THANKS again Joey for attending my thread, I appreciate your time to post. I can see how my muddy waters could produce the earlier results. Yesterday's results are very similar and back up your thoughts...
I have test results from yesterday and I shortened the aeration run time from 8 hours a night to 5 hours Thursday evening (2 days before the tests). This gives 1-1/2 turnovers per day. 3 days ago the pond had a surface film that was light green-ish tan, but the pond has received about 2 inches of rain since and the surface is very reflective and clean.
Time - 10am in BOLD, 5:30pm in GREEN
Ambient Temps - 70 F, 84 F
Secchi Disk Reading - 12", 12"
Water temps - Top to Bottom 78 down to 76 F, Top to Bottom 86 down to 77 F
DO - 4.3ppm upper 6" - 4.4ppm at 24" down , 11ppm upper 6" - 4.8ppm at 24" down
TDS - 60ppm upper 6" - 60ppm at 24" down , 64ppm upper 6" - 61ppm at 24" down m
pH - 7 upper 6" - 7 at 24" down , 8.5 upper 6" - 7 at 24" down
Ammonia - 0ppm upper 6" - 0ppm at 24" down , 0ppm upper 6" - 0ppm at 24" down
Nitrates - 0ppm upper 6" - 0ppm at 24" down , 0ppm upper 6" - 0ppm at 24" down
Phosphates - 0ppm upper 6" - 0ppm at 24" down , 0ppm upper 6" - 0ppm at 24" down
I am hoping the shorter aeration run time helps with clarity and better overall DO levels result, but I fear that suspended clays may be my problem. I collected a jar sample yesterday evening and I'll keep tabs on that. I don't expect it to be any different than the earlier jar test that I posted, but we'll see.
I hesitate to consider clearing the water with Alum until I research enough to consider the effects of my larger watershed (I don't want to have to perform multiple treatments throughout the year). This year the overflow pipe was active, occasionally and regularly, into July. The pond is only a few inches lower than the pipe currently. Last year it dropped 10 inches below at it's worst.
I'm thinking that my pond is not as fertile as I have always though, maybe just muddy and deep bloom challenged, or all the above?
