Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization Not impressed with Cottonseed Meal for fertilizer

I used cottonseed meal for an organic fertilizer in my perch production pond initially and I can say with certainty it will be alfalfa meal from here on out.

Why?

1.) Colors the water a coffee brown which makes it hard to monitor a good algae bloom.

2.) Even though I have not fertilized for a few weeks the water has taken on a dingy brown color as of a week ago. I'm sure it is related to the cottonseed meal decomposing on the bottom that has been recirculated with my diffuser in combination with increased temps.

I am doing a partial drain and will top off with clear freshwater. Not confortable with dark dingy water that has only a 12 inch clarity, although the fish seem to be fine. I'm not depending on zooplankton at this point anyway as I am feed training them.

No more cottonseed meal for me!

Cecil, that reinforces my election not to use cottonseed meal to clear up my pond. A hatchery guy, kept telling me adamently, dont use alum, use cottonseed meal. The alum will kill your fish. I didnt have fish anyway, but used alum followed by hydrated lime. Worked great. Then used 4 1# bags of PETERS super blossom water soluable fertilizer with a 50 middle #. A few wks. later, 10# of super phosphate, 0-18-0. Nice clear water, and good bloom.

I like Burger's method much better especially in small ponds. The reason is , even assuming you can achieve the same chemical results (often no as per CB1's post), with Alum or Gyp (or lime or NPK fertilizer) you don't get all the added decomposing organics that natural fertilizers leave on your pond bottom. Good job BM !

Good for you Burger! And one more disadvantage for the cottonseed meal for me is it costs twice as much as the alfalfa meal!

My ponds have NEVER looked better. A little low but beautiful green and a bloom for 90 days now. I trust Overton and if he says use it I do. Maybe it's a 'Texas' thing???? I did add some bone meal also.

My experience with difference "additives" for ponds would strongly back up ahvatsa's suggestion. I'm sure that different water chemistries would make things like cottonseed meal, alum, etc have vastly different effects.

"What's right for me might not be right for you"
-Lynyrd Skynyrd

you sho got that right.

Agreed. One size fits all doesn't work in the real world. I just know I don't like the cottonseed meal and in my small production pond it colors the water brown.

I am looking into stocking Rice Bran as a natural organic fertilizer, per Dr. Anderson's advise last year at the conference. He stated that there is less risk of increased biological oxygen demand from degrading rice bran vs. cottonseed meal. I'll keep folks posted when we know something about the rice bran.

I am a fan of using organic fertilizers early in the spring for difficult ponds and lakes, and yes, there are risks. Inorganics have their own risks also...we see algae and vegetation problems on a regular basis following the use of inorganics alone.

Heck, now I'm wondering about the differences in organically grown corn as versus fertilized for my ponds.

I hadn't heard about alfalfa meal.