Why does my pond stay muddy

Runoff from rainfall often dislodges clay particles, especially in areas with bare cropland, over-grazed pastures or exposed shorelines. Areas with compacted soils or soils on moderate to steep slopes are most prone to water erosion. Erosion introduces clay particles into the pond that cause a cloudy, murky appearance. Whether on the shoreline or in shallow water, livestock can stir up large quantities of clay particles.

They also contribute large amounts of manure to the water, creating further problems. Feral hogs, deer, ducks and geese stir up bottom sediment along the shoreline or by entering shallow water. Bottom-feeding fish, such as bullheads, carp, or crayfish stir up bottom sediments when they dig, in search of food. Rapid changes in air temperature, heavy precipitation, and high winds can create thermal currents that result in water movement that disrupts the sediment at the bottom of the pond.

This is more likely in shallow areas, usually at the ends of the pond. Any of these causes can contribute to cloudy or muddy water that persists for several days.

If the water in the water-only bucket does not clear, then the cause of the problem is likely a chemical factor. If the water in the drywall and water bucket clears, it is likely that an application of gypsum would clear the water and reverse the chemical factors affecting water clarity. Gypsum CaSO4 is a water soluble mineral found in fertilizers, drywall, and plaster. Recycled gypsum is available in a variety of particle sizes for easy application. Since gypsum is pH neutral, it will not affect the water pH when added to your pond the way some aluminum sulfate treatments can.

Gypsum works by naturally attracting clay particles in the water to form clumps floccules. As the clumps get larger and heavier they settle to the bottom of the water.

It is important to add only as much as you need to completely clarify the water, and no more. However, the necessary watershed size can vary based on climate, soil type, and soil slope in the watershed area, as well as the depth of your pond.

Maintaining adequate watershed will reduce the amount of sediment that enters your pond during significant rainfall. Un-grazed timberland and stable grasslands provide the cleanest water source.

In agricultural areas, establishing a vegetative buffer zone between your pond and crops or grazing areas is often the best choice. Vegetation buffers are able to trap sediment before it enters the water, contributing to greater water clarity. If the only vegetation leading to the pond is cropped land, hay crops provide better erosion control than row crops do. Carp, goldfish, bullheads and crayfish muddy the water by kicking up sediment at the bottom of the pond in order to find food.

If nuisance fish are already present, it may be necessary to remove them in order to correct the water clarity issue. To help make your decision whether to amend the water or not, do some homework. There are several traditional ways to clear muddy water.

The old timers used to tell folks to add some hay, which will attract the clay and clear up the pond. If you want to contend with rotting hay, go for it.

But, there are no assurances the water will clear, and then you have a bale of waterlogged hay. Maybe so, maybe no? Depending on the ionic charge balance of your water, Really Lusk, ionic charge balance?

Charge balance can be determined through a basic water chemistry analysis. If you have more negatively charged ions compared to positively charged ones, that might be the problem. If so, adding aglime can help balance the charges, causing a release of clay to settle to the bottom. But, what most professionals do to speed up the process is to look at gypsum Calcium sulfate or Alum Aluminum sulfate to do the deed.

Both of those products cause microscopic clay particles to become magnetically attracted to each other. When they attract, their weight increases, and they become heavy enough to hold hands and sink.

Remember that gallon glass jar? Get three more of those for a total of four. Fill them with pond water. In Jar 1, add a teaspoon of gypsum. For this test, buy gypsum at most garden stores. If you need to use gypsum in a pond, buy it bulk. Stir the gypsum into Jar 1 until totally mixed. Then, take two tablespoons of water from Jar One, and mix into Jar Two. Mix four into Jar Three and six into Jar Four.

See which one settles. To make it simpler, weigh the teaspoon of gypsum. There are also products on the market that make the vegetation and lawns around the pond unpalatable to geese. If they do not like the taste, they will eventually leave to find food elsewhere. Some watershed activities disturb clay materials that can result in muddy water problems that are extremely difficult to correct.

A prime example of this is construction activity in the watershed. Colloidal clay particles are very small and can take a very long time to sink to the bottom. If you take a jar of water from your pond and after several days it is still very cloudy in appearance, you likely have a problem with clay particles.

Several techniques exist that allow the pond owner to greatly reduce the levels of suspended clay particles. A time-honored method of removing suspended clay particles is the application of dry hay. Dry hay should not be confused with straw. The hay should be loosely distributed throughout the shallow areas of the pond.

Recommended application rates are about pounds per acre-foot of water. Quite often a muddy pond will not need the full application to clear the water. A good rule of thumb is that if water transparency reaches inches deep, enough hay has been added. There is one important reason to use as little hay as necessary. The addition of large amounts of organic material, such as hay, can lead to oxygen depletion as the material decomposes. This is especially true in July and August.

If hay application must occur in summer, supplemental aeration may be needed to prevent a fish kill. Agricultural gypsum is another material for removing suspended clay and does not cause the concern of a fish kill associated with adding hay. Gypsum is also chemically neutral and therefore does not cause possible pH problems associated with alum, another commonly used material.

Typical application rates are from 1,, pounds per surface acre of water, depending on the severity of the clay suspension. Again, it is wise to add the gypsum at a conservative rate of pounds per surface acre of water, wait several days, and determine if additional gypsum is needed.

This prevents excessive application and therefore helps keep costs down. Dissolve the gypsum in clean water and spray over the surface on a calm day. Late evening is often an ideal time to make the application as most nights are wind-free. Water movement from the wind prevents the suspended clay from quickly settling out, reducing the effectiveness of gypsum.

Alum is the most effective material for clearing clay turbidity from a pond, often within a few hours. Application rates are typically pounds per surface acre. Application procedures are identical to those described for gypsum.

For alum, there is a very good reason to use the minimum amount necessary. After application, there is a chemical reaction that impacts the pH acidity of the water. The reaction produces small amounts of sulfuric acid which can decrease pH significantly in some waters to levels harmful to aquatic life. Therefore, alkalinity and pH should be tested prior to application.

If not, hydrated lime needs to be added simultaneously to buffer the effects of the acid produced by the alum addition. Application rate for lime is 50 pounds per acre-foot. It is wise to re-check alkalinity and pH repeatedly as more alum and lime is added. In situations where pounds of alum may be needed, pH may begin to drop quickly even in waters where pH was initially deemed to be adequate for lesser additions.

Hydrated lime also removes suspended clay, although not as effectively as alum. Agricultural limestone is a material commonly used to removed suspended clay from the water. Application rates of , pounds per surface acre are typically used. Limestone can be added in the same manner described for gypsum.