Look for an herbicide approved for aquatic use that includes one of the following active ingredients: glyphosate, imazamox, imazapyra or diquat. These chemicals are effective on cattails. These measurements are needed for you to determine how much herbicide you should use to kill your cattails.  Get the measurements for your pond. If a contractor put in the pond, you should be able to get the measurements from the contractor's office. Your local survey control service office may also have measurements available or aerial photos you can use to determine your pond's measurements. If not, get a survey of the pond or measure it yourself. Methods you can employ yourself without special equipment include chaining and pacing. Chaining involves putting a stake at either end of a measuring tape or length of wood, chain, or rope of known length. Place the stakes in the ground, remove them, and stick them back in the ground, this time, with the first stake in the same place where the second stake left a depression. Continue moving the measuring tape and stakes around the perimeter of the pond. Count the number of times you need to move the stake, and multiply this number by the length of the measuring tape to get the perimeter's measurement. Pacing functions in the same way, but the known length is your normal stride. Calculate area. Determine the shape of your pond, whether it's roughly square, circular or triangular, and use the appropriate formula to solve for area. Calculate volume. The volume of a pond is the area multiplied by the average depth of the pond. Take depth measurements by slowly dropping a weighted line into the water at various locations in the pond. Use the depth measurements you've obtained to calculate an average depth for the pond. The more measurements you take, the more accurate your average depth will be. It is best to use herbicides in the spring when growth first starts.  The cattail plants are smaller at this time, which makes application easier.  Read the directions on the herbicide container. Different formulas will have different water use restrictions. You need to familiarize yourself with these restrictions so you know when you can use the pond again for recreation or livestock use. The directions will also indicate how much herbicide to use based on the area and volume of your pond. Divide the pond into sections if you have a large amount of cattails to remove. Once the herbicide takes effect, the decomposition of the dead cattails can deplete the dissolved oxygen levels in the pond, killing fish. Killing fewer cattails at once will reduce the amount of decomposing vegetation in the pond. Use a pond or yard sprayer to distribute the chemical onto the cattails. Be careful to limit overspray as much as possible. Wait 10 to 14 days before spraying the next section if you chose to spray your pond in sections. This will help keep the dissolved oxygen levels in the pond more stable. Wait 10 to 12 days before cutting the cattails to allow the chemical enough time to work. You want to provide adequate time for the herbicide to fully kill the root system. Use a weed whacker or sharp blade to cut down the cattails.
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One-sentence summary -- Choose a chemical removal method. Calculate the area and volume of your pond. Apply the herbicide to the cattails. Cut down the dead cattails. Remove the dead cattails from the pond.


Getting a lower interest rate is usually just a matter of negotiating. To be successful, all you have to do is come prepared. Know how much money you want, how much interest you'd like to pay, and what rate is going to be too high for you to make a deal before walking in or calling up. Financially stable people with decent (650+) credit scores have the best chance to negotiate rates.  Call up your credit card company and let them know that you've found better rates on other cards. If you're a regular customer who pays on time, they will likely try to keep your business. Talk to your banker about the lowest possible rate they can give. Research other options so you can point to other offers. Be wary of variable APR or interest -- it may look appealing at first, but these "deals" often turn into exorbitantly high interest rates after 1-2 years. The accrual rate determines when interest is added to principal. So, if it is really high (such as daily) it means that whatever interest is unpaid at the end of the day gets added to principle. This means the next month's interest payment will be even higher since you have a higher principle. For example, note how a $100,000 loan with a 4% interest rate is compounded three different ways:   Yearly: $110,412.17  Monthly: $110,512.24  Daily: $110,521.28 Remember that interest is taken as a percentage of principle. Simply said -- the more you owe, the more money you pay in interest. If you can pay off some of the principle every month along with the interest, you may not lower your rate. But you will definitely lower your payments. Interest can be thought of as the cost of borrowing money. Either you pay someone for it, or your bank pays you to "borrow" the money in a savings account. Either way, you should know the rates before signing any paperwork.   Auto: 4-7%    Home: 3-6%  Personal Loans: 5-9%  Credit Cards: 18-22%  Payday Loans: 350-500% . The safer an account is, like a savings account, CD, or bond, the less money it usually returns in interest. That said, this sort of guaranteed, but slow growth, can be powerful when saving for retirement. Other accounts with higher interest rates will make you more money, but with more associated risk or stipulations attached.   Savings Accounts: 1-2%   CD 1-2%  US Bonds (over 30 years): 3-4%  401k & IRA: 6-10%
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One-sentence summary --
Talk to your bankers to negotiate a lower interest rate. Choose a less-frequent accrual rate to pay less in interest. Pay more than your interest whenever possible, no matter the interest rate. Monitor common interest rates before getting a loan. Know the interest rates on any investments to money wisely.