Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Murky water in a clay based pond

RBC,

Gypsum probably didn't work in your pond because your water is already quite hard with plenty of calcium carbonate. I have seen literature that says ponds like this don't respond well to gypsum. Here in northern Indiana we have similar water to many parts of Michigan and gypsum won't help here. I'll bet Aluminum sulfate would have worked better and you wouldn't have had to wait. However of course you did right. Stopping the cause of the problem is essential as if you don't you are only treating the symptoms and the problem will come back.

I will be treating another one of my ponds in a few days with aluminum sulfate that has plenty of grass cover etc. around it and had never been turbid from clay in the nine years I have had it except when I first put it in and it was filling. It has no erosion either and is fed with well water from my trout pond. Apparently sustained high winds this spring beat the hell out of the windward side of the pond even with the plants, and resulted in suspended clay.

Here is something to consider: I was able to locate aluminum sulfate in 50 lb. bags from a local chemical supplier at only just over $11.00 per bag. No shipping costs!I doubt I will even have to buffer as my alkalinty is very, very high. Small scale tests in a jar did not even phase the PH.