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The "Jar Test": Determining What's Up with Your Water Column
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The "Jar Test": Determining What's Up with Your Water Column

The jar test method is a simple yet effective technique employed by pond owners to gain insights into the composition of their water column. This method invo...

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  • The "Jar Test": Determining What's Up with Your Water Column

    The "Jar Test": Determining What's Up with Your...

    The jar test method is a simple yet effective technique employed by pond owners to gain insights into the composition of their water column. This method involves collecting a water...

    Read More
  • The "Hand Test": Floating Growth ID

    The "Hand Test": Floating Growth ID

    The hand test is a simple yet effective way to discern floating plants like Duckweed and Watermeal from algae. It involves collecting and examining what you find on your lake or...

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  • What Does Poor Water Quality Impact?

    What Does Poor Water Quality Impact?

    Deteriorating water quality in freshwater environments can have multifaceted adverse effects on both the environment and human well-being: Habitat Disruption: Polluted water disrupts aquatic ecosystems, leading to the potential decline or...

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  • Not All Pond Dyes are Equal

    Not All Pond Dyes are Equal

    Not all pond dyes are created equal. Some brands are highly diluted, making the value much less than a high-quality, highly concentrated. Another differentiator is EPA registration. EPA Registered dyes have been tested in...

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  • Phosphorus Pollution: Consequences for Ponds and Human Health

    Phosphorus Pollution: Consequences for Ponds an...

    Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth in freshwater ecosystems, but its presence can also cause significant challenges. While it naturally occurs in healthy aquatic environments, high levels of...

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  • Which Pond Dye Color is Better: Blue or Black?

    Which Pond Dye Color is Better: Blue or Black?

    There are three common dye colors available for use: blue, black and a mix of the two that imparts a deeper color on the water surface. The black dye is...

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  • Are Cattails Beneficial?

    Are Cattails Beneficial?

    Cattails (Typha spp.) can have both positive and negative impacts on a lake shore, and whether they are beneficial or not for a lake shore owner depends on various factors...

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  • Erosion Control 101

    Erosion Control 101

    Erosion control is crucial for lake shore owners to protect the health of the lake and maintain the stability of their property. Here's a basic guide to erosion control for...

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  • How Did I Get Watermeal?

    How Did I Get Watermeal?

    Watermeal can be spread from one pond to another by animals including birds like geese and ducks.  Humans can inadvertently carry watermeal from waterbody to waterbody in bait buckets, on...

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  • Watermeal: Why does it grow so fast?

    Watermeal: Why does it grow so fast?

    Watermeal (Wolffia spp.) is a type of tiny aquatic plant commonly known as the world's smallest flowering plant. It is known for its incredibly rapid growth, and several factors contribute...

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  • Watermeal 101

    Watermeal 101

    Watermeal (Wolfia spp.) is a very small shinny, light green free-floating, rootless plant.  Watermeal is the smallest seed-bearing plants in the world.  The individual plants are slightly larger than a grain of sand and often...

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  • 3 Major Problems with Duckweed

    3 Major Problems with Duckweed

    Duckweed often outcompetes algae, blocking the sunlight that algae need to grow and reducing dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. This leads to dead native plants and a management nightmare if left unchecked....

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  • Why Does My Pond Have Duckweed?

    Why Does My Pond Have Duckweed?

    Duckweed is a common aquatic plant that can easily find its way into ponds and other bodies of water. There are several ways duckweed can enter your pond, including: Natural...

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  • HABs: Harmful Algae Blooms

    HABs: Harmful Algae Blooms

    Toxic algae, also known as harmful algal blooms (HABs), are a natural occurrence in aquatic ecosystems where certain species of algae grow and reproduce rapidly, leading to an overabundance of...

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  • How Do I Control Algae?

    How Do I Control Algae?

    Controlling algae in ponds or other aquatic environments is essential to maintain water quality and prevent issues such as overgrowth, unsightly appearance, and potential harm to aquatic life. It's important...

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  • What Does Poor Water Quality Impact?

    What Does Poor Water Quality Impact?

    Deteriorating water quality in freshwater environments can have multifaceted adverse effects on both the environment and human well-being:

    Read More
  • Duckweed 101

    Duckweed 101

    Duckweed, a diminutive free-floating aquatic plant, is a member of the Lemnaceae family. Among the tiniest and most uncomplicated flowering plants on our planet, various species of duckweed thrive in...

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  • Why Does My Algae Keep Coming Back?

    Why Does My Algae Keep Coming Back?

    To prevent algae from continuously coming back, it's important to address the underlying causes and conditions that promote their growth. This may involve reducing nutrient inputs, improving water circulation, using...

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  • What is Algae Really?

    What is Algae Really?

    While some algae are beneficial and contribute positively to the ecosystem, excessive algae growth, often referred to as an "algae bloom," can lead to water quality issues.

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Helpful starting points

Common pond care questions

Not sure where to start?

Start by identifying whether the issue is algae, aquatic weeds, or water quality. From there, you can choose a guide that matches what you are seeing in your pond.

Can I use these articles to choose a product?

Yes. Our guides are designed to help you understand the problem first, then point you toward the right treatment category.

Should I test my water?

Water testing is a smart step when algae or poor clarity keeps returning. It can help identify nutrient problems and guide a longer-term pond care plan.

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