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[Bridkid]

Well, I said that I would keep you updated and that's just what I'm doing.
 After an extensive search and many phonecalls I have finally decided to try Viresco's aquatic control system. This is a micro organism which will be added to the lake (later today as it happens) and should give full coverage in 2-3 weeks once these little bugs (I did say bugs) have multiplied sufficiently and should last at least 12 months. This organism will alter the chemical balance of the water to inhibit weed growth (algae bloom and blanket weed) and is the same stuff you would put in your garden fish pond. I took chemical readings of the water and then referred to John at Viresco who advised the amount we would need for a lake our size (1.5m gallons) which was ½ kilogram costing £444.15 including delivery! As a matter of interest Gardening Which has done a test on 21 different weed inhibitors, disregarded 15 as not very good and awarded 6 'best buy' certificates and a mark out of 10 grading. The highest grading awarded was 9/10, given to 4 products, one of which was Viresco's. The most important point perhaps being that Viresco's product was the most cost effective. One other product was 41 times more expensive! John tells me that since this article was published, coupled with the demise of the well used and trusted Clarosan, his business has 'gone manic'. If anyone is interested I will do a followup report in a few weeks to let you know what happens. I shall also be taking more readings of the chemical composition to see if things have changed.
Now it's off to the lake to put these little monsters in for a swim.
Cheers,
Ian.
 

[Doc]

Add one hippopotamus.  They eat weeds.  They also like marshmallows.
 - 'Doc

[wombat]

They also like childern - and probably could eat a whole one!

Not actually a practical solution given the number of deaths worldwide caused by hippos.

Also there is the greater danger of it sitting on or standing on your boat.

Wom

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Hi, Deep sadness here,

 I have (or should I say my wife has) read this thread and now I have to purchase her a full set of S/S pans to replace the aluminium ones that have just been thrown out? :'(

...

My first real sailing of the Tito Neri was thwarted by the ASD's being jammed by pond weed.

Richard,  much poorer from this thread. :(

So, if you sink the old pots in your pond, will it solve the weed infestation at the center?

 

Intersting and informative topic, now if I can apply any of this state side, a couple of ponds may be more useful.

[Doc]

I guess there are different requirements for different places.  After considerable research, I have found that there have been no deaths from hippos in this state in recorded history.  Wonder where I could order one, and what colors they come in?
 - 'Doc


HI Umi!

[wombat]

I think that you can get them in a whole range of colours from mud brown to dirt brown. Whether you can get easy terms on them is another matter.

For a smaller lake, a few of these may be a more cost effective solution:

http://www.mediasmart.org.uk/kids/adverts/media_smart_ad.html

Wom

[omra85]

Extreme caution should be exercised before introducing these murdering savages of the animal world into your local paddling pool.
"A fluffy hippo for children to play with" - I don't think so!!!

See - http://www.slate.com/id/2143671/

Extract -

"The problem of having more money than sense also drives fatality statistics in the world of high-end travel. Given the cost of a tour to the top of Mount Everest (between $10,000 and $40,000), it's safe to assume no one collecting the Earned Income Tax Credit was among the 10 deaths there last season. Similarly, while the poor of Africa are sometimes eaten by wild animals, it is only the well-to-do from other continents who face the risk of being mauled by lions or trampled by hippopotamuses, which surprisingly kill more people than any other animal in Africa[/color)".

When you've had your legs bitten off - don't come running to me.  You have been warned

Danny

[bigH]

   I'm not going to lie down at the lake any more, Greenpiece has already thrown me back in the water three times.   bigH

[malcolmfrary]

"Hippopomuses. do they swaller yer 'ole?"
"Yerse, but they usually spits it aght agin"

Sorry.  Not much, but sorry.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Now we truly digress...

 ::)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue2Cvr8p-3k

[catengineman]

Why Thank You,   Umi_Ryuzuki

I enjoyed that and it has given me some ideas for the house this Christmas

Richard,

[malcolmfrary]

Should have been our Eurovision entry.

When about to sail at Fleetwood a while ago I was approached by a lad who said "Weed in t' pond".  I wasn't too sure whether this was a warning or just bragging about a past exploit.

[big-geoff]

Do Hippo's eat Swans?

I dont have much of a weed problem at my local pond its salt water, what is the problem is the expanding Swan population, nasty beggars chase me boats specialy if I sail too close to the young ones. Keeps the local youfs laughing saves them throwing stones.

We did have the pond emptied and cleaned out some time back cos of all the sh1t left by the wildlife (youfs and all), place stank like a teanagers bedroom kept the holidaymakers away.

The one thing with sailing in salt water is corrosion, every sail is followed by striping down running gear and cleaning the only alternative is to annoy the maggot drowners which is a local sport for the youfs as well

Big-geoff

[malcolmfrary]

A few years ago we had a swan plus weed problem at Fairhaven,which is a salt water lake about one mile round.  There were abot 125 swans and 300+ varous makes of geese plus many ducks.  The problem started being solved after we and other interested parties persuaded the council to not only sweep the park paths regularly (expensive) but to put up RSPB stgns advising that the wildfowl not be fed.  We did have people coming down to the lake with four carrier bags each with three or four loaves of bread - the third and fourth of these morons in one evening would stride over the piles of torn bread and could be heard asking why the birds did not want feeding..... 
The feeding has greatly diminished, the wildfowl are down to sensible numbers amd neither the water nor the footpaths are being over fertilised.
Never had a real running gear problem, but then again I mostly sail sedate stuff.
The hippos would probably like swans, but would dislike the salt water.  If they got bad tempered enough they might sort the bird feeders.

[Roger in France]

Nobody has quoted the late, lamented Spike Milligan on hippos......

[Roger in France]

Sorry....computer sent while I was half way through.....continuing from my last post...Milligan wrote....
  "Don't be afraid of pussy cats
   They only eat mice and rats.
   But a hippopotamus
   Could eat the lot of us."
To be read out loud with a suitable, loony, Milligan voice.
Roger in France.

[cbr900]

Just spray it with 10/80 poison it will kill every thing it comes in contact with, weeds,fish,ducks,swans small children, and so on .........



Roy

[sailor]

At Fleetwood lake the Wyre council fitted sonor panel in our pond to get rid of weed worked a treat