Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water Removing colloidal bentonite

Augie, without fish or vegetation, Hydrated lime alone can probably accomplish what you want. To know "if" Hydrated Lime will work or not, do a simple jar test. You can buy a bag of Type S Hydrated lime at home depot for about $9, or you can go to a grocery store that sells McCormack seasonings and get a small container of Alum (If alum clears your water, so will Hydrated Lime alone)....Or the easiest method for application is to call me LOL...probably not the the lowest priced, but certainly most effective...lol I can pump 2000 gallons in about 45 seconds...lol

If you recently "demucked" and the muddy inflow clears, returning to a grey color, I'd lay odds your water also smells like sewage, because it essentially is. Hydrated Lime will help decay the remaining organics disturbed by heavy equipment.

I would highly suggest waiting till the water thaws and creating lime slurry to pour into the water.....dry product would require far more lime to become effective, if effective at all. On the bright side, the lethally high pH created by hydrated lime only lasts a couple weeks and will not delay stocking plans....Bentonite is a common colloidal clay and H lime will quickly take it to the bottom. I'd also try waiting till the pond is full to avoid new inflow suspending due to bare clay soil.