Well, I finally got my pond limed to day in SE Texas. I've been trying to get this done for several months, but it either rains like hell and takes at least a week for the area around the pond to dry up enough to get back there safely and out, or I couldn't make arrangements for use of the trailer. We've been nine days straight without rain, and it's supposed to rain here again in the early morning. I had a small window, but gotter done. My lil BOW is a little over a half surface acre with ~4 acre/ft. of volume. I have a very aggressive watershed, as the home site is ~20' higher in elevation with regards to the pond. I dispersed the lime with my bucket all the way around, but loaded the shallow end heavy with lime as the watershed will wash it in. At my last water test, my pH was 6.8 and water hardness was 40ppm. I have had clay suspension issues since this pond was finished in the summer of 2014. Visibility has never been more than ~8" (on a good day). Hopefully in time, the wind, wave, and water action, will disperse the lime enough to make an improvement in visibility.

Well done Charlie!

Good job Charlie
Now we wait to see the results. Your "Legs" will be able to see all the groceries real soon

Bet it feels good ta have that complete. Congrats.

Thanks, that's the plan...get that rascal cleared up a bit so the "Texas Legs" can dominate...

And DOMINATE they will

Bob....Thanks, yeah it does. I have not been looking forward to this project. Well, 2 tons later, and it's done. You know how it goes....it's always something....

Stickem, I don't know how to tell you this in an easy way.......... but you used the wrong lime. You gotta do it over.



Naaaa. Just kidding. It will help your pond out a lot I bet.

The BG will disperse it. They will make nests in the piles and scatter it in the process.

Snrub...damn, that ain't even funny!!! Lol. I asked the folks at the farm supply several times, "now, this is ag lime, right? Calcium Carbonate, right?" Fella must've thought I was OCD or something. Good to know about the BG bedding. As mentioned, I layed it in pretty heavy on the shallow end as mentioned because of the inlet of the watershed.

Snrub I will send you your money for that one , thanks again. Wat chu tink of dat wan chawley?

Pat,
I mentioned to Bob O the other day (when you'll high-jacked that FA thread), that you were a pretty straight up guy...but, prone to being a bit suspect. Well...I guess there is no need to defend my comment...

snrub, it looked to me he was adding sand for a beach My agg lime did not have that sandy look, looked more like gray gravel lol Charlie u sure they did not bring u sand? Driver might have been new to the trade lol

Tracy

Dangit man ! It was worth it

Tracy I think you are right - it is sand-

LMAO....I was the driver....Tracy, don't encourage Pat W....

Charlie,

Our Ag lime here doesn't look like that either. Ours is more like fine gray gravel. Another vote that it's probably sand.

Hey, On the bright side...you now have a beach!

Well, I guess I may have to invest in some sun tan lotion...

Charlie don't lay on that beach the "sand"might burn ya gee I hope that wasn't hydrated lime then your beach will be littered with dead fish

Charlie, I wonder if the guys @ the store was laughing there arse off when u drove off, " the boss said we had to clean up all that sand from the parking lot" And like I said, the driver was new

Tracy

Well, I thought you trouble makers might be on to something until she showed up out of the SE Texas woods...she said she'd heard about a new beach in Polk County. Then I figured, hell...a lil sand wont hurt...

High magnesium lime (dolomite) will be grey in colour. Most all calcium carbonate is tan to brown.

Not sure if there is any sugar beat factory's around you guys but their sugar beat lime is really good and really cheap.

Cheers Don.

Well done Charlie! Know where I can buy some of that Ag Lime?

Never mind that, where your beach at?

Charlie, you have that wood nymph there, I'll apply alum to your pond for free!!! I hope the lime (if that IS lime) will help settle some of your clay, but I wouldn't count on it as the cure.

+5 on never having seen Ag Lime that looked like that!

We get at least a couple different types of ag lime here. The fineness of grind determines how quickly it reacts to the acidic soil or water. So fine lime works quicker, but coarser stuff tends to last longer. Over a certain size particle, from what I'm told it becomes ineffective for neutralizing (at least in my lifetime).

We have regular ag lime that is specifically ground for ag lime from limestone rock. Then there is (or at least was, not sure if we can still get it) some that is a byproduct of mfg some other rock products and is actually the saw dust from cutting rock. It is very high ecc and is fast acting, but does not last as long. If you step into a truck load of it, be prepared to sink up above your waist. It is like talcum powder.

Point is, ag lime can look significantly different in different parts of the country.

