Hello all,
My neighbor has a about a 3/4 acre pond 12 feet deepest part. It is 5 years old and has suspended clay particles that have not cleared.
In 2016, about a year after being built, we in south Louisiana were inundated with 33 inches of rain in 2 days and the ground level pond had over 5 feet of water above it, where all kinds of trash fish ended up in the pond and a bunch of good size bream left the pond once the water lever receded. We had to drain pond after the trash fish kept water muddy. Once the level was low enough we killed all the fish that were left by pumping a large amount of lime into it lowering the ph.
Refilled and restocked pond after and now only bream and bass are in the pond, but, since a couple of months ago, with the pond never being flooded over again, the water is very cloudy, chocolate milk looking. There is no soil runoff grass completely around pond.
Turned off the two aerators located on bottom of pond and grabbed a jar of pond water to see if the clay particles would settle out, however it did not after several days. So from what I have been reading looks like the clay particles are negatively charged.
Concerned about Ph, which is at 7.2, we decided to look into using the very fine white powdery gypsum which would dissolve easier than the granular. Unfortunately here in south Louisiana we could not find the fine gypsum and my neighbor had to order directly from the manufacturer in Utah I believe. $200 for the gypsum and $300 for the shipping, whew
He ended up doing the 5 jar quart test with a small amount in each jar and the one with the most gypsum a teaspoon cleared almost immediately, the others slowly cleared over a couple days with all the clay floculated to the bottom.
He began applying the gypsum directly out the 50 lb bag into the water and running a small motor on his boat to stir it. He was applying 100 pounds a day over the last week and a half or so and finally finished a couple of days ago. He did not put all 1200 pounds at one time thinking that he would not have to use all 1200. The water appears to have changed a bit not as chocolate looking and maybe a little clearer along the edges but still not right after 1200 lbs.
At this point he believes instead of spending more money on gypsum, mostly due to shipping price, he was going to go with hydrated lime again or aluminum sulfate.
I know long winded, but here’s the question, will it hurt anything to change to alum or lime at this point besides having to monitor the ph?
Tks for reading and appreciate any help.
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Added info: Just talked to the neighbor he decided to try another 500 lbs Gypsum so he ordered it, second question now, should he put all 500 lbs at one time and mix it up or 100lbs a day?
Last edited by copotay; 05/13/20 05:54 PM.
