I have an old farm pond that I have gradually been working on since Feb, added aerator, fenced pond off from cattle, added lime, and other water treatments. Water quality has improved greatly and we have the test to prove it, not just my noise. I'd love to get some fish and throw in it, per the water test I think I'd be fine. My question is, why is my turbidity so high?? And what if anything can I do about it? The water is very very cloudy and it does not seem to be settling out at all. Would this hurt fish and what the heck can I do...
Thanks
Start with a jar test. Fill two mason jars with pond water and put one in a closed cupboard. Let them sit undisturbed for a day. Then take some photos with a white background and post them here if you can.
You are checking to see if your turbidity is due to algae (dark jar will clear) or suspended clay.
If both jars clear and the clay settles, then it's likely that mechanical agitation is the source of your turbidity. This could be from run-off, fish, or other animal activity. If neither jar clears, then you might have a colloidal clay suspension that is amenable to further (wildlife-friendly) treatment.
