Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization clear water

I have some very clear water in my pond and was wondering if that may have anything to do with not enough nutrients in the water. I read a post that said if you have good nutrient filled water that you shouldn't even need to use auqua shade to keep the weeds controlled. This spring I had super clear water and then I had an explosion of filemntous algea. I treated it with cutrine plus and it killed alot of it. After that I put in some aqua shade. Any comments/suggestions would be great.

What are your goals a nice looking pond or a more proucitivity fishing pond? Like you read if a fertilization program is performed properly it will shade out other weeds/algae. The aqushade maybe easier but it will also deter the growth of phytoplankton (the base of the foodweb) lowering the number of pounds of fish the pond can support. If you have too much flow, low alkalinity, etc. it maybe difficult to fertilize. If not start when water temps reach 60-65. Try to reduce the water clarity down to 18-24 inches. This will achieve the same results as the aquashade without lowering the primary productivity. Good luck, Greg

thanks for the post. Does the pond fertilization cause excessive weed growth? I fertilized the grass I planted around my pond and it seemed that I had an algea explosion. I assume that they are different kinds of fertilizer. But don't really know. I have bottom areation. Does that cause clear water?

I get the first question and leave the last to Bill Cody or others. I sell a 10-52-4 water soluble fertilizer ($35 for 25 lb bag). Apply at a rate of 8 lbs/ac. for the first couple of app. in the spring then back off to 4 lbs/acre. It is about like sugar and basically fail prove b/c it dissolves in the top of the water column. If done right you will form a good "bloom" (18"-24")that will shade out weed growth. Be warned once the weeds start DO NOT FERTILIZE it will make them worse. Good luck ,Greg

doddbldr2 - Added notes about 1st question. Warning. Make sure you don't have ANY rooted weeds before fertilization in early spring when water temps are 60-65. In many of our OH ponds there are SEVERAL very common and ubiquitous rooted plants and cold water filamentous algae types that are cool water 'loving' forms and begin growth in the fall before freeze or very early spring soon after ice out. Fall sprouted forms, overwinter in a semi-dormant condition and resume growth very early when water gets to 48 to 55deg F, well before the start of the fertilization season of 60-65 deg F. If you fertilize w/ the weeds present, Gregs cautionary advice is very correct. Example, I now (11/14/02) have curly leaf pond weed growing 12" -20" tall from buds sprouted in Sept. This week I cut out and cleaned some large patches so I could ice fish close to the bottom in these areas this winter. Fertilizing this pond in spring would be a big, big mistake.
Part 2. Bottom aeration causes clear water? SOMETIMES - It all depends on the conditions. Bottom aeration even w/ 10-20 of them per acre will not have a noticable algae reduction affect if the nutrients feeding the algae are from dissolved nutrients applied directly or indirectly from outside the pond i.e. direct application or runoff.