Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization Fertilization, where to go from here.

Pond was fertilized the last two years and is now aeriated. But the water visibility has gone from 18 to 21" to 13 and 14" and so I am thinking this might slow my growth rates of the Texas Legacy Lmb. Lmb are now about 15 months old. Seems like the pond is now getting a bloom every time it rains, and it has been a wet summer. Maybe picking up some nitrogen from the soil where the soybeans are growing. Soy beans produce nitrogen into the soils. So should I be concerned with not only growth of the lmb due to reduced visibility. And also concerned with the possibility of O2 depletion, even with 6 diffusers in a 3.5 acre pond? How or where to go with this situation. So far the fish seem to be doing well in this heavy foraged fish pond.
Any suggestions for my concerns?

Thanks

Tracy

Watch and if the visibility goes to 12 then you can think about a couple steps but likely not necessary with cooler temps coming and aeration. May not need as much fertilizer. I assume you are not using standard N fert. but rather aquatic fert.

I've lived here in Arkansas for about 30 years and fish in some water that some guys wouldn't even think about fishing in.... I have caught several nice bass in 6 inch visibility water so IMO I don't think clearness of water is to big of an issue when it comes to your bass growth they can find the food man trust me... They have other means by which to feed then just eyes.... It's amazing how they can adapt.

And when I say caught big LMB I'm talking 5, 6 and 8 plus lbs bass they will be very light in color though that's the only downfall but once water starts to clear up that color will come back.

RC

ewest, u r correct about the fertilizer I used last spring. Pond fertilizer was used, a 25lb bag was used over the first 4 to 6 weeks of early spring by adding 10lbs on first treatment and then adding more as needed to start and keep a new bloom going. Adding the diffusers helped when they were first added to the pond and increased the sushi reading where water went from 14" to 21" but now after about a month or so visibility has gone back to 13 or 14" of green water. It also looks like an area around one of the feeders where there are a lot of cnbg feeding that the water nearer to this feeding area is greener than the rest of the pond. I wonder about reducing the feed amounts from this TH feeder? There is little to no feed left shortly after it goes off. Should I consider reducing the feed at that feeder? And a new sediment pond drains into big pond and is used raising fhm's that are hand feed. Again new blooms start after rains, so should I stop feeding the fhm's which might reduce new blooms. Would u stop or reduce feeding the fhm's? I am hoping on that cooler weather to reduce the ongoing blooms and I am also looking for another better path next spring.
RC, I understand your thinking and know where u r coming from. I am hoping for fast and larger growth of these Texas legacy LMB and to be honest I can use all the information I can get to achieve these goals. If I can use experience from people like you and others, it has to be beneficial and maybe it will save the lives of a few fish along with maybe saving me some $$. I always think of DD1's comments about killing fish.

Thanks

Tracy

If your bloom is that dense, I wouldn't add any more fertilizer, especially if you are feeding.

What is your alkalinity in the pond?

Time to stop fertilizing in your area for the year. Keep feeding for now. Can you post your water quality info ? Often ponds do not require the suggested amounts of fertilizer. Many don't need fertilizer at all. The aeration is probably keeping all the nutrients stirred up in the water column and could be adding to the dirt suspended. Don't turn off the aeration at this point.

See this about water quality test interpretation.

https://srac.tamu.edu/serveFactSheet/262

Thanks guys, I went to the pond this morning around 9am an sushi reading was @ 12" at the one feeding station. So I decided to back off the feed a little (reduced by 1/3rd). Feeding At 12 seconds now with the Cargils 4512 1/8 and 3/16 size feed. Fish are actively feeding. I made a trip around the pond in the boat and water looks good out in the pond but visibility continues to be low with the green water. Fish seem to be doing well, lots of Tp fry, cnbg fry,fhm fry
esshup, I have not fertilized since early April. I did fertilize then because visibility was in the 4' range due to colder winter/spring weather. I was advised two yrs ago to fertilize the pond for better fish performance.
ewest, you may be right about the diffusers keeping nutrients in the water through stirring up the bottom. I have tried several things now, including hot water heater pan, kiddy swimming pool and a couple of cinder blocks to get them off bottom but I continue to see a light clouding of the water around the diffusers. My next plan will be to raise them more using additional cinder blocks. I wonder how much good they will do when raised 15 to 20" off bottom?
Last check on water sample had calcium @ 40ppm (a little low), Alk was 110 and Ph was 7.4 Agg lime has been used for the past two years when adding well water. I also added air aspiration to the water well line(u can see a difference in the water from the introduction of air to the water) and water is splashed before it enters the pond. Running the water well will raise the pond level 1/8" per day right now. So its not a lot of water in the pond at one time.
I am concerned with the new blooms that seem to be showing up every few days.

Tracy

I wouldn't worry about raising them up. Once the bacteria at the bottom of the pond has sufficient time to work on chewing down the bottom sediments, then the floaties will be gone.

Keep watching. A little ag lime may help but I would tend to wait and watch. Additional water with air would help. With the aeration you should be ok. Pool or wash tub is a good idea. I would not raise the diffusers without a specific reason.

Keep Watching I can now add being a pond Nut to the other extreme ventures I have taken in life. Lets see, 600 lbs per acre, is that asking to much I have been a fishing guy since I was very young. Fished so much in my younger years, it may have contributed to my divorce yrs ago. Oh well! Now it's a pond, once again I push it to the edge of the envelope I just wish I could see under the water, it would make things so much easier. Thanks for helping me out here guys.

Tracy