Very excited that my shipment of perfect pond plus just came in. By the way I found it for $45 per 25# box delivered!!!!

Anyways, I am wanting to get it in the pond asap.. but we have rain in the forecast... Should I wait until rain has cleared? My pond is at full pool and normally stays that way and I have 1 to 2 inches going thru overflow pipe at all times.

Also, certain websites I have seen recommend double fertilization rate for the first time of the year? That would be 70# pounds for me since my lake is 7 acres.

Well... I've been doing some reading since I posted... I think I better get a water sample and see what my levels are... Hoping my local pool store will test this for me.

I have the results of my water test.

I took the sample from roughly middle of the lake in water that is about 15 feet deep and i took the sample from around 15" underwater.

Water Temp 60 degrees
PH - 7.4
Calicum Hardness - 70
Alkalinity - 40
Phosphates - 200

Thoughts??

Pinetar,
Here is my water test, which really is not important. ewest posted a chart that laid out where each of the numbers should fall, it is the second post. Should give you an idea of where you stand.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=32007&Number=415703#Post415703

so it looks like my alkalinity and hardness are on the lower end of the desired scale. But does anyone see anything with my test results what would prevent an algae bloom?

Hey Pinetar,

Just curious, what about your pond makes you think you need fertilizer?

Bill, That is a really good question. To be honest I was just thinking that's what you do to provide more nutrients for the bream and forage fish to eat on?

Am i right here? I posted a picture in the image gallery of what I Hope is not that bad FA stuff that I have heard about. I have seen here and other places that fertilizing with FA in the body of water is a big no no..

Thoughts??

I have been instructed to keep my water clarity in the 18 to 24" range by using pond fertilizers. you might want to look and see where you are. Looking for a nice olive green water is what I have been told to look for. Fertilization will keep the pond in better shape for growing fish. It's not the only thing to look for in your water, along with pH, alk., water hardness etc.

Tracy

Pinetar, what is your visibility now? (secchi disk reading)

You can make one if you don't have one from a white 5 gal bucket lid.

Don't forget that all the feed that you are feeding the fish is also fertilizer once it passes thru the fish........

With as good as a fishery that you have now, I would be very careful of changing anything for fear of screwing it up.

The color of my water is like a weak tea color. This is when I get a sample out and hold it up against a white back drop.

eeshup. I will get a reading tomorrow and post asap. I appreciate your comments about not screwing up a good thing. One of my friends from church said the same thing to me today. He fishes at my pond occasionally and he said... why change anything if your not having issues.. but I guess I am trying to look down the road some and make sure I am doing everything I can... Honestly I have not been consistent in fertilization because I have never been able to get a bloom that I know of but in spite of that I seem to have a successfully pond. eeshup could you take a look at the picture I posted in image gallery in regard to my concerns about FA?

I did, and the fuzzies that are starting to grow is young FA. The tea color could be tannins that leach out of leaves and color the water.

If I have plants growing in the pond, the bloom can't get established. Same if I have FA growing in the pond, especially with the tannins in the water, the bloom doesn't seem to get established.

I whack the FA when the water temp is in the low 60's or when it gets too bad to fish if earlier, then stock Tilapia @ 40#/surface acre. If the underwater weeds are under control, and the FA is whacked, the Tilapia take care of any more FA that grows and the bloom starts on it's own.