Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Does exact fertilizer matter much?

I initially put in 50 lb of 12-61-0 of fertilizer in my BOW. I'd like to put in some more right away, but only have 10-54-8 pond fertilizer available locally. The additional 8 percent is potassium, I think, while the 10 is nitrogen and 54 is phosphorus.

Does it really make much difference? Any reason NOT to go with 10-54-8 since I can get my hands on it faster? I have chara now & am trying to get better bloom going to reduce light penetration.

Personally, the thought of putting fertilizer in a pond to control plant growth sounds to difficult to get the right balance. A good bloom requires fairly specific conditions to be present when there are nutrients available. If conditions aren't right for a bloom, the existing plants will use it, especially FA. Have you thought about using some dye to help block light? No special conditions needed.

If the mission is to create a plankton bloom to promote a food chain for newly hatched fish, and/or to diminish visibility without diminishing the food chain, use the fertilizer.

If the goal is to diminish visibility and not worry about the food chain, use a dye.

The numbers in the fertilizer represent the percentage of that nutrient. So, if 10-54-8, a 50 pound bag, is added, you can calculate the volume of each nutrient and extrapolate the poundage per acre. The label tells you how much phosphorus is needed...but experience with your own water tells you what works. Each pond is different because alkalinity is different, plant life is different and biology is different. That's why we try to look at plankton blooms on a regular basis, when we are intent on managing a lake. Nitrogen is important in order to balance the 'good' plankton, which thrives on phosphorus. In many southern ponds, phosphorus is limiting. In Frank's case, he needs the 'right' amount of phosphorus to initiate a bloom and enough to perpetuate it for the desired time. The potassium is irrelevant...not limiting.