Now I am confused and I may need some assistance here after reading the May/June 2017. The article "The Secchi Disk" by Dr. Claude Boyd was a good descriptive article on disk visibility with sportfish in Alabama ponds. My pond is in East Texas but I would think these Bama ponds are not much different my pond. My confusion is after 2.5 yrs of being a pond owner and fertilizing for those years. I thought 18" to 21" visibility was good and where I wanted to be. But according to the article, I am in the Phytoplankton is becoming scarce scenario. I have been managing all this time to be scarce of Phytoplankton.

The last two springs I fertilized the pond and had several blooms throughout the spring and summer. Visibility would drop to 13" each summer and I would "Excess Worry" about the water quality and so last summer I added air to help water quality. I helped to clear up the water to 18". Now, after reading the article, I am thinking I need to fertilize again this spring. But the water looks great with 19" to 21" visibility of Olive green colored water. I don't want to fertilize and have 13" visibility do I? He states 12 to 18" reading is where I want to be but I worry about killing my fish when I see 13" visibility in the hot summer months. I have even cut back on my feeding to 3 five second throws this year to reduce the possibility of too much green water caused by excess feeding in those months. So, do I fertilize again this year? I have some of the green snotty algae floating around the shoreline and so fertilizing will boost that stuff up. All my fish seam to be doing great and the filter feeding TFS look to be everywhere. Am I wrong, did I misunderstand all this time?

Tracy, I was thinking the same thing when I read that article. However, in my pond's case, I felt a little better about the 'preferred clarity' depths. My pond tends to run in the 12-18" range routinely, and I am always worried it needs to be clearer. I guess after reading that article, I should be happy with that clarity range?

Tracy - you are on the right path. Keep in mind that fertilization is not an all or none choice (assuming good alkalinity). With aeration secchi readings can be effected and plankton blooms are often effected as well. My suggestion is to keep some water soluble pond fertilizer available and when vis drops (increases) 10-15% add a little fertilizer (5-10% of the suggested rate or rate you normally use). This will add a little but not a lot to the bloom. In any situation you have to do an apples to apples comparison. Things that must be similar , aeration , alkalinity , bloom history (see link at bottom) , water and dirt analysis , seasonal rainfall , water inflow and more. I don't think yours and articles are apples to apples.


http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=20172&Number=259527#Post259527

Tracy mine stays 12-18 inch most of the time. In drought situation mine got to 30 inch visibility but that did not last long and the rains came. My color is a pretty light green a lot and then turns muddy after rain but still always at least 12 vis. And thanks for the PM. I believe our fertilizer is our feed!!

Thanks guys. The article just made me question myself. I think I am going to stay with my plan this year and try to keep the water visibility @ or around 18". It has worked so far when it comes to keeping non desirable underwater plants from starting up. Even where it is today @ 20" I can not see past a couple of feet from the shoreline and have never been able to see cnbg beds, res beds due to the olive green water.
And when Todd Overton came out on March the 6th, one of his first comments was on how good the water looked, like he was surprised a little

ewest, I think I will get some more of the powder fertilizer to keep around just in case. I like the powder better than the small crystalline stuff. Thanks