Fertilizing Ponds, Should You? And How to do it.

Fertilization is often viewed as an "old school" way to control plants and algae in ponds while simultaneously growing more fish. While both of these claims are true, the actual fertilization process is not so simple.

Should you fertilize?

The answer to this question, as with many other pond management questions is "it depends" on your goals for the pond. Fertilization is a proven method for significantly boosting the amount of fish a pond can grow, particulary if the water was very clear before fertilization took place. So, if your goal is to have beautiful emerald green water and grow a lot of fish, then yes fertilizing may be for you. However, if your goal is clear water or purely aesthetics, then pond dye or other management practices may be best for achieving your goals.

How do you fertilize successfully?

This phase is where many pond owners go wrong. They take advice from a feed store, old school neighbor, or management company that hasn't taken the proper steps to actually give good advice. And, if you or anyone you know have ever fertilized a pond incorrectly or when you shouldn't have, then you've seen the damage it can do to water quality and excessive algae and plant growth. In order to fertilize correctly here is the information you need to know:

1. Base water chemistry (particulary alkalinity and hardness)

   1. low alkalinity water will not respond to fertilizer the way it should and can leave you with severe plant, algae, or cyanobacteria blooms

2. Nutrient Levels

   1. without a measurement of nutrient levels you have no way to know what kind of fertilizer to add or how much

3. Proper dosing/Application method

   1. do not just buy generic pond fertilizer and follow the package... these dosages are generic and do not take into account the nutrient levels of YOUR pond. You need to fertilize according to your ponds needs and do so in open water that is ideally deeper than 3-4ft.

4. Vegetation/Algae

   1. do not attempt to fertilize over existing plants and algae this will cause an explosion of growth that will render your fertilization efforts a catastrophic and expensive failure. Treat or remove vegetation prior to fertilizing your pond.

5. Hire a Knowledgeable Pro

   1. fertilization and the data collection prior too can involve complex chemistry and calculations. If you do not feel confident your measurements are accurate, hire an experienced professional to help. DO NOT just apply it anyway and hope for the best. Improper fertilization can result in severe issues for water quality, plant growth, and even lead to fish kills.

Summary

Fertilization can increase fish production in clear ponds by 2-4x. While this sounds like something to jump into, it is highly recommended that you educate yourself on the process of fertilization, when, how, and where it is beneficial and follow the steps above to set yourself up for success, not a costly failure. For more information or to get on a fertilzation program. Give us a call or send us a message. We would be happy to help!

Fertilization gone wrong