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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125
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OP
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125 |
I have decided to eradicate my pond and start over. I have recently finished construction on my dam and only have about 3/4 an acre of water in a 3 acre pond. I am back n forth on drain vs. the cost of just adding hydrated lime. I hate to get rid of what water I have already.
Is there a formula to calculate how to raise my PH 1 point?
Current PH + Avergae Acre/FT x 7.2 is how many pounds you need...….kinda thing?
Im probably missing part of the formula.
I just want to buy all the lime I need to do this one day to maintain high PH levels enough to kill the fish.
I KNOW ITS CAUSTIC.
God has blessed us with this day, what we do with it is up to us.
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125 |
II know I have White Crappie and Gizzard Shad in there now.....I want to start fresh.
God has blessed us with this day, what we do with it is up to us.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,422 Likes: 795
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,422 Likes: 795 |
I would start with 300# per acre foot of water and then test the pH an hour later. That is not to raise it 1 point, that is to raise it to 11, which is toxic to fish.
To do a test, get some hydrated lime and get pond water and a pH meter. 100 mg Hydrated Lime per liter of water should raise it close to 11. Double check to be sure, then do the math to see how much you need to buy.
Last edited by esshup; 12/12/20 01:49 PM.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125 |
Thanks Scott. Will do. I need to test it to see where I stand.
Lets say a neutral PH of 7. 1 acre of water averaging 5ft. (Some areas 10ft deep, Some 2-4ft deep)
How much are we looking at?
Asking to get a general idea of the neighborhood of where I stand?
God has blessed us with this day, what we do with it is up to us.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125
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OP
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125 |
I would start with 300# per acre foot of water and then test the pH an hour later. That is not to raise it 1 point, that is to raise it to 11, which is toxic to fish.
To do a test, get some hydrated lime and get pond water and a pH meter. 100 mg Hydrated Lime per liter of water should raise it close to 11. Double check to be sure, then do the math to see how much you need to buy. Is that starting with a PH of 7?
God has blessed us with this day, what we do with it is up to us.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213 Likes: 514
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213 Likes: 514 |
1 acre, 5' mean depth = 5ac ft. Neutral pH will around 7.2, yes. 5 ac ft X 300#/ac ft =1500lbs. to be sure add 200-250lbs or make sure you are fairly accurate with dimensions.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Last questions -
1) How much time before water is PH safe? Plan to stock in spring. I don't think there will be a problem, just wondering.
2) Best application methods? A) plywood on front of a jon boat and spray off using trask pump method B) Mix to slurry in Blue Barrel then pump from barrel to pond? C) OR ?...…..
Last edited by For the Family; 12/13/20 02:36 AM. Reason: Added methods
God has blessed us with this day, what we do with it is up to us.
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Joined: Oct 2018
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213 Likes: 514 |
When I have done Alum/lime treatments I use a 470 gallon tank, trash pump with a nozzle reducer to extend discharge distance without atomizing liquid. essup may have better suggestions for you, but it will take 2 people and a lot of room in a boat to do this safely. My tank is on a trailer, I use a 3" pump with 3" pickup w/strainer, 2" discharge fire hose with valve necked down to 3/4". At about 1/3rd throttle I can discharge 100' easily but I can cover a 1/2 acre pond from shore, driving (pulling) tank mix around it. I have the bags set on trailer, suck pond water into tank, then put pick up strainer in tank and recirculate while mixing in Hyd lime. When it's mixed good I discharge out over pond concentrating heavier in deeper areas. Goggles, facemask, waterproof clothing and good rubber gloves would be recommended.
Last edited by Snipe; 12/13/20 02:18 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213 Likes: 514
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213 Likes: 514 |
You'll want to monitor pH every 3-4 hours to see how it reacts. when it's at 8 or close to, it should be safe to start stocking but several days would be my guess.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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A 1 ac pond you should be able to do it from a tank on shore with a few hundred feet of 3/4" garden hose. A jon boat might be too tippy to put that much weight up high and spray it off with a trash pump, plus it's so caustic you might eat the aluminum if you don't get it all rinsed off and neutralized.
