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Outdoor Water Solutions Acquires Bluewater Products Gator Float Product Line
Gator Float Product Effective November 12, 2014, Outdoor Water Solutions, Inc. has acquired Bluewater Products Gator Float Product (manufacturer product codes GKB103, GDD104, GJR105). Outdoor Water Solutions is based in Springdale, Arkansas and manufactures high-quality pond & lake products. Outdoor Water Solutions believes this is a great addition offering another “Made in U.S.A.” product that compliments their other product lines including wind, solar and electric aeration systems, pond fountains, high quality pond microbes, colorants, etc. Any new orders for these three products will be processed and filled by Outdoor Water Solutions and can be sent by email to sales@outdoorwatersolutions.com or by fax to 479-750-9178. We also have over 160 other products available to meet your customer’s needs. Feel free to check out our website at www.OutdoorWaterSolutions.com or call to request a catalog. Sincerely, John Redd President, Outdoor Water Solutions, Inc. 1-866-471-1614
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Turtles and Your Pond Part 2
Previously, we talked about turtle populations and how to manage the population in your pond. Turtles are, relatively speaking, easier to catch than bream. There are numerous methods for catching turtles and removing them from lakes and ponds. We will discuss briefly different methods. Old timers would shoot turtles but ammunition is costly and the hazards of shooting in water makes this method DANGEROUS and we advise against it. Hook and line is another method, but is very time consuming and requires both skill and patience. A small can or soda can with a hook threaded through the can and out the top can be used. The can protects the bait from fish and allows the turtle to take the bait and be caught. Trapping is by far the more efficient, practical, and less time consuming method for removal of turtles in ponds. Use submerged traps for snappers and soft-shelled turtles. Floating traps are effective for turtles that bask, like the red-ear slider. Surface traps were once called log traps, because they were made with fence posts or small logs. The trap was 4’ x 4’ x 4’, this allowed for the maximum potential of captured turtles with little effort. The traps had planks for turtles to walk up and then would fall into the trap. Today we use stiff wire mesh and floats for surface traps. Outdoor Water Solutions just added a surface trap for sun basking turtles. Submerged traps are made out of wire or slats. Wire traps are more common because they are lightweight and cheaper than slat traps. Turtles enter through a small, cone shaped opening. The size and overall length of this opening is determined by species. The standard dimensions are 4’ long by 2’ in diameter. One can remove turtles and fish by a door that is located on the side of the trap. Outdoor Water Solutions has a great selection of turtle traps for your pond or small lake. Our traps are made here in the USA and are constructed with heavy duty galvanized wire with an aluminum frame and water tight floats so no turtle can escape. This gives you more time to enjoy your pond and its fish. If you would like to view our turtle traps and other pond products, then please click here. Here at Outdoor Water Solutions, we are committed to making sure you find exactly what you are looking for. If you have any questions about turtles in your ponds or the traps that we offer, then please click here to visit our contact page. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
How Much Pond Colorant Should You Use?
When using a pond colorant or pond dye to control the algae levels in your pond, it is important that you use enough dye to effectively limit the light that gets to the algae. Algae is just like any other plant that depends on photosynthesis, if you take away the light, it can no longer continue to grow. As you know, each pond is different and there is no automatic answer for how much dye you should put in your pond, but we do have a few tips to help you figure out the right amount. Pond with Colorant and Aeration The first step in figuring out how much dye to use is to find out how much water you have in your pond. To do this, you need to know the average depth and the acreage of your pond. Multiplying acreage and the average depth of your pond will let you know how many acre feet your pond is. From here you can start to have a better understanding of how much pond dye to add based on the product. For example, our All Natural Deep Blue Pond Dye is designed to cover 4-6 acre feet of water per bottle. Your pond might require more than this if it is your first time using a dye in your pond. Another way to find out if you are using enough pond dye is to look if you can see the bottom of the pond at a depth of 18-24 inches. To help restrict the growth of algae, you do not want to be able to see the bottom of your pond at a depth of 18-24”. If you still can see the bottom, we would suggest adding a small amount of pond dye over a period of time. You can always add more dye to help keep the sunlight off of the bottom if you want. We recommend keeping a pond dye in your pond year round, even during the winter when some ponds freeze over. Algae can continue to grow under icy ponds and maintaining this a good color in your pond can help you prevent algae over growth all year. Outdoor Water Solutions sells a wide range of pond dye’s including Aquashade, Lake & Pond Blue Dye, Lake & Pond Black Dye, Lake & Pond Deep Blue Dye. The Lake & Pond Dye Blue is available in quarts and also gallons with both being 4x more concentrated than other dye’s sold through retail stores. Here at Outdoor Water Solutions, we are committed to helping you find exactly what you are looking for. If you have any questions about our pond dyes and how to use them, then please click here to visit our contact page. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
How To Manage Your Old Pond
Over time, large amounts of muck and excess organic matter can develop near the bottom of your pond. If your pond is already shallow, this excess matter can make the pond virtually unusable if it is not controlled. Algae is a plant life form that needs three things to grow, sunlight, water, and fertilizer. Old, shallow ponds create an environment where there is an abundance of all three of these ingredients, so it is important to take steps to solve this problem if you do not want your pond to be overrun with algae. There are short term solutions to this problem, but they are often very expensive and labor intensive. Outdoor Water Solutions has the advice and materials you need to help fix your pond for the long-term, the right way. The first thing we suggest is using a bottom aeration system, rather than a surface aerator. This will begin to turn the bottom of the pond aerobic instead of anaerobic, and it will slowly start to break down the muck and excess organic material on the bottom of your pond. Outdoor Water Solutions has a number of energy efficient electric aeration systems that can truly make a difference in your pond. Click here to view our electric