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Joined: Sep 2011
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Joined: Sep 2011
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We have a newly dug pond, approx 70' x 120', 16' at the deepest point, in heavy clay soil. It's about half full and really muddy. We spread 2 bales of hay around the permineter and within a week it was getting clearer, just like it is supposed to. Then we got a heavy rainstorm and now it's all muddy again. What is your experience with hay? Does the hay continue to help clear the water or is it a one shot thing. We haven't stocked any fish yet, but don't want to do chemical treatment.
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
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I'm not familiar with using hay to clear muddy water. But, by adding hay (or any other organic nutrients), you can bet you'll have plenty of algae growing if and when the water does clear.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Hay will often work but it is way down the list of best methods. What is your alklinity ? If its not high consider ag lime (natural). There is a lot here on other methods.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,534 Likes: 842
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Get grass or other plants growing on the exposed clay soil around the pond. The rains are washing clay into the pond and the grass will cut down on a lot of that. Look into alum treatments too. There's a good thread about it in this section "Alum kicks clay's butt" or something like that.
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 47
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 47 |
This is an old thread but I must comment that the hay worked! We spread two small bales around the perimeter of the pond (then the wind pushed it all to one end). Within a few days it had all sunk and in less than two weeks the water was clear. Rainstorms stir up muddy look but it quickly reverts back to basically clear. Apparently there is some enzyme that is released when the hay decomposes that promotes clumping in the water. Whether the clay would have settled out in time with no treatment we'll never know. There has not been any excessive algae growth. For a small pond I would definately advocate this as a cheap easy solution.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Good to know. Can you tell us the specifics of time and water condition and anything else you noticed?
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Ambassador Lunker
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Ambassador Lunker
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I would like to see a presentation on barley straw... maybe at the next PB Conference.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,499 Likes: 266
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I have a bunch of info on that from several sources. It is a very mixed bag for filamentous algae reduction and also on turbidity control.
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We had a member, a couple of years ago, from North Texas that used barley straw to keep red algae at bay. As I recall, he had a pretty good sized body of water that had been decimated. So did all of his neighbors. He tried the barley straw and had the only non affected/infested water in the vicinity. I wish we had a follow up from him.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,752 Likes: 33
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Joined: May 2011
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My uncle has had success with barley straw clearing up a pond that has a red tint to it because the pond is built in a shale bank.
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Joined: Mar 2009
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Does anyone know if barley straw is more effective than wheat, or oats or alfalfa hay? If it is I might decide to sew an acre of barley next spring and give it a try.
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
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If you are needing it for algae control the concensis is the best straw to use is barley. However as Ewest notes, barley straw has lots of mixed results some good, some not so good, and some neutral. Not all algae and water chemistries are the same and those two big variables probably contributre to the mixed results.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 40
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2005
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Check your alkalinity before using alum. Alum make add acidity to the water, so that could mean dead fish in low alkalinity water bodies. I like to see the alkalinity above 50 ppm before we use it.
Brad Vollmar Vollmar Pond and Lake Management www.texaspondmanagement.com____________________________________ What's the difference between a lake and a pond? If you are selling it's lake! If you are buying it's a pond!
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Joined: May 2002
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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The good news with low alkalinity (yes there is one here) is that it takes less herbicides to be effective and less alum. However good point it can easily lead to fish kill better know what your doing.
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Aug 2009
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Todd O told me about putting some hay around my muddy pond and also putting in some "cattle cakes". The idea I assumed was to keep the waves from beating on the shoreline and muddying (is that a word?) the water. The alfalfa pellets were to entice the algae I think. I haven't tried it yet but plan to pretty soon. I've got to get something planter on the dozed areas around my pond first. Maybe rye will take this time of year?
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
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Joined: May 2011
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Joined: May 2011
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It is getting late in the year but you could plant wheat or rye. Although this time of the year, it will take close to two weeks to come up.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
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Wheat is a lot cheaper than rye. And, perennial rye is a joke after the 2nd year.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Aug 2009
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Yea I put wheat out when I did a field just uphill from the pond but the clay\muck that is around the pond was pretty hard to plow. All I have is a disk and that stuff was like concrete. The wheat didn't take very well around the pond like it did up in the field. We've been getting a lot of rain lately so I'm thinking when the hunting buddies are down this weekend, I'll put them to work and see if we can get something in the ground. I'm thinking I need to fertilize maybe with something. Any suggestions?
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
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If it's new ground you probably won't need to fertilize.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 754 Likes: 1
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Aug 2009
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It's mainly the sediment that we dug out when I deepened the pond Dave. I'm not sure what all is in it. Mainly clay.
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,752 Likes: 33
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,752 Likes: 33 |
Wheat should grow just fine in it.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
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If it's sediment there are a lot of unknowns and remember that some of the fertilizer will end up in the pond. You can get a soil survey with recommendations from, I believe, TAMU. I would spread wheat and see what happens. At this time of year anything getting is started can be a crap shoot. However, wheat isn't all that expensive and I figure it is worth a try.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 754 Likes: 1
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Aug 2009
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I'll give it a shot and see what happens. Thanks guys
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
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