What I like to do around the pond edges is use what is called in Kansas AB3. It has large rocks up to about 1" in diameter and everything fine below that. In other words everything that will pass through maybe a 1.5" screen after going through the grinder. It is used in driveways a lot because the fines will pack. I would guess it has about 20 percent ag lime, because to get ag lime along with other grades of rock they screen out the ag lime portion to get aggregate to make concrete, etc.

It is not what a person wants to use specifically to lime a pond, but I like to put a 3 or 4' band around the banks before the pond fills and some piles here and there for BG nests. The ag lime portion just helps our naturally acidic soils/waters.

Rex,
Well, I added the lime primarily as a buffer for the coming summer months to raise the hardness. My pH is presently 6.8. If the lime helps with a little clarity, then that's icing on the cake. I bought what is widely used here in this part of the world and is identified as ag lime (powdered Calcium Carbonate). I guess time will tell how effective the application will be. As far as the wood nymph goes....my wife, Debbie, says she has to go. I'm sure you and I can work out some kind of trade...

If you have some of that lime still make a mud ball with it an put some litmus paper in the middle of the mud ball for a sec. It should be 7.2-7.5

Looks like good calcium carbonate to me.

It starts to go tan when there is potassium around. Potassium will oxides red.

snrub,
I appreciate all the info. There's obviously more to simple ag lime than meets the eye. I did as you did with the limestone skirt around my ponds perimeter about 15 mos. ago. The main benefit (as far as I could tell) was increasing water hardness from 20ppm to 40ppm. Other benefits included a temporary period of clear green water, but that was short lived with the incredible amount of rain we had this past spring. I will get my water re-tested soon and as Rex mentioned, deal with the clarity issue at that time.
Charlie

Don...yes, I believe I do. Might be a fun learning experiment to try.

stickem, it was worth giving u a hard time, just to see the picture of the Babe that showed up at your place. Maybe we should give you a hard time more often Especially since Playboy no longer has centerfold pictures.

Tracy

Try this next time. Not sure it will throw sand !!!!!!


For those who have not seen this - pics of lime truck at work.

That's how I got my lime also

Tracy,
All in good fun....I expect no less from you rascals....I've got thick skin and a good strong back...what goes around, comes around. Lol. As for the wood nymph, I sent her packing north to Rainman's place...Rex indicated he could find some "use" for her around his place. Rex mentioned he might start selling sand and needed a sales person to promote his new product line.
Charlie

Never seen a Playboy centerfold with that many cloths on !!!!!! Looks more like an SI swim suit edition pic .

Ewest may be spending too much time reading magazines that are NOT Pond Boss

Cmm

Well, I got the results from my latest water test from Todd Overton today from my recent liming.

pH 7.0
Alkalinity 64ppm
Hardness 60ppm

The liming appears to have helped considerably. Next, we work on getting the water cleared up (suspended clay).

Charlie, the pH, and alk is up. So now I'm waiting for your picture posting of the gypsum sales rep shows up at your place. I am sure Rainman has a better product but we have seen his picture, and I think a pic of him in a thong swim suit is a bad idea. Pat, what u think? And did anyone notice the tattoo on the wood nymph, I think it said Charlie or something

Tracy

I think it would scare that little thing plumb out of the country with any of our pix.

Tracy.....I suggest an eye exam...

Charlie, I was a bit offended ya sent her packin to Rex. Then I revisited the pic and the way she hiked her shoulder up I couldn't see if she even had an adams apple.

Gypsum is very high in Sulfur in ratio to Calcium I personally would not use that product in great amounts in a pond or land application no mater how cheep it is.

If your pond needs sulfur great but it is a micro nutrient.

This is the same reason I do not like dolomite lime. The ratio of magnesium to calcium is to high for adding tones with out having high magnesium.... unless you want higher magnesium then its perfect.

Cheers Don.

Don,
I'm working with Todd Overton (Overton Fisheries) on the water clarity testing and issue. I trust that he will lead me in the right direction. I'm not sure of the sulfur content at my place, but will definitely check it out.
Thanks,
Charlie

Bob,
...Rex spoke up first, and you know how it is with wood nymph's...you snooze, you lose! You will have to confirm with Rex with regards to your concern. No anatomical or cavity searches were performed prior to her departure north...

No sweat, got ta thinkin it over. Would have been more bummed if she and I had gotten friendly and she moaned out Oh Charlie, oh Charlie.

Yeah....ya gotta hate it when that happens...

Happened more than once! Wasn't always Charlie but when it was, I attributed it to Charlie Sheen. I know... scarry as hell now.

Don,
What is the drawback from a high sulfur to calcium ratio? What problems does this bring about? Also, what is a unsafe level of sulfur in ppm with regards to the water quality?
Charlie