What am I missing here? What’s the difference between adding water to the powder or adding powder to the water? Wouldn’t it dissolve when I put it in the pond?
How about distribution? Should I disperse it as much as possible or will it spread on its own if I dump it in at spots along the shoreline?
The difference is that you are getting the powder dissolved in the water before adding it to the pond, then more of the dissolved powder can contact more of the pond water. If might dissolve if you just throw it into the pond, but the more you get it distributed over the volume of water in the pond, the more chances you have of binding P.
Sugar dissolves in water, right? If you pour sugar in a cup full of water does it dissolve or does it sink to the bottom? What happens when you pour water on top of the sugar in the cup? How is that different than having the water/sugar mix and stirring it up for a while? Does the same amount still dissolve in the water or does more dissolve?
It won't spread on it's own, not enough anyway. That's why you see companies mixing it in a tote in a boat then spraying the slurry around the BOW as they motor along.
I recommend getting a water test done pre and post application to see exactly how much P you locked up. That's the only way to tell for sure how well it is working, just looking at the water won't tell you enough information.
