keeping a pond full

wroughtn_harv · Nov 30, 2002

I do know that if you go ask for bentonite for a pond you will pay much more for it than if you buy it as drilling mud. I have one bud who needed it for a pond and got it from another bud of mine that has about four of those directional drilling rigs. He saved a ton for supposedly the same stuff.

njrqs · Nov 30, 2002

Yeah Bird, now u r catching on to the lingo thing !!

Cheers big ears

fishman · Dec 3, 2002

Bentonite will not clear up a pond muddied by bullheads. The only permanent solution is to eliminate them. This could be accomplished by draining the pond, using rotenone(licensed applicators only), or if predators are not present and the bullheads are small, stocking bass or the like.

If it isn't biologically suspended turbidity, rather electrostatically suspended (clay particles repel one another), then treatment with aluminum sulfate (alum) is a solution.

I think there were some discussions about this previously. For those who want some more fish info, a decent site for information is <A target="_blank" HREF=http://pondboss.com>http://pondboss.com</A>

Bentonite can be applied to the surface of leaking ponds in an attempt to seal it. However, it is best applied to the dry pond bottom and covered with topsoil or incorporated (by tilling) into the topsoil. Application rates range from 2 to 8 lbs/square foot, and at a cost (in central TX) of $150/ton delivered, isn't cheap.

Around my area, ponds or lakes that lose 5' in the summer are considered normal. None stay completely full without additional water inputs, and quite a few go dry or almost dry. The single best solution for water loss, in my opinion, is a good well.

cchoate · Dec 3, 2002

I did stock some smallmouth this year but I think there's to many bullhead to eat. Someone suggested a few pike but they would eat everything else.
I also have seen "clearpond" at TSC for clearing muddy ponds. Does this stuff really work?

MossRoad · Dec 3, 2002

Around here they recommend stocking ponds with bass, bluegill and channel cats. They strongly suggest not to stock bullheads just for the reason you stated... they stir up the bottom. Channel catfish don't stir up the bottom and are good eating. If it was my pond, I'd consider the rotenone route as suggested. Wipe the pond out and start over with a mix of fish recommended by your local county extension office.

Robert_in_NY · Dec 3, 2002

Not for your situation. You have bullhead which are constantly going to stir up your pond keeping it muddy. The only way that I know of is to remove the bullhead from the pond. A 6" pump will take care of the water then you can hop in with a couple buckets and pick out the fish you don't want. Works great if you have another source of water where you could pump more water back in once you had as many bullhead out as you can find. I have a channel my pond drains into. It is 20' wide by 1500' long and goes from 1' to 4' deep on the farthest end which then goes into another pond. If I drained my pond I can just turn the pump around and pump back into it. Luckily, I have not had to drain the pond again since we got done building it.

DarinRay · Dec 4, 2002

Man Robert that's just the kind of pond overflow I would like to have....One problem though my pond's make-up in summer is a trickle and not a nice steady flow through out the year. THere are a couple ponds up the streat a ways that have nice sized overflows running into the next jsut like you described and everytime I go by them I just ahhhhhhhhhhhh darn it.

Darin

rlk · Dec 4, 2002

Fishman, I just finished a pond in central NC. We had a lot of rain before I could get the banks and surrounding area planted in grass, so I have a lot of muddy water.

A publication I found on the NCSU website states 3 ways to clear muddy water, assuming it is runoff and not being created by bullheads or livestock:

1. Apply 100 pounds of cottonseed meal and 40 pounds of superphosphate per surface acre to clear up muddy water. Do not use this treatment during the summer months because of the danger of depleting the oxygen.

2. Spread 7 to 10 bales of hay and 40 pounds of superphosphate per acre over the surface. Do not use this treatment during the summer months because of the danger of depleting the oxygen.

3. Apply 300 to 500 pounds of gypsum per surface acre. The gypsum should be ground and spread over the pond's surface.

I have about a 2 1/2 acre pond, so option 2 would be very difficult, so I ruled it out. Spreading gypsum over the entire surface seemed to be cumbersum, plus I have no idea where to find gypsum, so ruled out option 3.

I'm looking into option 1. I found cottonseed meal and superphosphate at a local farm supply. The price for enough cottonseed meal and superphosphate is around $200.

In researching how to clear the muddy water, no one I talked to had ever heard of using cottonseed meal and superphosphate. Do you have experience with it? If so, how is the material applied? I assume it is spread rather than just dumped in.

I want to clear the muddy water before stocking the pond this spring. Any help you can provide is much appreciated.

Robert_in_NY · Dec 4, 2002

We are planning on building a large duck pond on some adjoining land once we get it bought. Where we live is all natural springs. The springs come out above ground here and is actually a pain. The ponds and channels are the only way to control the water and keep the ground somewhat dry. However, it is nice when I hear everyone complaining about not being able to water their yards because of the drought and I watch the water continue to pump into the pond. Right now the pond is pushing around 100 gpm. Summer it slows down to about 20 gpm. Also, being spring fed it is wonderfully cold during the summer