Forums36
Topics40,963
Posts557,995
Members18,504
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135 |
My small pond - .2 acre - has become almost opaque - a brown color like coffee colored. It used to be much more clear and I wonder the best way to clear it some. I would like to try some fish or other natural methods.
Would triploid grass carp eat a lot of what I believe to be zoo and phytoplankton? Other fish species? I would even be willing to try tilapia but would not know where to get them in Ohio. There are already BG, YP and 4 LMB in there. Cattails and other vegetation along the edge only - no further out than 2'.
Lots of dead leaves on the bottom as one side has many large oak, maple and other trees overhanging it.
I realize an aerator would help decompose the leaves in the bottom and of course increase DO. Would it be likely to help or hurt water clarity.
I do not have a seschi disk but I would bet it would not be seen at 18 to 36".
2/3 acre pond 12 miles from that big pond we call Lake Erie.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,499 Likes: 267
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
|
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,499 Likes: 267 |
Check to see if you need lime to offset the acid from oaks and leaves and dirt. It also helps the water's buffering ability. Be sure you need it first. Here is a link to clearing ponds. Guide to Understanding Water Quality -- see part on turbidity very good http://aquanic.org/publicat/state/il-in/as-503.htm Water quality fact sheets http://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm?catid=25 SRAC 460 Control of Clay Turbidity in Ponds
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 969
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 969 |
AaTW> Grass carp in your size pond would probably make visability worse 18-36 inches is not bad considering the heat you have had and the likelyhood of a minor bloom.Recent rains (4 inches in NW Ohio) have clouded visibility also. ewest gives you some good advice on the checking of the PH level as we often find 5.5 - 6.5 ph levels in Ohio ponds with lots of undecomposed leaves, If the case consider adjusting to 8. You may also find poor water quality and very low DO with all of the organic you have.
|
|
|
|
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 |
I think in another post Asleep mentioned that muskrats are present and probably eating water primrose. Tannin leachate from decomposing leaves are causing the brownish tint (stain) to the water and the muskrats are causing the cloudiness - turbidity of suspended solids in the water. Muskrats are great for creating murky, low visibility water.
Get rid of the muskrats and the water will gradually return to a clearish brown tinted water.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
|
|