Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations WATER DYE

I want to use dye in my 1/3 acre pond and have been searching for a "black dye" in hopes of avoiding that toilet bowl look. The only one I found is an off name brand called "Natural Reflections". Has anyone used Natural Reflection, or can you recomend a different brand of a black shade and where I can get it.
Thanks,

Here is an interesting thread on dye and how it works. Be sure you understand how it works and what it does to the pond. All color comes from the light spectrum each having a different wave length. Dye works by filtering/reflecting light through blocking certain wave lengths. Black is the mixing of at least 3 primary colors. Which ones the dye blocks to get black I don't know but would sure want to know before I put it in the pond. If it cuts off the red and green spectrum not much will grow in the pond.


http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=000167#000005


See this.


http://www.dyofix.co.uk/

For a DyoFix product when used in PONDS WITH FISH please use DyoFix Blue

Some of the features of DyoFix Black include:

Blocks the sun's rays to effectively starve the food source of Algae
Enhances the reflective properties of ponds
Creates a stunning background for water plants
Completely free of Pesticides and Herbicides
Harmless to filters and plants

my 2 cents on dye. If used in warm (growing) season will have major negative effect on primary production in the pond. here in the SE where we are limited on natural production due to poor soils this means less fish than we already have. We use it quite a bit but only in winter or on ponds where fishign is not a primary goal.

BLACK ONYX LAKE COLORANT (manufactured by Becker-Underwood) is available in both liquid (gal) and water soluble packets (16/cs). It is NOT marketed as a deterent for weed and algae growth. Instead, it is simply a "aesthetic-enhancement" option over the traditional blue pond-colorants, and one that many folks prefer to the appearance of vivid blue. In some situations (and with some experimentation), the combination of blue and black colorants at lower respective rates yields appealing and functional results - and at a lower total cost.

Kelly what does it do to light penetration and plankton ?

In reference to the BLACK ONYX; I don't have, or know of any specific research to validate an answer. Anecdotal evidence leads me to believe that any reduction of sunlight penetration (especially certain wavelengths) could, to some degree or another, negatively affect organisms that rely upon photosynthetic processes. However, any such organisms that occupy shallow areas or the upper water-column are less likely to be influenced by pond colorants since the impact on sunlight penetration is less pronounced in those areas.