Duckweed and pond weed

I'm starting to get duckweed and pond weed in my pond. I tried chemicals but ended up in a big cycle of endlessly having to add one thing after another without ever really getting rid of them. I tried ducks but the pond was too small really and they caused too much damage to the marginal plants. I then tried fish - they ate it very reliably but also devoured any invertebrate or amphibian life until a heron, in turn, ate them. Anyone have any suggestions please?

Physically removing duckweed from the surface isn't difficult.

The simplest way is to run your hand across the surface, and scoop it up. It's quite satisfying. You don't want to do that when the water is cold.

If the pond too wide to reach across then you can collect duckweed by stroking a bamboo cane over the surface and bringing a pile to within easy reach.

A rake can sometimes work, but doesn't work if you have oxygenating plants just below the surface, because it will entangle with them.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by 'pond weed'. If you mean blanket weed, which looks like candy floss, then that can be removed physcally by winding it onto a bamboo cane.

tried that,but it keeps re appearing! small dottie type leaf thing.I saw a big pond with this problem and they dug a small channel of sorts to let the water overflow and depoist the weed on the bank,seemed to work.I am on a smaller scale trying to imitate this by letting the rain water from the butt flow into the pond (when butt is over flowing)so as to wash the D.... stuff out.It keeps the water clear but its still there.Time will tell.

Yes it does keep reappearing in a pond with still water. But it doesn't take much to sweep most of the top off occasionally. It does seem to be entirely absent from some natural ponds. I'm not sure how that happens.

It is a never-ending task.  Birds will bring it in on their feet.  Any water plants you buy may carry it.

Can you learn to live with it, beyond raking it off or using a net to remove some of it?

I use an old metal flour sieve attached to a cane to scoop the duckweed from the surface.  Any invertebrates etc that get scooped up can easily be released back into the water.  If your pond is too big for this then use a hose with a sprinkler rose to 'push' the duckweed next to the edge so you can get it more easily from there,