Pond Care - Ask Extension
There is a pond in my town that was a part of the well field in the 1940's it is not a natural pond-although it is minimally spring fed.
There is a...
Knowledgebase
Pond Care #868205
Asked May 13, 2024, 1:46 PM EDT
There is a pond in my town that was a part of the well field in the 1940's it is not a natural pond-although it is minimally spring fed.
There is an overgrowth of filamentous algae and ceratophyllum demersum-the water quality of the pond is not bad and is a habitat for a wide variety of species. In your experience does adding agricultural lime alleviate the algal growth and if so,when should it be added?
Greene County Ohio
Expert Response
It really depends on the growth form of algae that's a problem. Lime will interact with the pH and hardness of the pond, but it's actually commonly used to clarify ponds with low hardness/alkalinity. Improved clarity can be, in part, because some of the particles removed from suspension are planktonic algae, which are thus limited/suppressed. However, improved clarity can lead to increased concentrations of benthic, filamentous algae as sunlight can then reach substrate of greater depths. Thus, I doubt a lime application would help with the issue as you've expressed it here.
There are pesticides labeled for aquatic applications that could reduce coverage by both organisms, but I would only likely recommend them if you perceive this as a weed issue.
Let me know if this topic needs additional discussion of details.
Luck!
Eugene
There are pesticides labeled for aquatic applications that could reduce coverage by both organisms, but I would only likely recommend them if you perceive this as a weed issue.
Let me know if this topic needs additional discussion of details.
Luck!
Eugene
