water color change with rains

[Priscilla]

Dave, The land I'm on was an old orange orchard, I wouldn't call it peat because it's dessert, not bog...the only water we get is that which is pumped in from NorCal, or calcified well water (no sulfur). The barley straw is a relatively new addition (since September) and I have this color change every year. I'm not seeing it as being run-off problems, as I said the possible run-off is from a small area that is rock lined and has been well established as a stream year round, and pH is well maintained. It is probably the autumn leaves leaching into the pond, I can't get them all out scooping and picking and it occurs the same time of year, lasts the winter...
I do cut way back on their food but I have always stayed with the Vibrance, I also feed them frozen peas, which they love and I understand that even tho it hasn't much nutrition there are enzymes that help with the slower digestion of the cooler weather; garlic, huh?...My pond never gets below 50*F, we have perfect weather here which is why there are so damned many people!

I know exactly what you are talking about. Same here. I have a very old tree over my pond, I don't think its from the leaves, as I have the leaves falling all year round. But its not like run off (I have had run off and the water was murky from it). We refer to it as 'rain stain'. It also happens in canals and other ponds around here.

 

[dieselplower]

My pH test kit is fine, it matches my pond maintenance man's values, plus I'm a scientist, I'm using the correct type/quality. As I said, my pond pH stays between 7-8.0 year round and the pH isn't really changing significantly. The rocks that make my pond and the waterfalls are 80% granite, 15% limestone, and 5% synthetic polymer. The main trees are Mulberry, Chinese Elm, and California pepper and jacaranda, these are all intertwined with kudzu and bougainvillea, the trees themselves are all at least 35ft from the pond and the umbrella comes to the edge of the pond in 2 areas, maybe 8' of shoreline total. I was thinking perhaps some iron from the leaves of the mulberry?

Meyer was addressing Sissy who said her rain ph was 9. I don't believe it either but whatever.

Rain should not have a huge effect on pond ph anyway. You'd have to have a rainfall of Biblical proportions to have a large effect on a 3000.gallon pond.
I agree it's probably tannin from leaves etc.

 

[sissy]

rude but whatever

Meyer was addressing Sissy who said her rain ph was 9. I don't believe it either but whatever.

Rain should not have a huge effect on pond ph anyway. You'd have to have a rainfall of Biblical proportions to have a large effect on a 3000.gallon pond.
I agree it's probably tannin from leaves etc.

 

[dieselplower]

rude but whatever

Why would you think I'm being rude by not believing your rain ph is not higher than the highest rain ph ever recorded?

 

[Dave 54]

I believe you saying , "I don't believe it either but whatever", could be looked upon as rude dp , perhaps next time you could say I'm sorry sissy but I believe you may have made a mistake ,
if you remember things like this we can all get along swimmingly .

Dave

 

[dieselplower]

Whatever...

 

[addy1]

Lets stay on the path of this thread, Sissy could have had a high ph, we have no clue what was happening that day. Without being there to test her water, we can not say she was wrong with her test. Everybody keep it civil please.

 

[Dave 54]

It would take a bit of investigating sissy but if I were you I'd tke a good look at how you prepped your pond for winter , did you clear the bottom of the pond of dead leaves detritus etc and prep your filtration for the winter ?
Keep a good eye on your perameters throughout and if it doesnt go down then we'll have to look deeper into this to find out what your pond is acctually doing .

Dave

 

[Ian]

I've deleted the last few posts, please take note of addy1's warning - this applies to everyone.

 

[sissy]

The pond is new and since there is window screening over the pond and I can see the bottom there was nothing .Then they started cutting the trees (all pine trees )The problems started .We have had lots of pine dust the EPA says that is a major problem for people health also .Environmental protection agency .They have been all around here since the 2 fish farms had all the dead fish .Now the company cutting the trees was told they need a water truck on site to keep down the dust .These pieces of land have been uncut for years and very dense stand of pines .The pine needles laying around piled up where like mountains .I went out there when they were not cutting .I was on the way to my sisters house .They keep cutting I will be able to see my sisters house from my roof .She lives over 15 minutes away from me .The sludge I had to remove from the bottom of my pond was amazing .I had to remove the fish and put them in stock tanks just to clean .The EPA did say the still have over 200 acres to go .They have even been cutting in all the rain we have had .There should have never been this much stuff on the bottom of the March built pond .I was taking it to the back of my property and it killed the grass back there (all turned yellow and brown ) .Lucky it did not kill my fish .

 

[Nepen]

I can tell you that I have similar problem. I have a raised pond so no run-off. But when fall started, my water turned nice shade of tea color. It's even before my mulberry tree drops the leaves, and when it does, the water turned even darker, like red wine color. I think it's the mulberry some how.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Getting off the subject of this thread for a moment, I would like to say that I find the clearing of 450 acres of natural woodland and the resultant loss of habitat abhorrent.
Obviously, the contractor involved in this destructive project has been negligent or the EPA would not have stepped in. The fact that the EPA has stepped in only emphasizes the magnitude of the sawdust problem. This amount of air-borne sawdust eventually settling out of the air will wreak havoc on any aquatic habitat in the surrounding affected area, whether that habitat be natural or man-made. The addition of this volume of organic matter on a near continual basis will quickly overwhelm any ecological balance of these habitats. pH, Oxygen level, Nitrate level, bacterial balance et.al. will quickly be affected and eventually increase organism mortality at all trophic levels including fish.
The mention of fish losses at nearby fish farms attests that the problem has already reached a critical stage. If they haven't already, the owners of these fish farms should be pursuing litigation to recover compensation for their losses as should any homeowner that has been affected financially.

 

[sissy]

They have been doing this type of land clearing for the 10 years I have lived here .They did all the properties around here because land owners can make money off the trees .They have done 1000's of acres here .All around me is done .Even when I bought my lots they had done this and stripped every tree and I have put back 30+ trees .The first year I was here they did the 500 acres out by highway 58 and then they did the 380 acres off to the back side of my property .They even took some of my trees before I got home and caught them .All my trees were marked with ribbons and had no trespassing signs .They courts here just gave them a slap on the hand .More or less I was told i was wasting the courts time .Believe me the judge did not like my comment to that .Max Kendall lumber yard is here and there is a place right out on 58 that does the tree cutting .I think the only hold out is Marty here that owns around 700 acres and won't sell his trees .

 

[j.w]

It's happening everywhere and it is not only ugly but could be dangerous w/earth erosion etc. This picture was taken of Ebby Mountain just over the way from us. We see it from our back door. They raped it even more since this photo.

We don't want to end up like Oso below.

 

[dieselplower]

I was just wondering if anyone lived in houses built from wood? Or had furniture made from wood? Or ever used paper or paper plates or paper towels or had a baseball bat or wooden jewelry box or pencils or anything else made from wood? The trees do grow back!