Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water Muddy water, is really OK!!!, has benefits

I have a two year old pond, 1/3 acre, 12 ft. deep. Was lucky enough to have REAL clay to keep the seal, but not so lucky as the water is Chocolate brown, visibility less then 1".
Since I have no problem with suspended clay, I am wondering what is the downside to high suspended clay??.
The benefits, pond stays cool in the summer heat, especially when the drought last year was cooking other ponds water. No algee to speak of. Next door neighbors pond is covered with algee and chocking the pond.
Can anyone explain the downside to staying with cloudy water, is there anything harmful to the fish?.
Stocked with 100 CC, 100 RDBG, 100 CNBG, 25 Tigre Bass,10 lbs FH's. Fishing seems to be OK. Catfish have grown from 2" to 14" in one year.

Let's hear what the experts have to say.

I was thinking that perhaps the cloudy water would decrease the fertility in the water and effect the food chain but dang growth of 2" to 14" in one year?!?! That sounds pretty good to me (I don't know what I'm talking about so that probably doesn't mean much).

Jhap, you're right about hurting the lowest end of the food chain. The CC did so well is because they are built to feed in minimal light, while BG & LMB feed mostly by sight.

I'm hopeing that he meant to say 1 foot rather than 1 inch of clarity. I don't know what that much suspended clay would effect (thinking of the fishes gills) if he really has 1" of clarity.

Esshup, it's really 1", not 1'. I have a friend who is really good with clay and he said I hit a gold mind in the quality of clay, if clay pots were what we were making here.
Last year I did an Alum/lime mix and cleared the pond up when it had 5 ft, but since it's risen to 11 ft to 12 ft, the clay has simply been washed back into the pond and clouded it up.
My thinking was to wait till it was full, 18 ft, along with some vegetation on the banks, and then hit it again with the Alum/lime mix.
I can use a 2" trash pump and 55 gallon barrels, mixed up right and clear it up pretty fast. But, that won't be for another year, possibly, that it's full, unless we get some good rains this spring.
So, you did answer my question in regards to BG and LMB. If they can't feed right, then I need to clear it up some. This is a recreational pond for the grandkids to fish, so need to have all the little critters happy and growing big.

My pond has been muddy ever since I bough my place 2 years ago. After the big digout I did in Dec., I've alum/limed it twice but it's still MUUUDDY. I have planted wheat all around it and it's growing pretty good. It's been 2 weeks since I've been out there an 3 weeks since I put the alum in so maybe it's cleared up some. I have been catching some decent LMB in an ajacent pond that is just as muddy.

I think that sounds like a great plan Ken. From everything I've read, newer ponds do tend to be a little muddier simply because of that new runoff. If you have good vegetation on the shores you should be in good shape when the dirt finally settles.

Ditto!

ken,

I fish a lake here in Arknasas that you can see only about 6 inches. I catch more bass out of that lake than any other. Bass will adapt to the conditions at hand when it comes to water clarity. They will not only use there eyes to eat but they use there lateral lines on there body as well. We catch 13 inch bass all the way up to 7lbs bass in this lake. If you could clear it up to see about 6 to 8 inches I don't think it would be an issue. And you right muddy water has avantages. I have a very clear pond and have more issues with weeds and spooking fish and hotter water from sun penatration. I have a picture of a fish i caught on that lake. I will post it and you can see the water behind me it's MUDDY big time!! Just so you have a comparison.

Ken here is the picture. This bass is 6 pounds and look at the water. Dang muddy bud. And we catch quality 3 to 5 lbs bass out of ths lake all the time. Notice how light she looks. Thats from lack of sun penatration into the water. Put her in some clear water and she will color right up. That is the only downside I have seen to these fish.

The fishing in my pond is not as good for bass or hybrid striped bass when the water is very muddy. I can tell no change for the catfish.