Plants are considered weeds when they grow where they are not wanted, often to the detriment of other plants and disfigurement of a landscape design. Aquatic weeds are unwanted plants growing in water. Aquatic weeds cause many different problems in lakes and ponds:

- Weeds take away from the natural beauty of the pond.
- Weeds make fishing, boating and swimming difficult.
- Weeds can promote mosquito reproduction.
- Weeds grow over shallow areas of the pond making fish reproduction difficult.
- Weeds give bream many places to hide from bass. If bass can't prey on bream the pond will become overcrowded with small bream.
- Weeds that cover the entire surface of the pond will shade sunlight needed by phytoplankton. Shading the pond reduces the primary productivity, thus reducing the fish population.

Professional Environmental Solutions offers two varieties of weed control for Georgia pond owners. A combination of chemical and biological weed control will keep any pond healthy and looking its best.

Chemical Weed Control
Aquatic herbicides and algaecides are used to control aquatic weeds. Herbicides are usually the fastest, most effective way to kill weeds. However, rapidly killing weeds (especially during warm weather months) can result in an oxygen depletion in the pond. The bacteria that breaks down the dead weeds are aerobic (oxygen consuming). If large amounts of aquatic weeds are killed at one time, the bacteria produced can use up all the oxygen available to fish. Therefore, it is imperative to know proper chemical weed control techniques. Consult Professional Ponds if you have any questions about weed control using herbicides and algaecides.

Biological Weed Control
Biological weed control involves the use of animals or insects to control weeds. Professional Environmental Solutions uses triploid grass carp to control certain types of weeds in Georgia ponds. Grass carp, if stocked at proper rates (10-20 fish per acre), can control aquatic weeds for long periods of time (up to 7 years). Grass carp do not eat other fish or disrupt the food chain in any way. Stocking grass carp is an excellent step in controlling certain types of aquatic weeds.