Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water What next???

I think I have tried everything I can find to try and I'm getting almost no where. I have a 3/4 acre pond in central Texas that was clear as could be 8 years ago. At the time it was less than 1/2 acre in size and during a really dry time we enlarged the pond to it's current size. It has not been clear since that time. The water looks like a really strong lemonade when you view it in a clear container. You cannot see more than 2 or 3 inches deep. There is no live stock, no catfish or carp. The pond has shown no signs of clearing since it was enlarged.

I read about Gypsum, and Alum Sulfate with Hydrated Lime. I conducted the test as described and all the gypsum did was turn the yellowish water into the color of tea. The alum sulfate didn't appear to do anything, with or without hydrated lime added. It should be noted that I tested each product in a half gallon clear container and started with 1 Tbs of product and then 2 and then 3 all the way up to 6 Tbs in the half gallon of water. The results never changed. Gypsum turned to dark brown tea color, Alum sulfate did nothing.

Now for the weird part: I had bought the Hydrated Lime to use with the Alum Sulfate to offset the Ph issues Alum Sulfate causes. When everything else had failed I got another half gallon of pond water and for the heck of it I added a couple Tbs of Hydrated Lime only to the water. Much to my surprise within 20 minutes that half gallon of water was clearer than tap water. I have no idea what the Ph might be like in that container, but it is clear.

I had hoped that Ag Lime would have the same results considering it is only $30 per ton. The Ag Lime doesn't do anything. The water stays yellow. No where have I found anyone suggesting using Hydrated Lime only to solve a muddy pond issue, plus that stuff is high priced compared to Gypsum and even Alum Sulfate. So what do you suggest now?

Well, CWilson, about the best I can do for you is to say welcome to the forum! I am a rank amateur on such issues (actually on most issues related to ponds, though I can shoot a muskrat okay!) and have to say that you've tried everything that I would know to suggest. Odd about the way your hydrated lime is working just fine when nothing else will.

Hang tight and wait for some of the more knowledgeable dirt and water quality folks here to chew on this one and weigh in with ideas. I'm confident someone will have good input for you. Good luck with the situation.

Welcome but I don't know the answer to the question.

Are other ponds in the area in the same condition?

Most ponds in the area are clear. With the exception of some that are small and have live stock making them stay muddy.

CW you story sounds almost identical to mine. I did learn that the alum you add to the jar for the test needs to be a premixed slurry for it to be accurate. I've treated my 1 1/2 acre pond twice now with no success. I'm planning another treatment sometime this year. Rainman (on the forum) has told me to keep adding the aluminum sulfate until you can see the clay particles in the water actually clouding up in the water. Sometimes this may take twice the amount of alum called for. I'm sure he would talk to you about it if you sent him a PM. I think he's pretty busy this time of year but he can help. I'm sure there are others here that will chime in soon. Good luck.

Hydrated lime is Calcium Hydroxide. CaOH. It is a superfine powder that dissolves very quickly, dissociating to Calcium and Hydroxide. The Calcium clears your muddy water because it binds negatively charged clay particles making them heavy and causing them to settle. HOWEVER, the OH or hydroxide wmay cause your pH to rise to around 11, killing all fish and all aquatic life very quickly. You know you've added enough to sterilize a pond when it clears up like a swimming pool. So don't use it for that purpose.

If alum did not work for you then it's because you maybe didn't use enough OR didn't dissolve it well enough. Alum drops pH, and the hydrated lime recommended at 40% or your alum dosage rate is applied to buffer that potential pH drop.

What is your alkalinity ? If its low add ag lime and see what happens. Sometimes that works if its needed. Suggest you get the water checked to id the problem.

CWilson, as Todd Overton noted, the Hydrated Lime is negatively charged at a +1 rating....Alum is a +3 rating....I have to question if you in fact had aluminum sulfate as it will clear 3 times as much as Hydrated lime.

Also as noted, Hydrated Lime on it's own is used to kill everything in a pond and would be dangerous on it's own if you want fish to live.

I'm out of town this week. But will provide the ingedient list from the bag of Alum Sulfate. It was bought at the local home and garden store. Are there different varieties of Alum Sulfate? Different concentrates?

Thanks to all for the info about the Hydrated Lime. I will not use it "straight". Besides I couldn't afford too much of that product.

Hydrated lime is $11 a 50 pound bag here in Indiana,Where as Aluminum sulfate is $50 dollars for 50 pounds.. Are you sure you bought the right stuff?