Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Need advice

More of my thousand questions for a new lake completed about 4 weeks ago . It's about half full due to a 60GPM spring, will be about 1+ acre, and will be 20+ ft deep. I've tested the water and it shows 6.2 pH with 0 total alkalinity. Would it be OK to add something for a quick change in those numbers before adding FHM? What should I add and how much? My goal is to stock bluegill later then LMB next spring. How do I know if I should add fertilize?

The water is clear. Maybe down to a foot or two.

I'm not very knowledgeable on water quality, but I think the pH is acceptable.

The alkalinity of 0 may be of a concern though.

Let's see what other say.

With 60 gpm coming in you should reach full pool in short order unless you have a leak. You are gaining roughly 600,000 gallons per week while an acre foot of water is roughly 325,000gallons. What I'm trying to say is that you will have heavy outflow once full pool is reached, fertilizing sounds like quite a challenge even with aeration. I would let the pond fill and reevaluate next spring.

By all means add FHM and CNBG now...you may still get a few spawns before temps drop too low. (With a spring like you have, I would have added FHM at about the 2 foot depth mark.)

Also, add a feeder too!

Don’t remember ever seeing 0 alkalinity

I've done three tests with the various colored strip tab over the last four months and Total Alkalinity showed as zero on all three.

When you get strange results, it is probably time to re-evaluate your methods. It seems unlikely that you have zero Total Alkalinity - especially with spring water as your source. (Are all of the rock outcrops in your area sandstone, and your soils are very sandy?)

Here is a link to run a rough calibration for your test strips.

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.globe.gov/documents/11865/3c49828b-2490-4f7f-bbcc-513860138326#:~:text=Weigh%20out%201.9%20g%20baking%20soda%20and%20add,Rinse%20the%20500-mL%20graduated%20cylinder%20with%20distilled%20water.

You might try that test as you should have some baking soda in your kitchen.

Even if you don't want to do their precise recipe, you could test a solution and check your results. Then perform a 10:1 dilution and check your results again to confirm that Total Alkalinity is reduced roughly ten fold.

If not, then your test strips may be bad.

I question the 0 alkalinity.

The soil is very sandy with very few rocks at all.
I would like to check the test strips I'm using but don't understand the method listed above. Is there a simple test I can do?

[I don't do any water chemistry checks on my ponds, so if someone else comes along and gives you some different advice, then it will surely be better than mine!]

Fill a glass with tap water, and check the Total Alkalinity with a strip.

Stir a heaping tablespoon of baking soda into that same glass, and test with another strip.

Fill another glass with tap water to about the 3/4 mark. Pour about 10% of your baking soda in water solution from the first glass into that glass and test with another strip.

Your #1 test strip should show low or zero alkalinity. Test strip #2 should show high alkalinity. Test strip #3 should show about 10% of the alkalinity of strip #2.

Hope that helps.

Thank's F'Rod. Here's the results using my home tap water. (I'm not at my lake today).
Plain Tap Water. 8.2 pH. 360 Total Alkalinity ppm.
After adding a heaping tablespoon of baking soda to 12 oz of tap water both of those readings were off the chart high. After mixing 10% of the soda water into 90% plain tap water both readings were still off the chart high.
Seems my home tap water is very alkaline. I'll test my lake water again next week.

Perhaps then your test strips are working.

If so, the 0 alkalinity of your pond water is something to address.

Lowest pond alkalinity I have encountered is 4. Never seen a 0. You can get an inexpensive test kit from Hatch or others. Test the well water separately as that could be an issue as it can have low to 0 alkalinity.
If your alkalinity is below 20 you need to add ag lime. If it is really below 5 then you need 5 tons of ag lime per acre. Might be good to get a water and soil test to be sure.

The spring comes out of the ground 20 ft before flowing into the lake. Wouldn't that kinda be like well water?

I suspect he saw the rate of "60 GPM" in your OP, or in a reply, and thought you were talking about a well, rather than a spring.

Either way, his reply is solid. Your pond water will be "risky" for your fish with that apparently very low alkalinity.

Here is a link to a good primer on pond chemistry.

Understanding Water Quality

Improving your pond water chemistry is going to cost some significant money. IMO, you need confirmation of your test results - probably using a professional resource.

Then come back and get some advice on the best methods of treating your new pond.

While we're discussing your current situation, there's nothing that would stop me from stocking a few dozen fatheads even from a local bait shop (assuming you were sure that's what you were getting) now.

Maybe spend $50 bucks or so.

I wouldn't do any major fish investment until the water quality questions were sorted out.

Todd at Overton's said the pH was ok so I could add fish in spite of the alkalinity. I'm picking up 10 lbs of FHM and 500 3"-4" CNBG (if he still has some) next Wednesday along with a Sweeney feeder. I may regret it but I'm going to try to get things going. I'll keep checking my water and let you know what happens. My neighbor has a pond about 200 yds from mine that is fed by another spring that comes off my place. I'll find out what his pH/Alkalinity levels are. He has a healthy fish population.

That'll be an exciting day!!

https://www.chewy.com/api-kh-carbon...dxgbnvKKBoPvfTwdE_PK7iVyKv8aAj-SEALw_wcB

Here is a link to an aquarium alkalinity test kit, Strips are very unreliable. My kh is very low like yours. 0 isn't unheard of. Water/soil is very acidic in my area. Ag lime is needed to increase your total alkalinity. Fertilizer won't do anything with acidic water.