I'm looking for contractors that can lime a lake (from a boat or barge) in east Texas. 50 acre lake, probably 50 tons or more lime. We have used Lochow in the past. I would like to have more than one bid. Please respond if you know someone. Also, anyone doing your own water testing, what kit are you using?
Ross, the only other possibility I know about is American Sportsfish. They are active in east Texas, but whether they do liming, particularly on such a scale, I'm not sure.
I'm looking for contractors that can lime a lake (from a boat or barge) in east Texas. 50 acre lake, probably 50 tons or more lime. We have used Lochow in the past. I would like to have more than one bid. Please respond if you know someone. Also, anyone doing your own water testing, what kit are you using?
Ross have you checked with local feed stores? They can carry 6 tons at a time and back up to water and sling it into water
You can't get where you need it around this lake. About the only place you could get a truck is on the dam. We need it up both arms.
I'm in the same boat Ross, no pun intended, I can only get to the dam and maybe 1 or 2 other spots on my lake, Ive had a lime truck back up to the dam and sling it as far as he could, exactly like Ewest's pic shows, I haven't taken water samples lately but I'm sure I could use some lime, I have several ditches, valleys, running into the back end of the pond, I have thought about taking a loader and dumping lime in those ditches, make the incoming water run across it, maybe eroding it into the pond, a little at a time, what gives me the idea that it would work is anytime you have a hard rain, the water running down or off of a limestone graveled rd the water will be almost white running off. that running into my pond should help my ph. no? or am I crazy?,, dont answer that. Ive been accused of worse.
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
Yes, I have built a rough trail to drive to two of the arms reasonably easy with a machine, be a pretty long trip to bucket it in there with a machine, from the closest point I can get a dump truck to. but then that's no hill for a climber. The third arm will need a little more persuasion to get to but Ive got the equipment to do it, with a couple track-loaders, track-hoe, skid-loaders and tractor I can get it there no problem. At least thats what Im going to try, see if it works, want to get the lime to a drop off point that I can get to with a truck while its dry enough to get off the road, then work it in this fall and winter when I get a little time. let the spring rains and snow thaws wash it down into the pond.
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
Looks like I can get a bid from American Sportfish in addition to Lochow. That at least gives me a sanity check. I have thought about dumping lime in the feeders, but even that is difficult on this lake and I'm not sure how effective it will be. It certainly can't hurt.
I found the old records from when we had a Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist living on the lake. He kept it well above ph 7. The last 5 years we haven't limed and it is now down to 6. We can't get a decent bloom and all attempts to establish native vegetation have been failures so far. Our shad didn't seem to have much of a spawn this year. Bluegill are still strong. We have been continuing to stock Florida fingerlings and shad, but we aren't getting much organic reproduction. I firmly believe that in an older lake the primary base of the food chain must be vegetation. You just can't keep enough brush in a lake this size to provide all the necessary cover, and it doesn't replace the micro end of the food chain.
Yes, dumping in the lake arms will help but is much less effective. You can use a jon boat with 2x4 and plywood to transport to the open water and dump. Also, can hire or DYS with a pontoon boat.
Thats quite the setup you got pictured there Ewest, that should do the trick, probably way more effective then just dumping it in the tributaries, although with 15 A it would take a good bit to cover mine. Ill bet its not doing the water pump on that motor any favors tho.
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
Well, just got the bid in hand from Lochow. They said 125 tons in our 45-50 acre lake with a ph of 6. The said the lime was $101 a ton. Their labor is $400 an hour for 25 hours. All in $22,625 and we furnish the front end loader and driver. Needless to say I'm now looking for a decent used motor to repower our large work barge. I can find labor a whole lot cheaper than that. I don't know yet if they are marking up the lime itself.
I talked to our local ag supply company. Liquid lime is what they recommend. 275 gallon tote (calcium carbonate) is equivalent to 110 tons. Application is with a sprayer. Texas A&M says it is recommended the same as crushed limestone. $4165 for 110 tons is 1/3 the cost. https://aquaplant.tamu.edu/files/2022/02/liming-your-pond-to-improve-the-fishery.pdf
I don't understand how liquid lime (that basically has water to liquefy it can be just as effective as dry powdered lime that you liquefy with pond/lake water on the barge.....
Here last January on-road diesel was $3.89/gal. Now it's in the low to mid $5/gal range.
That sounds like a heck of a deal if it actually works that way, heck you will have enough money left over to buy an old pontoon boat to spread it with and still save money over the ag lime price.
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.