Who We Are
We are The Pond Crew, two Florida natives born and raised in Tampa, who have spent our whole lives on the water. Long before this was a business, it was a way of life. Weekend fishing trips, early morning casts on quiet ponds, and afternoons on lakes that used to be clear and full of life. We watched those same waters slowly get choked out by hydrilla, water hyacinth, torpedo grass, and years of neglect. So we decided to stop watching and start doing something about it.
The Pond Crew was built from the ground up right here in Brandon by two guys who care deeply about Florida's waterways. Not because it looks good on paper, but because we fish them. We know what healthy water looks like, we know what it feels like when it is gone, and we know how to bring it back. When you reach out to The Pond Crew you are talking directly to the owners. The same two people who will show up to your property, assess the job, and do the work themselves. Every single time.
Our Mission
To restore and protect Florida's lakes, ponds, and waterways one job at a time using honest work, responsible methods, and a genuine love for the water we all share.
We believe healthy waterways are not just beautiful, they are essential. They support the fish, the wildlife, the ecosystems, and the communities built around them. Every overgrown pond we clear and every choked shoreline we restore is one small step toward keeping Florida the place we grew up loving.
Our Non-Toxic Approach
We prioritize the health of your water and local wildlife by avoiding harmful chemicals. Our mechanical and preventative methods focus on immediate visible results while carefully preserving native plants and ecosystems for long-term pond longevity.
Our Experience
Physical Removal
Physical removal is the foundation of everything we do. We use hand tools, aquatic weed cutters, and purpose built raking equipment to physically cut, pull, and extract invasive vegetation from the water and shoreline. No chemicals introduced into the water. No waiting periods before your pond is safe for fish, pets, or family. The material is removed from the site entirely and disposed of responsibly so it cannot reestablish itself.
Physical removal is particularly effective for emergent vegetation growing along and above the waterline. Species like cattails, torpedo grass, and shoreline sedges respond well to regular scheduled cutting and removal, and over time consistent maintenance reduces regrowth significantly.
Florida Invasive species
Florida has more documented invasive aquatic plant species than almost any other state in the country. The combination of a warm subtropical climate, abundant water, and high levels of human activity creates near perfect conditions for invasive plants to establish and spread. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates that invasive aquatic plants impact over 1.5 million acres of Florida's public waters alone, and that number does not account for the hundreds of thousands of private ponds, retention lakes, and managed water bodies spread across communities like ours.
The problem is real, it is local, and it is ongoing. Regular management is not a luxury for Florida water bodies. It is a necessity. That is the whole reason The Pond Crew exists.
Types of Aquatic Control
Hydrilla is one of the most aggressive invasive species in Florida and one of the primary reasons we started this company. It grows up to an inch per day, forms dense underwater mats that block sunlight, depletes oxygen, and completely overtakes native aquatic plant communities. Left unchecked it destroys fish habitat and makes recreational use of a water body nearly impossible.
Water hyacinth is a floating invasive that forms thick surface mats, blocks sunlight from reaching underwater life, reduces oxygen levels, and clogs waterways. It spreads rapidly and requires consistent removal to keep under control.
Torpedo grass is a shoreline and shallow water invader that crowds out native vegetation and is notoriously difficult to control. It spreads both by seed and through its root system, making regular physical removal essential.
Cattails are native to Florida but can become overgrown in managed water bodies like retention ponds and stormwater lakes. When left unmanaged they close off open water, reduce biodiversity, and create maintenance headaches for HOA communities.
Duckweed and water meal are tiny floating plants that can cover the entire surface of a pond in a matter of days under the right conditions. While they are not always harmful in small amounts, dense coverage blocks sunlight and oxygen exchange and is a common complaint among HOA retention pond communities.