I know one guy that did the 250 gal tote with trash pump and a spray bar on a pontoon. Remember to always keep the people upwind of the spray.....
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57 |
A tote is how i did our alum/lime treatment. No need for a spray bar, just add the treatment directly into the water as you move/float the tote around the pond.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125 |
Can you describe the tote process?
God has blessed us with this day, what we do with it is up to us.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125
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OP
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 125 |
A 1 ac pond you should be able to do it from a tank on shore with a few hundred feet of 3/4" garden hose. A jon boat might be too tippy to put that much weight up high and spray it off with a trash pump, plus it's so caustic you might eat the aluminum if you don't get it all rinsed off and neutralized.
I know one guy that did the 250 gal tote with trash pump and a spray bar on a pontoon. Remember to always keep the people upwind of the spray..... The banks are so steep that getting around it with anything but a boat is not really an option.
God has blessed us with this day, what we do with it is up to us.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57 |
We used our foating pier 12 x 16', took a tote and removed 1/3rd of it on the top side and that made it a tub with a drain on the bottom, 2" is the drain size on the tote I think. We added a honda trash pump that would pump water into the tote and adjusted the water input to match the draining volume of water. We then added a trolling motor inside the tote for mixing along with a trolling motor battery we sat on the pier for power. We then stacked the sks of lime and alum to the pier. After we had every thing set up on the pier we pulled the pier around the 3 acre pond by using a boat with a trolling motor. We had two people on the pier and one in the boat. Took a half day for the job. Hope this helps with your plans.
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy
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Joined: May 2020
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Joined: May 2020
Posts: 5 |
We are going to eradicate our fish and start over. Have researched forum and it appears we need to use hydrated lime. One acre pond average depth 6 feet. Only hydrated lime we can find in our area is at Menards and is called miracle morta lock. Is this the correct chemical? Thanks for your help! Lyn
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,422 Likes: 795
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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That's the stuff. Keep adding enough to get the pH to over 11. Wear the appropriate safety gear, goggles, etc. as the stuff is nasty if on your skin or eyes. I'm guessing have enough to put in the pond at the rate of at least 300# per acre foot of water. So, I would start with 1,800 pounds and have more on hand if the pH doesn't climb high enough. Keep it dry and you can return what you don't use.
If you want to fine tune the amount you need start reading the posts in the beginning of the thread, it tells you how to do it there.
Last edited by esshup; 04/21/21 06:05 PM.
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Joined: May 2020
Posts: 5
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Joined: May 2020
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Thank you so much, Esshup! We intend to mix 50 pound bags in a 55 gallon drum and then pump into pond with a trash pump. We will mix the mixture in the drum with a trolling motor. Does that sound reasonable?
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,422 Likes: 795
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Thank you so much, Esshup! We intend to mix 50 pound bags in a 55 gallon drum and then pump into pond with a trash pump. We will mix the mixture in the drum with a trolling motor. Does that sound reasonable? I don't know how long the trolling motor will last after that, the hydrated lime is very caustic. Make sure you rinse everything very well afterwards.
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,125 Likes: 273
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,125 Likes: 273 |
Battery-powered drill with a mixing paddle would do the job nicely.
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Joined: May 2020
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Joined: May 2020
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,475 Likes: 264
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,475 Likes: 264 |
It would help (but not necessary) to drain down the pond -- use a pump to concentrate the fish and water , plus it will cut down on the lime purchase.
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Joined: May 2020
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Joined: May 2020
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Well, we tried the hydrated lime treatment today. One acre pond and average depth 5 or 6 feet. Put in 76 50 pound bags of morta lock and only got to 10.3. Do you think we should continue tomorrow? Calling for rain next two days. We’re disappointed and don’t know if we should continue. Any thoughts? Thanks all
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Did you have fish die ? If not then its add more or start over.
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Joined: May 2020
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Joined: May 2020
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No dead fish. Started again this morning. Ph was 10.5 this morning. Have ph at 11 most areas of pond now Have aerators running and ph has come up 1 with 40 more bags added today. Keep going?
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,475 Likes: 264
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Have you seen any dead fish ?
Last edited by ewest; 05/04/21 11:47 AM.
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