I think my course of action is to treat the soil with bentonite and soilfloc. Then go over the top with soilfloc when the pond fills back up. Just have to figure how much bentonite I'll need to cover roughly 500 sq ft. I can get 100 lb bags for $20. How many would I need?
In my experience, you need about 50% more Bentonite than Soilfloc. Throw the Bentonite on top of the Soilflic to promote sinking. I don't know if it really helps. I think Soilfloc works best if your pond is muddy with clay. Mine is fairly clear, so effectiveness likely diminished.
My pond is not difficult to keep nearly full with pumping when we have normal rainfall. We haven't had normal rainfall for over seven months.
