking to see if you can find a mixture that works for your overall pond. If you do use a spray then you may be able to get the best overall affect by finding herbicides that allow mixing with other herbicides. This can become a powerful spray that is effective against shoreline growth as well as having attributes safe for your water than can help to kill off unwanted plants in and below the water line. Be careful to make sure that you are mixing products that will not react poorly. It is a good idea to check and make sure you are using different active herbices as well, becuase two brands may actually be based on the same active ingrediant. Lastly, some herbicides, such as Whitecap are not a good mixing product. Floridone products are great but are only effective in proper dosing of an entire pond.
Many of the products out there list how and on what they can be used. It is important to take the time to check the product you are purchasing to ensure you are not wasting your time and your money. If you have questions, just ask.
