Aquatic Weed Control
Aquatic weeds is a term that encompasses a variety of aquatic plant life including alligator weed, American water willow, water chestnut, and cattails. These weeds can create problems for swimmers and occasionally for boats. Therefore often some of these weeds have to be removed. It is important that when removing aquatic weeds that you choose the safest and
most environmentally friendly option.
First although aquatic weeds can be a nuisance you may want to only remove a section of the weeds from the water around your island. Aquatic plant life is an important part of your island ecosystem and is home to a wide variety of marine life. Therefore if you hate the feeling of seaweed on your feet clear a small portion of the seaweed and leave the rest in its natural state. This is not only an environmentally friendly solution; it is also less time consuming and much more affordable.
Although most people hate the feeling of aquatic weeds while swimming others remove none of the aquatic plant life. An alternative option is to extend your dock beyond the reach of the aquatic plant life. Extending your dock to a greater water depth means that you can enter the water without encountering any of the plant life. By extending your dock to the third tier ensures that you can enter the water without coming into contact with the plants. This solution 
preserves the entire island ecosystem all while allowing everyone to swim comfortably.
If you feel that you need to remove a section of the aquatic weeds there are numerous options that you can choose. In the past people have relied on dredging, bottom tilling, harvesting or using herbicides. Historically these options tend to be time consuming, expensive, labour intensive and/or environmentally unfriendly.
Fortunately there are new technologies are much less time consuming, more affordable and gentler on the environment. One product called the Aquascreen produced by Bio-Bac Inc is an alternative option for dealing with island seaweed. Aquascreen works by compressing the aquatic weeds into a stressed configuration and screening out 50% to 60% of sunlight. Natural bacterial decomposition then takes place, but allows gas to escape, preventing weed growth. The principle is simple, the mesh is fine enough to prevent weeds from growing but coarse enough to allow microorganism to move between the sediment and water, thus allowing life to be maintained in the sediment.
