Sunil, long ago, about 1985 or 86, I had the opportunity to stock a beautiful cobalt blue pond, water clarity to eight feet near Bastrop, Texas. It sits in the area called "Lost Pines." I tempered the fish, made sure the water temperature was right and then released the creatures. They immediately went to the bottom, sat very still and began to tilt. Within four hours they were all dead, lying on their sides on the pond bottom.
I called the extension fisheries specialist and he explained something to me...."Check the pH." I did, it was almost battery acid low, as I recall it was something like 3.7. pH that low is fatal to fish. That's why it scares me to death.
Cecil, if you read my post, it doesn't dispute what you said. I have no doubt that iron influences the color of your water. I also know that the calcium carbonate does, too. I bet, if you check the chemistry of the "colored" water compared to the water when it's clear, that you will see different values for your pH, your iron and your lime. I suspect the lime is part of the reason that your iron settles out. I bet there's a chemical reaction over time where the lime reacts with the iron to oxidize the iron and make it precipitate. And as the lime values drop, the water clarity changes.
Headed to church...see ya'll tomorrow night on RFD-TV.
