Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization Ok real stupid question coming up!

I think Cecil Baird has used cottonseed meal in addition to fertilizer. Let's see if he responds. In the post below, BGkiller jogged my memory. I didn't go back and read the history. I just responded to the current 2012 posts. Here is CB1's comment about cottonseed meal.

IMO the organic fertilizers at least some of them, produce more protozoans and zooplankton type stuff and not green water -phytoplankton - blooms. The fish feed directly on the animals and a lot of the green water portion is bypassed. There are probably some published studies on this topic.

Bill,
You must of missed Cecil on page 1

I've tried cottonseed meal but didn't notice much change. It takes an awful lot of it.

From my Freshwater Aquaculture Book:" Animal dung, green manure, and seed meals are used as nitrogen sources. ....bird manuers tend to be more acidic than others. Some researchers believe that dung promotes the growth of both phyto and zooplankton while green manures are effective only for zooplankton. Zooplankton grows particularly well with seed meals, apparently because it can make direct use of their proteins. Both types of manure are said to be faster acting if properly composted. Certainly compost is less likely to deoxygenate water than raw manure.""

Using organic manure effectively is probably as much art as science, and maybe more art than science. DO crashes are likely when using organics as pond fertilizer. Organic manure grows lots of bacteria.Bacteria uses lots of DO while being a food source for both the planktonic and benthic microanimals. Thus the brown water was probably filled with bacteria observed by CB1?. Bacteria is fed on by many types of zooplankton (protozoans, rotifers, and microcrustaceans) including the ones planktonic and those associated with the decomposing organic materials lying on the bottom. Zooplankton feeds fish. This is probably why manure is more of a direct route than inorganic / synthetic fertilizers which first grows phytoplanton- blooms and green water.

Do you still use it, or was that just an experiment? I want something dependable that will work. I've seen just about everything spoken about. The fish farmer I spoke with said 2 bags to the acre is what he uses? If I use aeration should iy help?

Bill got it smacked on the head. Not sure about suburbia in your neck of the woods, but here in the urban jungle, we noticed that plenty of liquid and organic fertilizers run off from lawn and storage areas, then get discharged directly into the local ponds and water way. The result becomes more invertebrates, both aquatic and hybrid (oxygen breather that live near higher water saturated soils). It also create more bacterial growth along the shoreline, which promote infestation on both fouls and fishes. Pond fertilizer either comes in pellets or blocks which time released based on the bonding agents. However, it's not the best product to push, so, it's rare to find that one the shelves.

If you want to push nitrogen enrich environment for your pond, you can use a fine mesh cage system to mix up grass/leave clipping, and infuse with granulated NPK based on your need to prevent over acidity or alkalinity levels. This also prevent fish from ingesting the concentrated granule materials and get themselves killed.

Dave said he couldn't tell much difference using cottonseed meal. Actually how would you know if the cottonseed meal,or lawn clippings Leo mentioned are being beneficial to the pond? I realize by the health of the fish, but anything else to look for? Adding aeration I assume would be helpful also, if I choose this route.

spinnerbait, cottonseed meal and lawn clippings decays at the bottom of the pond to produce biological feeding source for invertebrates. The invertebrates consumed, and recompact the biological matters in a slower release form. What every biological decay that remain, the release of carbon and nitrogen from the plant matters will provide the ponds a quick boost of N and K source for other plants to grow, which then fuel the oxygen generation by the plants that exist within the pond. Rather than using the fast acting and fast release lawn/pond fertilizer in solid or liquid forms, natural methods is much safer, and more ecologically balanced.

Fish health coincides with pond's health. So, be on the look out for bacterial, invertebrates, pathogenic, and weeds infestations. Also be on the look out for high suspended solids and turbidity.

Natural is safer like botulism and ebola.