Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water Best time of year to treat with alum?

Pond is 4 ft. low and visibility is only 1-2 inch. Jar tests show suspended clay. Is this cool weather and low water the best time to get a pro out here to do a alum treatment? If not then when?

Have you checked with Todd?

Todd doesn't do alum. I checked and he just does gypsum. He said I could do gypsum anytime.

If using alum/hydrated lime for reducing turbidity, anytime. If using alum/hydrated lime for nutrient reduction, do it when there is the least amounts of plant/algae growing in the pond.

I used gypsum on a 3 acre pond, and it cleared the water up in just a few days. No worries about the fish when using gypsum.

Al, How much gypsum did you use and how did you apply it? What was your visibility before and after?

Flame, IIRC the pond owner bought 25-30 tons, and we applied it from the bank with a 2" semi trash pump with a fire nozzle. Short version, I had the gypsum evenly spread out around the pond on plastic tarps. The pump and hoses were moved by the tractor bucket, and 2 piles were spread at each stop. One pile to the right of the pump, then one pile left of the pump. This may sound convoluted, but the whole pond was treated in a couple of hours. The nozzle easily spread the gypsum out 50-60'. The tarps are important, because you don't want the pump muddying up the banks while spreading the gypsum.

The water was literally like chocolate milk, and had zero visibility prior to the treatment. The aeration diffusers were shut off during application, and left off for 3 days to let the gypsum settle. The water had a nice greenish color, but not sure about visibility since I didn't return after the treatment. I just saw the pics the owner sent me.

EDIT: If you want to try gypsum, I might buy a 50# bag at one of the box stores, and do a jar test first.

Flame I have done both Alum/lime and Gypsum treatments. The gyp i added 3 tons or one ton per acre. I did not do it to clear water but to increase waters hardness. And the Alum/ lime treatment i followed Todd's recommendations and Rainman's suggested treatments. I added the Alum to reduce or tie up the nutrients. It worked great and the water went to 36" +- visibility from 9 to 11 inches. Tis 9 to 11" was from green water and not colloidal suspended clays. It was not hard to do either treatments but the gypsum was easier. If you want i can give you the set up for treating with alum/lime treatments.

Thanks guys. tracy I appreciate the offer but I'm too spooked to do alum treatment myself. I will do gypsum one way or the other. Al I did a jar test and it is no doubt suspended clay. Alum cleared the jar in just a few minutes and you could see all the clay in the bottom of the jar. Gypsum also cleared the water but not near as fast. What do yall think about me turning my aeriation off for now for a week or two to see if it starts to clear up a little? I have run it 24 hours a day for several years now EVERY DAY.

If they were setting on the ponds bottom then I would say they contribute to the suspended clays. Or at least they did @ my pond.

Flame, if the water does not clear in a jar, turning off aeration will not have any impact on turbidity