Don't usually see a plankton bloom in a muddy pond. If you stick your hand in the water - how far down in the water does your hand go before you can't see it ? If 18 inches (elbow) you are ok. You don't want it to get less than 12 inches.

Phytoplankton

form the base of the food

chain and are eaten by small

animal organisms, which

serve as food for bream,

which in turn are eaten by

bass. Phytoplankton make

the water turn green, or

�bloom,� which also shades

the bottom and discourages

growth of troublesome

aquatic weeds.



Although the plankton blooms

that result from fertilization can

be highly desirable, too much

bloom can cause problems. Dense

plankton blooms (Secchi disk visibility

<12 inches) can lead to: 1)

plankton die-offs that deplete dissolved

oxygen; 2) critically lower

dissolved oxygen readings in the

morning; and 3) elevated after-

noon pH levels which increase the

concentration of unionized (toxic)

ammonia in the water. All of these

conditions can stress fish. In some

cases, dense algae blooms even

produce toxins.


Last edited by ewest; 04/26/08 06:25 PM.