Subject: Re: Pond Fertilization Info?

From: [email-masked] (Stu Clough)
Date: Sun, 7 May 1995 13:21:39

>>
>>--
>>I'm looking for information about how much fertilizer per acre to use
>>in a small pond to help control the existing moss.  Currently, the
>>water is very clear, and a large build up of moss covers the bottom
>>and the bank edges.  Any info is appreciated...
>>
>You want to put fertilizer in a pond to reduce moss biomass?  Fertilizer?
>Are you sure you mean fertilizer?  You know that stuff with nitrates,
>phosphates, etc?  I could be mistaken but I thought fertilizer helped floral
>growth, and was not used to control biomass. 

I think I understand!!  The basic principle is to increase the amount of 
algae, in turn increasing the turbidity, and therefore the amount of light 
penetrating to the bottom, thus controlling the existing moss.  Plant biomass 
will increase, moss biomass will decrease.  I know of a pond where this has 
been tried, and have some data (somewhere!!) on dosage levels.  The 
fertilisation was a complete success, turning a clear pond in which the few 
stunted fish present were cagey and difficult to catch, into a good, well 
stocked fishery, with fish of good average size.

If I can find the figures I'll post them under pond fertilisation dosage 
levels (or similar)

Stu.

---

From: [email-masked] (Stu Clough)
Date: Sun, 7 May 1995 13:21:39

Stu.

---

From: [email-masked] (Gordon Couger)
Date: 9 May 1995 03:56:26 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
Robert Dejournett <[email-masked]> wrote:
>In article <[email-masked]>,
>GS-334-12 Danny Churchwell <[email-masked]> wrote:
>growth, and was not used to control biomass.  Anyways how eutrophic is your
>pond?  How much phosphates etc does it have?  Phosphate content is an 
>indication of how 'rich' a pond is, if there is too much (i.e. because of
>external pollution) there tends to be problems with algae, they are in
>very high numbers and cause all sorts of problems.  

Proper fertilization will allow alge to grow in the water greatly reducing
the clarity which will block the sunlight from the bottom decreasing the
depth that the weed can grow in. 

As I recall you should only be able to see a tin can lid at 12 to 14 inches
of depth of a properly fertilized pond. Contact your local extension agent
for more up to date info.

In my experiance ectreemly clear water has a high mineral or salt content
causing the silt to fall out much faster than in soft water. Be careful
adding fertilizer particularly in hot months it can use up all the 02
in the water.

Gordon

                            Gordon Couger                            
                            Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering              
                            Oklahoma State University                         
                            114 Ag Hall, Stillwater, OK  74074                 
[email-masked] 405-744-9763 day 624-2855 evenings 
    I do not speak for my employer