How to Fertilize a Fish Pond
Regardless of whether your fish pond was nature or manmade, fertilizing it can yield desirable results. Each living thing in your fish pond relies on a cycle of living. When you fertilize your fish pond, you increase the growth of algae and protozoa, which in turn produces larger and more quantities of the smaller fish, which then does the same for the larger fish. While you can use many types of fertilizers, most agricultural extension departments recommend liquid fertilizer because it produces faster results. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 10-34-0 complete liquid pond fertilizer
- Fresh water
- Small motor boat (optional)
- Bucket
- Hand pump sprayer (optional)
Instructions
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1
Dilute the liquid fertilizer in a bucket. Mix five parts of water to one part of fertilizer.
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2
Spread the liquid fertilizer mix across the pond surface. Add the fertilizer to a hand pump sprayer for smaller ponds. For larger ponds, slowly pour the fertilizer into the propeller wash of your boat and allow the propeller to distribute your fertilizer.
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3
Add diluted fertilizer to your fish pond every two weeks.
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4
Repeat applications of diluted fertilizer until the climate changes and water temperature drops back down to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
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1
Tips & Warnings
To determine the amount of 10-34-0, which is liquid diammonium phosphate, figure on using 1 gallon for every 1 acre.
Start fertilizing the fish pond when the water temperature reaches 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Failure to dilute the liquid fertilizer will result in the fertilizer settling into the mud of the pond bottom because the liquid is thicker than the water.
Always wear rubber gloves and safety goggles when working with these chemicals.
To avoid a bad chemical reaction, always remember to add the fertilizer into the water, not vice versa.
References
- Photo Credit fish. image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
