Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water muddy water=gypsum

Well, my pond is over a year old now and i have had muddy water since it filled. I have read on here about gypsum and decided thats what im going to use.I have called everyone in this area for gypsum, some dont even know what it is, the ones that do, can only get the pellets. Ive called feed stores,elevators, and farm stores and no luck yet. Any suggestions? How do you calculate how much you need? Thanks all

bowtiebubba,

If your mind is set on gypsum, then simply disregard my response....but if not read on:

Ag. lime is readily available in almost all farming areas, is relatively inexpensive, is long lasting, is very effective, and not the least of factors, is easy to apply. I've had great results with it for many years in ponds.

The method I use is first, get a water/soil test to determine how much is needed. Order the ag. lime from a local co-op, feed store, or fertilizer dealer. They will also have the large spreader trucks needed to apply the lime. Then have the trucks back up to the ponds in several places and let it fly. Also apply in the direct drainage areas for your ponds. In my area this spring/early summer I purchased the ag. lime for $35 per ton spread price. I generally use about 4 tons per acre in a new pond and it lasts many, many years.

How do i do a water/soil test? I can do some water tests myself, i am a water plant operator. Wouldnt the lime raise the Ph ? I like the idea of using the lime, would definetly be easier.

Home Depot used to sell powdered gypsum. Buy a few bags and try it on a small area and see what works. Use as little as possible to get the job done. It takes surprisingly little to get the water crystal clear, but I wouldn't quite go for crystal clear.

I have never seen lime improve muddy water, but it's great for general pond health.

BTB,

Generally your county agent can arrange for the tests and if you tell them the intended use, they can make a specific recommendation on tons/acre. On my ranch, it takes 4 tons per acre to get the water cleared up.

I've built three ponds now myself and in each case, without exception, about three weeks following the proper application of ag. lime, the pond water is beautiful rather than muddy brown. It does clear the water and promotes efficient utilization of nutrients in the food chain.

Bowtiebubba,

Greetings from SE Missouri. I made a post on the thread entitled "Vendors for Gypsum" that had some information about where to purchase, and some trade names to search on. I would have to believe that you could find one of these brands available in the St. Louis area. I added powdered Gypsum a couple months ago with good results to a 1 acre pond. I have not posted my results to the "Calculating Gypsum Amount" thread yet because I wanted to make sure the clarity held. I am also going to try Meadowlark's suggestion for liming too and hope that both methods combined will result in a long term solution to the muddy water problem I had. If you really get in a bind, there is more gypsum than you would ever need about 30 minutes from my location. However, we're about as far apart North and South as you can get and still be in Missouri. Good Luck.

I made more phone calls today looking for powdered gypsum, no luck, some places had the pelletized gypsum. I think im going to go with the ag lime, i know i can get that.
Meadowlark:: who would i call for a water/soil test?From your post before when you said county agent i thought you were talking about the NRCS so i called them and they said they didnt do that.
Im just a city boy that retired to the country,so you kind of have to explain things to me.
Thanks

bowtiebubba, have you read other threads on this forum that discuss the jar test? I believe you collect some pond water in a big glass jar, and then let it sit for a few days.

If it clears up, then it points to more focused options.

If it does not clear, same thing, it points to other focused options.

It may also help if you describe your pond a little bit more especially about what the shorelines are like, and what kind of run-off you get.

I'm not at all saying that gypsum or lime are not the answers; I just think there are some preliminary steps to take first to make sure you understand the cause and can then effectively address the problem.

Bow :

Look at the site below under services ( soil test in most states) for Mo. Coop. Ext. Service. ewest

http://extension.missouri.edu/

I have heard of spreading 2 or 3 bales of OLD hay over the surface to clear mud. It was recommended by the fisheries biologist(s) on the Mississippi Fishing website. I talked to one Texas pond owner who told me that he cleared his one acre pond by simply adding a bale of hay that wasn't spread. Heck, I'd try that but first I'd do the jar test that Sunil recommends.

If the sand falls to the bottom and your jar does clear, it indicates that something is stirring it. I don't think gypsum will do much good if that's the problem.

Dave,

I once tried setting an old round bale at waters edge(some of it in the water, some of it out)...the only thing it did, as far as I could tell, was provide an environment for cat tails to flourish...the only cat tails I have ever had in my ponds came from that one instance of setting that round bale in the water's edge, They thrived in that one spot until I used a back-hoe and removed the remanents of the hay. No cat tails since.