Well, mostly correct...

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.

The algae season is coming quickly...

While most of the country is able to take a break from normal monthly maintenance of their ponds during the winter months that gives you a moment to reflect and plan for next year. Did the products you use provide the performance you hoped for? Did you use those products properly as far as dosing, timing and quantities?

The great thing about pond products is that there are many choices to select from. There are generally multiple ways to get from A to Z. One thing to note is that some chemicals seem more expensive but that isn’t always the case. It is important to pay attention to how much of a product you have to use for it to be truly effective. Some products last longer and may be more expensive to purchase but will free up more of your time and needing added less often. Some products may treat different ranges of problems in the pond as others may require the purchase of multiple products to treat the same range.

In the end, do not take any of this as good or bad/right or wrong. Again, there is always more than 1 way to do anything. Each person must take the time to determine what they like, how much time they are willing to spend, how much money they are willing to spend and the end look of their pond.

At www.pondcaredirect.com, we sell many different product brands and types. While we would love your business, it is more important that you are happy with your pond. If you have a brand or supplier you work with and it works for you then think before you change it. If we offer the product you want at a better price then we’d love you to make a purchase. If you have questions, please feel free to ask. If you use a product we do not carry, please inform us and we’ll see if we can add it and give you a price quote.

Our next post will be related to the differences in herbicides available on the market today.

Storage of pond care products.

Like many chemicals, pond care products can be stored but with some care. One of the biggest issues for pond care products is extreme cold. Freezing can cause some products to go bad and may cause damage to the plastic bottles which could lead to leaks. Leaking dye can cause many other issues and lots of damage. Chleated copper products should definetly not be allowed to freeze as it will cause a reaction that ruins the product.

It's a good idea to avoid leaving them in areas that get really wet when storing products in the cardboard case. The bottles themselves will be ok and the product should not be affected by this.

Another thing to note is that once the seal is broken, many pond care products will lose potency over time. Storing such products should be for as short of a period as possible and they should be kept in ideal conditions. Just a note that some products, especially biological bacterai products, have a shorter shelf life even if stored sealed and in ideal conditions.

If you have any questions you can email me at anytime.

Time to wheel and deal!

The end of the pond care season for the northern states is upon us. With that it's time to get rid of stock and do anything to make a sale. It is time to look for the good deals. There should be many places with sales going on to clear out inventories until next year. Products, mark up and other things all come in to play when looking for deals as some stores or even individual products have more price control over the end sale prices. So some products may be able to be sold for a much greater discount than others.

With that in mind I'd like to be the first to suggest contact us at www.pondcaredirect.com and making an offer on supplies for next year. Pond care products have good shelf lives and can be kept for quite a while before being used. Breaking the air seal and freezing tend to be the biggest issue with storage and can cause the most damage.

Now could be your best time to save for next years pond treatments. Make an offer. The worst you can get back is a message that they can't sell it for that price. You may even get a counter offer for a price that is a great deal!

Fall is the time to pick up the slack...

Ok, for those of you in the northern areas of the US it is time to pick up the slack to prepare for a better season next year.

I would suggest getting your favorite biological product and adding it now to help break down all that left over sediment from the summer months and for any leaves and other debris making it into your pond right now. Helping clean this up will help to remove lots of food for algae and other weeds next spring.

This can be sound advise for souther ponds as well as biological treatments are most effective in cooler water temps as the bacteria is more active.

Always remember that you never want to use a copper based products rigth after using a biological one since copper will kill this type of treatment. Always wait a couple days after a copper treatment to use biological products to help bring the beneficial bacteria counts back up to a good healthy amount.

Southern ponds require year round treatment against algae and other pond weeds that is many times not the case in the north. However, either way you need to know what steps are needed to keep your pond in it's best shape.

If you need advice on any product, please do not hesitate to contact us. Head over to PondCareDirect.com to see all of our products today if you have any needs.

Increasing Oxygen Levels and Water Movement

There are many different ways to increase the oxygen levels and water flow. In many ways those two things go hand in hand. The end result though is more oxygen in the water. The most common ways to accomplish this is through the use of windmills and electronic aeration units. Both will increase the oxygen levels by causing water movement and surface tension. Costs can be about the same for either option but windmills do not require power.

There are many reasons for adding something to increase your oxygen levels in a pond. This will help buffer against oxygen level drops due to the loss of plant life. This can happen during seasonal changes as well as due to chemical treatments. For those where freezing can occur this helps to add oxygen which can be depleted during a deep freeze.

Adding a method to increase and maintain your ponds oxygen level can be a great investment rather than paying to restock often. We have added an entire line of windmills at great prices, please take a look. If you are interested in an electrical aeration system, please contact us today so we can get you more information.

Why buy bulk?

Well like anything it seems like eventually we all find ourselves out of something needing more of it. Buying quantity saves money and is the smart way to shop. The only real issue is how and where to store additional quantities of products.

Pond care related items are no different. Even if you only use a gallon of dye a season, in time you'll need more. There is almost one statement that over time holds true and that is that it will likely never be cheaper than today to get it.

The key to storing most pond products is keeping them from freezing. Almost all pond related care products have fair shelf life but some can either be ruined or damaged by freezing. On top of the freezing can cause damage to the containers and packaging which may cause leaks or other issues.

So take advantage of this years stocked products being sold at prices that are almost for sure going to be less than next springs pricing when the producst are in high demand. Please feel free to visit us at www.pondcaredirect.com today to take advantage of our great pricing which includes shipping to your door.