Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization Lime distribution with a trash pump

Wanted to know if anyone had tried to use a trash pump to mix up lime and distribute it pre mixed. I have a 500 gallon water container that I can fill with lake water and move to several areas around my pond. I have a 10 foot hose that can feed out of the bottom of the container into the pump and then out the discharge. I did this when we had a drought here in Oklahoma to save some of my trees and new grass. Can you mix lime and then distribute? Will it lock up the pump? What is the ratio that I would mix in per 100 gallons? Bassmanjg

I have had a bit of experience with spreading lime. I have never tried that method. Lime can be quite abrasive (like sand) if that makes a difference to the equipment. It is much easier to move and work with lime when it is dry. The best methods for spreading lime in an existing pond are by barge (hired out to people who provide that service) or by spreader truck , unless of course you want to do it manually from a boat. Keep in mind that you are treating the water mostly by changing the pond bottom's alkalinity.

bassmanjg

I hired a barge (small pontoon boat) as ewest mentioned. I had the local farm dealer dump a truck of lime near the pond. The barge operator then used a front end loader to place the dry lime on the barge then used a trash pump to wash the dry lime off the barge into my pond. This method insures more even distribution of the lime than a spreader truck driven around the perimeter.

You can see photos of the liming operation at my website

http://www.frankpinkston.com/haddock/apr17index.htm

I suppose you could do this yourself if you had the front end loader and a boat.

How large is your pond? Have you thought about how hard it will be to shovel several TONS of lime by hand?

Frank

Bassman,

Here is a link for you. Look at Tuzz's post
http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000051#000001

Here's another http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000026

Thanks for the input boyz. My pond is about 3 acres. I had not thought about shoveling tons of lime....I think I will pass on the do it yourself mode.

bassmanjg,


There is a much easier, significantly cheaper, and arguably far more effective approach to be considered.....buy the amount of lime needed in bulk at a local feed/fertilizer store that serves area ranchers. Their price will likely include the cost of spreading the lime. Have them back up the spreader truck at several locations around the pond and let it fly. The truck will throw large amounts in the water as well as on the surrounding banks..both will help you. The whole thing can be accomplished in no time and you will not have a sore back or sore checkbook and your fish will love the results. This approach should last a minimum of 5 years.

I am sure that all things being equal, using an agricultural spreader truck is cheaper than hiring a liming barge. However, if the pond is large or if the banks are not accessible at very many points, a barge may be just the answer. It is for me, at any rate. Also, if you get very much lime on the bank, the limed area can be unsightly for a while, as I have learned from experience. The lime is at first quite mushy after a rain, then pretty hard and eroded. The dead white of the limestone also doesn't make a very attractive beach. On the other hand, the fish don't care much about the esthetics of the bank.

I have wondered in my idle moments about dropping in great blocks of limestone, as the Chinese do. They then pull them out after a good while and put the irregularly eroded result in their gardens as decoration. I wouldn’t want one in my garden, but I wonder if anyone would buy them. The nice thing about daydreaming is that its free and can be done in a boat.
Lou 13.5