Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water Tried the aluminum sulfate on a 1/2 acre pond.

I have an 1/2 acre pond with 500 coppernose bluegills and 500 channel cats. The pond's visibility was maybe one inch, and now after the treatment it is 4 feet. I pumped 300 lbs of aluminum sulfate and needed 200 lbs of lime due to the PH. It is holding at 7.5. I only know what I have read on this site and I'm satisfied with the results. The only thing is my fish wont come up to feed, I havent seen my catfish or bluegills since, which has been a day. I see lots of flathead minors along the bank but that's it. I'm hoping they are all well, we shall see.

Great results!! I'm impressed!

An analogy comes to mind. Say you are used to showering behind the shower curtain, and then you get a bathroom makeover and now you are showering behind a clear glass shower door.... I imagine you feel a bit conspicuous?

I wonder if the fish are self conscious about coming into the open to eat when before they couldn't even see who was coming up to eat the pellet next to them?

That is exactly what I was thinking. They need to build some courage, the world is not as small as they thought it was.

From experience, I'd guess there is a lack of feeding for 3 reasons...

First, as already thought, the fish are getting used to the tremendous clarity.

Second, the fish are feeding heavily, naturally, again, due to clarity.

Third, some pH shock since a 3:2 ratio of Alum:hydrated lime raised pH quickly instead of being balanced.

As long as the shock didn't kill any, all will be great soon with feeding.

I'll be shocked if clarity lasts...Not due to colloidal clay re-emerging, but due to so many catfish stirring the bottom and keeping things stirred up. The alum will make sediments fall back out quickly, but that many CC in such a small area will move a LOT of sediments around!

Great job!

Always expect high water turbidity with 600 CC per acre.

Sounds like I need to start catching some catfish.

In the spirit of "always willing to help" PBF.....if you have too many CC fillets, just send me a PM and I'll tell ya where to mail them!

Pond update: got in from work this evening and noticed the pond is now about 5 ft visibility. I saw lots a bluegill, and about a dozen bass that ranged from 4 to 8 inches (I did not put bass in there) no idea where they came from. I sank a Christmas tree yesterday and noticed it was covered with bluegill. Very very impressed.