Forums36
Topics40,972
Posts558,081
Members18,508
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
8 members (Knobber, Bigtrh24, Sunil, Theo Gallus, Shorthose, SetterGuy, canyoncreek, Jward87),
806
guests, and
180
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 72
Member
|
OP
Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 72 |
I am planning on fertilizing my 1.5 acre pond this coming spring. I have a mild to moderate amount of runoff during the year (depending on rainfall amount). My initial plan was to build a small platform and use grannular fertilzer. What are the pros and cons of the grannular and liquid fertilizers for this application?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,347 Likes: 99
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
|
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,347 Likes: 99 |
Pros of granular fertilizer. Slow dissolving, good for perpetuating a bloom. Liquid fertilizer quickly initiates a bloom, but tends to be used up by plankton more quickly than granular. Either way, fertilizer works best only if dissolved into the water. Liquid is easier to dissolve. Be sure you get the correct amount of nutrients into your water, or neither type will be effective. Lots of talk on this site about fertilizer
Teach a man to grow fish... He can teach to catch fish...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 72
Member
|
OP
Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 72 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,151 Likes: 491
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,151 Likes: 491 |
Additionally, before you fertilize make sure your water alkalinity measurements are above 20ppm and 30 to 80 ppm is better and will more likely encourage a better bloom of micro-algae and zooplankton animals in the water column. Ponds in sandy soils are famous for having low water alkalinity. Note. Numbers were adjusted with advice of G.Grimes.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,973
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,973 |
Cody, I have alot to learn about northern ponds but in the SE you should strive for 20 ppm alkalinity. Rarely will you get it above 50 ppm, but good point. Also Sarchasm you should look into water soluble pond fertilizer. Even easier to use than liquid.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,347 Likes: 99
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
|
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,347 Likes: 99 |
One other note for this thread. Some areas of the world, alkalinity is too high. In those cases phosphorus tends to be quickly bound and unavailable for uptake. In west Texas, for example, there are ponds with alkalinity of 400 ppm, with lots of gypsum naturally dissolved from soils. Put 10-34-0 liquid in a lake like this and you can watch the phosphorus precipitate before your eyes. These ponds need two to three times recommended doses to start a bloom, so we tend to emphasize feeding, rather than fertilizing these warm water ponds.
Teach a man to grow fish... He can teach to catch fish...
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
|
|