I think oat straw does the trick too and yes net bags .👍

Practice water??? Practice makes perfect and that looks pretty darned perfect to me! And such a lovely part of the country.

Martin

Hi Smiggy, I'm on the Wales/England border near Hereford. Here is my practice water.

The lake isn't used as a breeding pool any more. There is a boat hire business but its just pedalos now. I'm sure you'd be made most welcome but the weed really is a problem at the moment. Where are you based now?

Well Smiggy, I last used that lake in 1966, then it was used as a general boating lake, including inc rowing boats for hire as well as model boats. it was also used as a carp breeding pool, with lots of ducks as well. The carp and ducks used to keep it weed free. I also used the river in the park below the waterfall where the steps go down to the water, it was good for launching my models. Do you use this site for your boats. I am interested in knowing what it's like nowadays, was thinking of visiting my sister in Melton soon and thought I could bring a couple boats. Cheers Colin.

That's because it is Colin👍

Hi Smiggy, where is the lake located, it looks like Abbey Park in Leicester.

This is our problem. A good wind in the right direction can clear a patch but as soon as it drops the water is covered. it is quite dense and it takes a powerful boat to get through. The other problem is you can't see and debris floating under the weed.
Is been getting worse over the past few years and at the moment e are mostly a social club.

Colwyn Bay MBC has had great success using Dyofix to control weeds.

It is actually a food dye and there are no restrictions on it's use in the UK

www.dyofix.co.uk

Hi David, the Barley Straw is usually in fine mesh nets so it's easy to replace every month. Therefore wouldn't be a problem. Cheers Colin.

sorry Colin my mistake as you said Barley straw it has worked at lakedown trout fishery and Bewl water that i still fish as for having it in a lake with model boats and the barley breaking down did not think of that so sorry Alan .

David

Many years ago the council used barley straw bales on our model boat pond, no major improvement but a year or two later the bales started to break up and we had continual problems of straw being wrapped around our propellers. We prefer to put up with the green algae and let nature take its course.

Alan

Sorry, but it should be Barley Straw, I've been using it for the last 50 years for my fish breeding pools. Cheers Colin.