Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water New Pond Muddy Water Question

I have a new 2 acre pond which is filling. The water is muddy which I expect since my watershed and banks have not grassed over yet. I also train my dogs in it every day and they really stir it up.

A neighbor suggested dumping cotton seed meal and super phospate (50 lb to 100 lb ratio ) He claims the water will settle faster after it is stirred up.

Anyone heard of this. I can't find any references to it on a search. Thanks.

That ration should be reversed.... 50 lbs Super Phosphate to 100lbs cotton seed meal.

What you have described are two forms of fertilizer. Adding fertilizer with out knowing all the other water quality variables of the pond and your goals could cause a mess. When you built the pond was the soil tested? If so what did it show? Look at this link on water quality pages 16 - 20 including muddy water.

http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p1428.pdf

Also from SRAC

http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/11830457-471fs.pdf.

Organic fertilizers, such as cottonseed

meal, are used in combination

with inorganic fertilizers to

prepare larval fish ponds (see

SRAC publication 469). Organic

materials are generally not recommended

for fertilizing recreational

farm ponds, as excessive amounts

may lower dissolved oxygen to a

critical level, possibly killing fish.

These fertilizers also can promote

the growth of undesirable filamentous

algae (commonly known

as "pond moss" or "pond scum").