Agriculture Lime

[Fred185]

I'm familiar with adding Gypsum to a pond to clear up the water from acidic soil. The positive electrical charge created by the soil will suspend the soil in the water. Neutralizing that positive charge with Gypsum will allow the soil to settle to the bottom and clear up the water. This allows plants to grow in the pond at deeper depths.

I've never heard of this having any impact on the size of your predator fish.

I use Ag Lime in my chicken coops to clean up my nesting boxes.

As a matter of fact, its just the oppsite. If pond water has a low PH of 4,(acidic soil) it is very clear water. Can see down 10 feet in my pond. If the PH is normal at 7, seeing down past 3 feet is difficult.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

There are many factors to raising bigger fish in your pond. Ph is important but not the chief thing to address. As mentioned earlier fish are predators and eat smaller fish. If you can see 10 ft down, you are lacking some nutrients that encourage plankton growth. Smaller fish eat plankton, reproduce, get eaten by bigger fish who may in turn get eaten by bigger fish. It's suggested that correct visibility is about 18"-2'. Controlled by the plankton in the water (not mud).

I fertilize my pond from time to time. Our 2 acre pond has Bass, crappie, bream (mixture of kinds) and at least one channel cat. Your pond should have an ecological balance of smaller baitfish to feed the larger fish. Too many of one or the other throws the balance out. Bream are a bass's main diet, same for a channel cat and crappie.

A pond will support X #'s of fish (just like an ag field will only produce X#'s of food). It doesn't care if there are 10 10# fish in it or 100 1# fish. To make a pond healthy requires proper fertilization, and harvesting.

If you supplemental feed the fish you can harvest more #'s per acre. If not it is essential to get the fertilization ratio correct to promote alge and having the correct amount of feeder fish for the bass (fat head minnows/bream etc).

You can buy floating catfish food at TSC (among other places). It will feed the bream/catfish/crappie. At least that seems to be what is eating it when I toss it out.

My 2 acre pond can safely harvest about 50#'s of fish a year. I mainly do that with the crappie in there. I inherited the pond with crappie in it. It's not a good idea to stock such a small pond with crappie/catfish if you want large bass as they compete with one another for the same food sources.

And don't get me started on fish STEALING birds... I have to address them as well.

 

[ConawayFarms]

Ph is important, but like you said, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Nutrients for plankton growth and having a good mix of baitfish is key to supporting bigger fish. If you’re looking to grow bigger fish, focusing on overall pond health and proper feeding really makes a difference.

 

[EddieWalker]

When I stocked my pond, I talked to the owner of Tyler Fish Farm, here in Tyler Texas. He is a Biologist that stocks ponds for a living, and raises them in over 2 dozen ponds.

According to him, Copper Nose Bluegill are the best choice in feeder fish for bass because of how big they get. Big bass have to have big food. If their feeder fish do not get bigger, the bass will never get bigger.

From what I understand about crappie, they are known to take over a pond and actually hurt the bass population due to their ability to eat all the baby bass when they are born. You have to be super aggressive in catching crappie in a pond if you want big bass. People who love crappie fishing should not mix them with bass or other predator fish.

Just about every problem with a fishing pond is from having too many fish in it.

 

[Fred185]

There are many factors to raising bigger fish in your pond. Ph is important but not the chief thing to address. As mentioned earlier fish are predators and eat smaller fish. If you can see 10 ft down, you are lacking some nutrients that encourage plankton growth. Smaller fish eat plankton, reproduce, get eaten by bigger fish who may in turn get eaten by bigger fish. It's suggested that correct visibility is about 18"-2'. Controlled by the plankton in the water (not mud).

I fertilize my pond from time to time. Our 2 acre pond has Bass, crappie, bream (mixture of kinds) and at least one channel cat. Your pond should have an ecological balance of smaller baitfish to feed the larger fish. Too many of one or the other throws the balance out. Bream are a bass's main diet, same for a channel cat and crappie.

A pond will support X #'s of fish (just like an ag field will only produce X#'s of food). It doesn't care if there are 10 10# fish in it or 100 1# fish. To make a pond healthy requires proper fertilization, and harvesting.

If you supplemental feed the fish you can harvest more #'s per acre. If not it is essential to get the fertilization ratio correct to promote alge and having the correct amount of feeder fish for the bass (fat head minnows/bream etc).

You can buy floating catfish food at TSC (among other places). It will feed the bream/catfish/crappie. At least that seems to be what is eating it when I toss it out.

My 2 acre pond can safely harvest about 50#'s of fish a year. I mainly do that with the crappie in there. I inherited the pond with crappie in it. It's not a good idea to stock such a small pond with crappie/catfish if you want large bass as they compete with one another for the same food sources.

And don't get me started on fish STEALING birds... I have to address them as well.

I agree with what you wrote but before I can do anything, the PH must be taken care of first. Experts says. Nothing will work unless you get the water PH in a neutral zone.
"
No, largemouth bass would not thrive in water with a pH of 4.0. The optimal pH range for largemouth bass is generally considered to be between 6.5 and 8.5. While they can tolerate short-term exposures to pH levels outside this range, the Bass Fishing Resource Guide states that consistently low pH levels (like 4.0) can be detrimental to their health and ability to reproduce.

Here's why:

• Acidic water and metal toxicity:
  Low pH can increase the solubility of heavy metals like aluminum, which can be toxic to fish at even low concentrations.
  
  
• Impact on growth and reproduction:
  Prolonged exposure to low pH can negatively impact fish growth, reproduction, and overall health.
  
  
• Optimal range for fish:
  Most freshwater fish, including largemouth bass, thrive in pH ranges between 6.5 and 9.0, with some species preferring slightly different values within that range.