Forums36
Topics40,956
Posts557,913
Members18,494
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
8 members (esshup, Boondoggle, Joeydickens93, rjackson, Theo Gallus, catscratch, Shorthose, Dave Davidson1),
738
guests, and
184
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 109
|
OP
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 109 |
My pond is 1.5 acre. I've added 5 tons of crushed gravel lime and 1500lbs of powdered garden Agg lime. My ph is between 5-6 but can't get it up any higher. I'm waiting to stock fish until I can get it between 7-8. My pond is surrounded by pine trees so most of the runoff is very acidic. Since I have no fish, could I add some hydrated lime to boost my ph quicker and would it stay at a higher level or just drop back down to 5 in a month or so?
Thanks in advance for the advice guys
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23 |
Cav, the best route is to gather several soil samples around the pond and surrounding areas, mix then, then take them to your USDA office or other place to be tested. They will tell you how many tons of Ag lime is needed to reach a target pH. I suspect in the pine area you will need, at minimum, 10 tons or more per acre. Adding higher amounts won't hurt and can extend the time between applications. Spread about half in your pond, and the rest in as much of your watershed drainage area as possible. Ag lime does take a little time to work, but will work until acids dissolve it all (8-15 years) at proper application rates. Hydrated Lime is very different, it acts almost instantly, and is very short lived.
I would not suggest using Hydrated lime. You could still stock your fish and add the Ag lime without danger to the fish, since the Ag like changes the pH slowly.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,533 Likes: 838
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,533 Likes: 838 |
Up here, Ag lime is short lived too, and usually needs to be applied every 2 years to the soil.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 275
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 275 |
Up here, Ag lime is short lived too, and usually needs to be applied every 2 years to the soil. That's interesting. This is farm country and you rarely see a farmer applying lime down here. Is the soil there just naturally acidic or is it due to lots of pine trees? Do the unmanaged waters there such as ditches, ponds, etc. produce any decent fish? I know very little about how PH affects fish health and growth and am trying to learn. I saw a Pinpoint PH meter advertised and may get one just to check my ponds out of curiosity.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23 |
An Ag Lime test recommendation (like those the USDA gives) is usually to only amend soils for a single growing season. When I got an analysis per acre, I suggest multiplying that by 10 for longevity along with adding limestone rip-rap to all inflow channel areas as far upstream as practical. Ag lime tops out in raising pH at a very safe 8.2.
In a heavily pine tree filled watershed, the dropped needles are very acidic, so Ag Lime really can't be over-applied.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23 |
Up here, Ag lime is short lived too, and usually needs to be applied every 2 years to the soil. That's interesting. This is farm country and you rarely see a farmer applying lime down here. Is the soil there just naturally acidic or is it due to lots of pine trees? Do the unmanaged waters there such as ditches, ponds, etc. produce any decent fish? I know very little about how PH affects fish health and growth and am trying to learn. I saw a Pinpoint PH meter advertised and may get one just to check my ponds out of curiosity. The dropped pine needles and sap are what leach into the soil making it acidic. The lower pH does affect fish growth, but mostly in an indirect manner. The acidic water will support far less phytoplankton, macrophytes and other tiny creatures/plants that make up the base of the food chain in the pond ecosystem. Less base means fewer fry growing to feed higher links in the food chain....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,533 Likes: 838
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,533 Likes: 838 |
Multiplying it by 10 would have meant a lot of lime. I use A&L for the soil testing and their recommendation was 3,000# per acre. I'll test again next year to see how it changes things.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,493 Likes: 266
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
|
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,493 Likes: 266 |
Last edited by ewest; 01/05/15 11:41 AM.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,533 Likes: 838
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,533 Likes: 838 |
Multiplying it by 10 would have meant a lot of lime. I use A&L for the soil testing and their recommendation was 3,000# per acre. I'll test again next year to see how it changes things. Let me clarify, that recommendation was for soil, not water.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 109
|
OP
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 109 |
Driving 30 miles to pick up 2 tons of powdered agg lime, same stuff farmers put on their soil, today. Then the fun begins... shoveling it in the pond.
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
|
|