I did an alum treatment and have had no rain for a few weeks and I'm muddy again. I'm running an aerator 24/7 and the level is dropping from evaporation. I've got a clear water jar that's been sitting for a week. Here's my theory and tell me if I'm wrong. I've got too many fish spawning. Last year during the drought I saw nest after nest all along the clay shores. Could there be just too many fish stirring up the bottom? HELP!!!!!!!!!

Hey Todd,

FWIW I've found that when my water is muddy, aeration can actually hurt. It seems to keep the fine particles suspended and it takes A LOT longer to clear.

My BG muddy up the water locally in the pond at the spawning beds.

Thank you Bill. I turned off the aeration and will play the waiting game some more.

Did the alum treatment clean up the water when you did it? How far could you see in the water 24 hr after the treatment?

Don't leave the aerator off too long, if you do, you will have to start it up gradually again - 15 min day one, 30 min day two, etc. If it was my pond, I'd leave the aerator going, if you used enough alum and have the banks covered in grass, the water will clear by itself after spawning is over.