Note: 325,850 gallons is one acre foot of water.
Keep in mind several things about bacteria. Two main types, with tens of thousands of species, each with a different specialization: aerobic (require oxygen) and anaerobic (thrive without oxygen). There are even some anaerobic species of bacteria that infect humans. Gas gangrene is caused by bacterial exotoxin-producing clostridial species, which are mostly found in soil, and other anaerobes such as Bacteroides and anaerobic streptococci species.
Aerobic decomposer bacteria work fast & clean and 20-30 times faster than anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria, as a result of not using oxygen & as a trade-off, produce methane gas and hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide causes the black sediments. Anaerobic sediments accumulate faster than they can decompose. If the sediments are black then anaerobic bacteria predominate where there is no oxygen. Almost all of the pond bacteria products are aerobic bacteria. See the problem?
IMO and experience when a pond is 40+ yrs old and receives quite a bit of annual organic inputs(leaves & internal dead plant growth) then it is time to think about draining and rebuilding the pond. Nature's plan for the pond is to fill it in with sludge / mucky sediments. The thicker the muck becomes the more problems that occur in the pond. This is very similar to our bodies, the older we get the more health problems we have.
Using band-aid fixes for thick sludge accumulations and too much shallow water are only delaying the ultimate rejuvenation of the pond (a rebuilding or rebirth). Put a pond rebuilding on your capital appropriation projects. If money is an object then consider down sizing the pond during the rebuilding. Smaller ponds are easier and cheaper to manage. Too bad we cannot do that for our bodies.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 04/28/17 10:10 AM.
