Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water Gypsum application

HELP! How do I apply ag. gypsum? I've heard people say just to toss it in with a coffee can from the shore...which I've done w/o much luck..and I've read where you should mix it with clear water first then apply the solution to the pond. (How in the hell would a man go about doing THAT!) I have a well that pumps water into my pond (150' x 80'- 9 ft. in the deepest spot)
but how would you go about mixing it? How would I pump it out far enough into the pond to apply it evenly to the surface? If a put gypsum in a barrel of clear well water and mix it, then pump it out, I might get two or three 40 lb bags applied sometime before Christmas!! Any advise w/b much appreciated! - BTW- Where's Bob Lusk? I've read through this site for about an hour now and it seems there's a lot more questions than answers out here...or is it just me?

Brad, I ran into the same problem myself. I started off mixing the gypsum with pond water a bucket at a time and heaved it into the pond. This didn't last long, so I broadcasted it by hand. Not happy with this method, I think it all sank to the bottom then melted, no mixing. My pond has cleared a little (been 2 weeks) and may clear more, but would not suggest this way of application. Not sure what I will do if I have to reapply. Borrow my neighbors pirou. Jim

I saw a film about some professionals applying ag lime to a large pond or small lake. They used a large barge that they loaded with lime from a front-end loader. Then they drove around the pond washing it into the water using a gasoline powered water pump. They wore protective clothing and masks. I think you could build a raft or put a heavy piece of plywood between 2 aluminum jon boats and wash the gypsum or lime into the water with a small gas powered pump. Pain in the butt and probably messy but that is the penalty I usually pay to be a do-it-yourselfer.

Use a 8hp trash pump 2" outlet reduce to 1" shoot over pond. Have someone feed suction hose in lake with a shovel of gypsum lightly till you get proper mixture . Apply evenly watch cloud in water you can do a 2 acre pond from shore and only move a couple of times.

Good luck
Scott Trava

Scott, are you saying put the gypsum in the water at the pump suction?

Yes place suction bell on a couple of rocks so you do not pull bottom mud and debris. We usally keep a 18" distance from the top of water to suction bell to prevent tornado effect. If you are using course gypsum it will be ground in the pump. Did you check if your clay is suspened chemical or mechanical? We always put are test jars in the dark light reflection has an effect on some glass to settle out.
You can also put the suction in half 55 gallon drum pucnh holes in side and add gypsum . If you can not see your gypsum cloud pre mix some lime in the mix.
This method of pumping is better than the coffee can method. Almost 99% of any ponds we build have to be limed if that does not reverse the charge on the clay we go to gypsum.

what exactly does gypsum do again? and didn't i read something about just tossing sheets of gypsum into the pond?

Gypsum dissolves clear, then "trades places" with suspended solids. It has everything to do with altering the electrical charges of suspended solids, causing them to flocculate and sink.

Craig
Sheetrock has small bonding fibers for strength that when dissolved in the pond will kill your fish as the same with spackle.

We spread the Gypsum with a trolling motor on the back of a 12 ft. flat bottom boat. One guy cutting nd letting the gypsum over the side. In a 1.5 acre tank we put in a little more than a ton and it worked. Tried again on another tank about the same size and no luck. getting ground cover on the water shed was the key to the first tank success. Good luck.