Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Leaves causing acidity?

The second part of Blain's question "Does an abundance of leaves have a direct effect on FA pervasiveness the following Summer? I suspect that it does but, how much?" , is also an it depends answer. The first step is to have the water and dirt tested to see what your pond has in the way of nutrients and alkalinity.

FA needs water , light and nutrients (not used up by other plants first). If the pond is short in the nutrients contained in the dissolving leaves and they are not used by other plants first or bound in the soil then leaves may lead to more FA. The same can be said for any substance like fish waste , excess fish food ,fertilizer , hay , dead aquatic plants (macrophites ) etc. Even that will not lead to more FA if one of the other constraining factors is present (water to acid or base , no or very low P or turbid water for example). Even if you do have all the conditions for a fertile pond if your plankton and or other macrophites are using up all the nutrients and or shading out the light from the FA then some leaves should not matter. I do note that leaves sink down to where the FA starts its growth process (on the bottom) where they decay so the proximity of the nutrient source if needed is there.