Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization new pond fertilized and limed

my pond is probably 3/4 acre when full, i am half way there now. i am really trying to get grass to grow around the edges. i went to the local fertilizer company and they told me to lime and fertilize the soil near the lake. in the past the fisheries guy told me to lime my lake as soon as it started filling. he said there was no way to put too much lime. so this past weekend i put about a ton or so of ag lime in the pond. i also added a 50 lb bag of 13 13 13 in the upper end where the stream is still flowing into my pond. within in 3 days my pond got really green with green stuff all over the surface. is this an algae bloom? is this a good thing? i have no fish at this time and dont plan to stock until winter.

Yes, it sounds like you have an algal bloom. It's a good thing as long as it's not too dense. What is the visibility looking through the water - how far in can you see your hand?

My first thought was to say that if no fish are going in until later in the year, you wasted your time fertilizing. Then I remembered all the little volunteer invertebrates, amphibians, etc. that colonize a new pond and help provide the food chain for newly stocked small fish to live on. I bet that a good algal bloom will help those small lifeforms establish in larger numbers, helping the fish out when they show up later.

It pretty much IS impossible to use too much aglime.

Scott lime at a rate of 6 tons/acre on new pond in your area, you need more lime. Spread it all around the entire lake and in the water in hopes it floats and falls to cover the entire pond bottom. No reason to fertilize this year. Also you want to fertilize on consistent basis next year if that fits your goals. You need to use a pond fert 10-52-4 is our formulaiton. Read up on fertilization. It is not something to take lightly you need to do it right b/c it makes thinks worse as you just found out if done wrong. Good luck.

If it it were me I would not be afraid to wait, though I know its hard not to stock now, let things get a hold frogs, food crwdads before they have to start fending for themselves. I would also put what I wanted most like bass in first then add bluegill and other things in the spring. I know thats not the way its done but from experience thats what I would do, call me crazy, but I have been there done that. Plus I would only put in about half of the BG that they recomend u can always add em later. My main concern would be forage for the bass, start NOW building the food chain. Fish will grow fast but the food chain it lags. For example fill it full of fathead minnows now, let them spawn a couple times then add the fish. Thats the recipe for my next one, just a personal observation especilly if your serious about growing big ones. If its just a fishing pond for u and the kids the I wouldnt worry. Just fill it!

"I would also put what I wanted most like bass in first then add bluegill and other things in the spring."

BC not trying to be all knowing here but this will destroy your chance to grow exatcly what you said you after. Adding bass prior to bluegill is CRAZY, and a very poor recommendation in my opinion. You go on to say add the fatheads I agree. BUt the bluegill are either target species but very much important forage. You can not establish this bluegill forage base by having bass first. I tried to just tackle the question about fert/lime and not stocking but know way Scott would i suggest stocking bass first.

i have never heard of stocking bass first.......what type of minnows are fatheads/flatheads? i have heard them calle both.

is that what they sell to use as crappie bait here in alabama?
is it ok to stock the minnows now and bg and bass next year?

Fathed Minnow, Pimephales promelas, sometimes called Flathead Minnow (we try to avoid this variant of the name due to the confusion with Flathead Catfish) and also known as "toughies".

Yes, you can stock FHM now and do the BG and Bass next year.

Scott fatheads not flatheads that is a mean catfsih. Sometimes caleld tuffies at bait stores. FH now, bluegill are ok as soon as you have a 1/2 surface water in the lake. Bass next June as 2 inch fingerling.

it seems that my pond is clearing again, less green, but still has algae on top. it has onlybeen a week since i limed and fertilized. is this a sign i need more lime or fertilizer? it is way to clear in my opinion.