Lakes

Whether you need immediate relief or are looking for an advisor to help you manage an Aquatic ecosystem, Aqua-Marine has the knowledge and the equipment to attack your lake treatment problem. Over time, these water resources can become polluted and saturated with nutrients that overfeed the plant life in a lake. Eventually the plant life can be a serious problem for use of the lake. Nutrients generally come from the surrounding watershed, and from fertilizer use, pet wastes, stormwater runoff, septic system effluents, waterfowl, agriculture, and rainfall. Excessive nutrients can settle in the lake sediment and cause long term problems through nutrient release. Immediate relief is made by attacking the excessive algae or plant life directly and bringing the immediate nutrient level under control. In addition there are many ways to reduce the long term pollution by addressing the watershed itself and achieving a natural balance.

Lake Inspections -

Inspection and maintenance are crucial elements to a healthy pond or lake. It can make the difference between an eye sore or an aesthetically pleasing, fully functional aquatic system. Catching aquatic problems early is usually less costly than treating an infestation (long after the fact) that has gotten a strong foot hold. The possible problems resulting from neglect can be pervasive. Large growths can choke off fish populations and lead to mortalities that are offensively odiferous, let alone the direct impact to the fishes life. Many problems with lakes can be controlled much more easily, and less costly, if caught early. There are usually a variety of therapies that can be utilized for any given infestation ranging from the relatively benign to the aggressive.

At Aqua-Marine Inc, we prefer to look at an aquatic problem with a well thought out, incremental approach, that has the least impact on the environment based on the goals the client has in mind.

Treatment -

Treatment of a lake requires a vast array of knowledge and awareness if a successful therapy is to be implemented. Lake treatment, or methodology, can be divided into two initial categories: preventative or post emergent. Understanding the dynamic aspect of a water body and having an intimate knowledge of the plant(s) interaction is imperative if any level of success is to be achieved. Example: spraying for Nuphar advens (Spatterdock) after the flower has reseeded the lake bottom is virtually irrelevant and a questionable use of everyones resources. By the same token, allowing Potamogeton natans (pondweed) to gain a foot hold when applying a little dye to the lake early on that would eliminate, or minimize, its growth can be inefficient and costly. At Aqua-Marine Inc, we prefer a balanced approach that is effective. Our intent is to establish a long term relationship that is built on trust.

Preventative Method -

Examples of preventative methods would be using non-phosphorous fertilizers on the surrounding properties or using a phosphate binding substance to remove it from the plants food chain. Phosphate is an integral component of a plants growth cycle. If you control the phosphate, you control the plant growth. Early, periodic inspections go a long way in preventing big problems.

Post Emergent Method -

The Post Emergent approach is what more people may be familiar with. Having someone to walk the shoreline to spray early plant growth is probably one of the most underutilized algae/weed controls available. Another avenue to address larger aquatic problems would be to use professional spraying equipment. This is the method most people select to control weeds and necessitates getting a pick up truck and a trailer in close proximity to the lake so the water can be sprayed with the required solution. A lake that is less than approximately 150 feet across can usually be treated in this way. Once you get above approximately 2 acres of water, it usually requires the usage of a boat. A combination of the above therapies is sometimes employed when necessary.

In addition to the aforementioned, a specialized tank mix of compatible chemicals can be made up to address multiple problems simultaneously and reduce the potential for additional treatments which is helpful in decreasing costs.

Maintenance -

Periodic Lake Maintenance is a valuable tool to help minimize costs and increase aesthetic appeal. By having a periodic maintenance program in place, many problems can be stopped before they get a strong foot hold. This is especially important when the temperature is high. When the weather is hot it does not take long for a small problem to turn into a gargantuan headache. Having a history from periodic inspections will help fine tune any needed therapies. If a vegetative problem is caught early, it may be able to be treated with a single backpack sprayer.

Periodic inspection programs are based on customer expectations and goals. For someone who has a private lake next to their home, they may want a frequent inspection that can reveal problems early, be treated with more immediacy, and have less aesthetic interruptions from algae blooms. Another customer who has a pond on the back 40 acres may only want to address problems that would affect fish health and have less concern about the look of the lake. A good conduit of communication between the customer and an Aqua-Marine Representative will go a long way to utilizing resources effectively and enhancing the probability of success.

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