Good question about the warming of water with and without dye. Short answer, I'm not sure.
Long answer. From just casual observation, IMO ponds with Aquashade warm slower than ponds without Aquashade. Using just blue dye probably would produce the same result. I think this due to some casual temp tests and YP spawning later in ponds near me with Aquashade than pond without Aquashade. However this could be due to the YP not receiving as intense of sunlight when Aquashade is present.
Cecil suggests: ""put dyed pond water and pond water that is clear in two different buckets, set them in the sun and monitor temps. Maybe even three buckets -- another that is distilled and crystal clear?""
This has been done with above ground pools by the original Aquashade people. AS I recall and without looking it up, they reported the water warmed faster in above ground pools with Aquashade. This contradicts what I first stated. I think if someone emailed Applied Biochemists (Mfg of Aquashade), they would/could willingly provide an answer to this question. Why doesn't someone try emailing them?
In my thinking, I think their original study was flawed because they used above ground pools. Above ground containers would warm quicker due to heat transfer from the sides of the pools. Also the pools were not as deep as ponds and pools would not behave thermally identical as ponds due to the morphometry and characteristics of a pond.
If I can remember until spring, I may do some pond temperature testing of ponds with dye and no dye in spring of 2011. Lots can happen by spring of 2011 to distract me. I am pretty sure that the amount or concentration of dye does definately have an affect on the thermal warming of the water. But I am not positive yet if the warming is slower or faster.
Does anyone off-hand know what wavelengths of light are resposible for the majority of heat transfer into water?
I think the heating wavelengths may be quickly absorbed in the near surface layers thus little heat transfer to deeper water. REmember warmer water is a lot less dense and lighter that cooler water so heated layer could easily tend to stay at the surface of ponds with blue dye. Aeration would have a big affect on the distribution of the absorbed heat layer.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 10/16/10 09:44 AM.
