| Duckweed is a tiny floating aquatic plant with | | | | system. The duckweed will flow into the skimmer, |
| many uses in the Pond Industry. Duckweed is | | | | preventing an epidemic. The common downside is |
| extremely fast growing, and can double its | | | | the duckweed will consistently clog the skimmer. |
| population in just a few days under ideal | | | | If cleaned regularly, surface skimmers are very |
| circumstances. Duckweed is used as nutrient | | | | efficient in small to medium sized ponds. |
| control in larger aquaculture applications. The fast | | | | Chemical removal can be very effective, but can |
| growing plant utilizes excess nutrients such as | | | | also contribute to further issues. Herbicides used |
| nitrogen and phosphorus, thereby creating a | | | | to control live plants can be very detrimental to a |
| healthier environment for the livestock. They are | | | | living ecosystem, and should be used very |
| also a high protein plant, and make an excellent | | | | sparingly in any natural living environment. In |
| supplemental diet for aquacultures species such as | | | | addition to controlling duckweed, these chemicals |
| Tilapia and Grass Carp. Duckweed also has a place | | | | can also damage more desirable ornamental |
| in the Aquarium industry. They provide shelter for | | | | plants, and will badly damage the biological filtration |
| timid species, and even provide a breeding | | | | system. This can lead to nuisance algae or even |
| medium for some species. For all these benefits, | | | | livestock death. |
| this small plant species can also quickly become a | | | | Biological control can be the safest and easiest to |
| nuisance to pond owners. It can overtake a small | | | | deploy. Grass Carp and Tilapia are two popular |
| pond in a matter of weeks, or sometimes, days. | | | | choices for duckweed control. Tilapia in particular |
| Duckweed blooms can deplete the pond of | | | | are often cultured with duckweed as a food |
| oxygen, resulting in stressful conditions for the | | | | source. While these fish may suffice for long-term |
| livestock. Although propagating can be fairly easy, | | | | control, other measures may have to be tried in |
| eradicating a population can be quite difficult. | | | | addition to this. Natural control is often too slow to |
| There are three basic removal methods; | | | | control overgrown populations, but may very well |
| Mechanical, Chemical, and Biological. Although each | | | | be able to maintain low levels once the duckweed |
| has its advantages and disadvantages, the style | | | | is under control. |
| of each pond will dictate the proper method to be | | | | Small to medium ponds tend to fare very well |
| utilized. The most common approach is Mechanical | | | | with a combination of surface skimming and |
| removal. The most common approach is to simply | | | | biological control, while larger bodies of water may |
| net the excess plant from the pond. While this | | | | require a more complicated approach. In the end, |
| may be effective in smaller ponds, it is often | | | | Duckweed, like all other pests should be controlled |
| tedious or impossible in larger bodies of water. | | | | early. Once an epidemic population is established, it |
| Surface skimming can be a very effective way | | | | can be very difficult, and very time consuming, to |
| to remove excess plants. This involves building a | | | | defeat. |
| surface skimmer as the intake for the filtration | | | | |