Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water I'm tired of dealing with murky water!!

I have a 1/3 acre pond not more than 8 feet deep in central Ohio. It's about 4 years old. Stocked with YP,SMB,RE,GS,FH.

The pond is really pretty w/ very nice clear water November - mid-April. However during the warm months I have less than 6" of vis. Sort of like a chalky light brown. I do a regular application of EccoBoost prx which has dramatically reduced the FA, I have purposely planted emergent plants and I run two bottom diffusers.

I suspect the color is somewhat impacted by the fact that my kids swim in the pond occasionally during warm months, but we're going on more than 2 weeks since they've in it and the clarity is still as if they just finished. I understand that mechanical mixing is going to cause dirty water but it seems like once it gets dirty it remains so until the water temps drop in late fall. Is there any way to make the dirt fall out of the water column faster? Would a dose of Alum help with this? Should I do chemistry test on my water?

It's been a couple of years but I did a jar test and don't really remember the results other than at some point I put a little Alum in one of the jars and it immediately cleared.

Jar test is certainly your place to start.

If kids stir up silt, it will settle relatively quickly. If the kids stir up clay particles with electrical charges, that can stay suspended for a LONG time.

Here is a link where I give some instructions for a jar test.

If you scroll down a little farther, you will see where esshup gives some links on what to do after you get the results of your jar test.

Thread with jar test

Good luck on your pond!

I wonder if the aerators are not allowing the dirt to settle or settle fast enough since it only occurs in the warmer months after the kids stir it up.

Do you aerate when it's cooler or ice covered?

If turning over the entire pond, the aeration is going to keep clay particles suspended.

I've wondered this too given that about the time I turn the aerators on my water becomes murky. Can you aerate a pond too much to the point of over circulating the water into a mud soup?

At one point I calculated it and I think it was turning my pond more than 2x per 24 hour period. Is over aeration a thing?

Are your diffusers sitting right on the bottom?

Putting them on a stand 1' off bottom might have some positive effects for your water column.

Yes, they are sitting right on the bottom. They are vertex 9" diffusers.

I started the jar test last night. I'm surprised at how the water is more 'chalky/milking' than 'dirty'. I guess we'll see what settles out over the next several days.