aeration catalog. The next step in controlling the algae levels of your pond is to add colorants and beneficial pond bacteria to the pond. The colorants will help block sunlight from reaching the bottom of the pond, therefore cutting off one of the ingredients that algae needs in order to grow. This will slowly start to limit the growth of new algae in your pond. We also suggest adding beneficial bacteria to your pond, this will help speed up the process of breaking down the muck and excess algae on the bottom of the pond. Outdoor Water Solutions has a number of great colorants and bacteria products that can be seen here. The last step is to choose an algaecide that works for your pond. There are generally two choices, copper based or hydrogen peroxide based. Both of these products are available at Outdoor Water Solutions. If you would like to view our algaecides, click here. We also recommend using a lake rake to rake the algae that is floating on the surface of the pond. These are long-term solutions and will not work overnight, but they will work. If you would like more information on how to manage your pond, please click here to visit our contact page. You can also call our store at 866-471-1614. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Turtles And Your Pond
Having a pond without turtles is nearly an impossibility. In some ponds you may not see the turtles, while in other ponds they are highly visible and bask in the sun on the shoreline and from the water. Do larger quantities of turtles endanger my pond? This is a valid question which can best by answered by asking yourself WHY the turtles are there and HOW MANY are too many. Let’s first address why turtles are in ponds. Ponds naturally provide several characteristics that attract many varieties of wildlife for one common reason, the environment. Turtles require water, protection, hibernation and food nourishment. The mucky bottoms allow hibernation and protection during the winter months. Water, plant life, food, warm sand for reproduction and protection is offered to turtles throughout the remainder of the year. Understanding the requirements necessary for turtles helps you to understand why they are there but does not indicate an over-abundance of them. Some ponds have just a few turtles while other ponds (predominantly in southern states) may have more than fifty. How do you know HOW MANY turtles are in your pond? You can judge the population by answering a few questions. How do the edges of your pond look? Are you missing fish? Your pond will tell you if it has too many turtles. Indicators would be stunted bass or bluegill populations as well as reduced naturally occurring vegetation. The red eared slider turtle diet can include 50% of your ponds aquatic and wetland plants while the remainder of its diet includes terrestrial and other sources. In general, it is beneficial to have aquatic plants as they filter your water and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. If you believe that you have too many turtles, there are options for controlling the turtle population. We will discuss control methods in the next article. So, take a look, take note and see if you have an over-abundance of turtles.
Managing Blue Green Algae
Are you observing a slick on the surface of your pond that resembles lime green paint? During summer months, it can disrupt water quality. Blue green algae are interesting creatures. Normally, when people hear algae, they think of plants and rightfully so, most algae are plants. However, the blue green variety is a cyanobacterium with a photosynthetic part. It's a prokaryote that can behave like a plant and create its own food source. Cyanobacteria grow in warm water that has very little movement, especially during a drought. Warm, dry conditions lead to blue green algae outbreaks. All water contains cyanobacteria. Issues arise when bacteria grows exponentially. As bacterium grows, it produces toxins. Some can be harmful, even fatal, to livestock, family pets, and humans. The severity depends on species of cyanobacteria present. There are hundreds of different species and toxins. You can’t kill a toxin. Even if bacteria are managed, they still can release toxins into a body of water. Cyanobacteria are very important organisms. They are one of few organisms that can fix inert or nitrogen into nitrate, a basic building block of life. We manage blue green algae with GreenClean and Cutrine Plus granular. Find these products on our website.
Mechanical Algae Control
Mechanical Algae Control Mechanical solutions to pond algae are great for last minute algae removal. Whether raking, pulling, or skimming these labor intensive tasks get the job done. However, it is important to realize that this is only a temporary fix, much like a bandaid. This method is good when you need the pond for immediate use such as a wedding or family gathering. Without a real solution to the algae, it will soon return. For a permanent solution, click here check out our algae control products. Questions? Give us a call at 866-471-1614. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Aeration Algae Control
Aeration Algae Control Aeration is a great cost effective way to cut down the amount of algae in your pond. Aeration is a great way to de-stratify your pond or lake. Aeration prevents algae by increasing the movement of the water in your pond Outdoor Water Solutions has a number of great aerators that each play a special role in controlling the algae levels of your pond. Floating aerators work great for shallow areas, but are not very effective in deeper water. Diffused aeration is great for deeper waters and Outdoor Water Solutions has a wide variety of aeration systems including windmill aerators, solar aeration systems, and electric aerators. Click here to view the aeration systems that we offer for aeration algae control. If you have questions about which aeration system is right for your pond? Call us at 866-471-1614. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Chemical Algae Control
Chemical Algae Control Chemicals can be a quick and effective way to control the algae levels in your pond. Any product that has a copper formulation is generally suggested for algae treatment, but it can quickly become cost prohibitive. An alternative to using copper is a liquid peroxide, which can be used on a wide variety of algae control projects both commercial and private. Even though the EPA has approved chemical substances, many in our society look on them with a black eye and a microscope. However, it is important to know that when used correctly and responsibly, chemicals can be an effective solution to controlling the algae in your pond. Please be sure to check out these great pond products from Outdoor Water Solutions. Questions? Give us a call at 866-471-1614. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Biological Algae Control
Biological Algae Control One of the many ways to control the algae levels in your pond is through biological methods. Technological advances in microbial research has led to many products that blend microbes that are beneficial to your pond. These products support the microbes that are currently in your pond breaking down sludge and nutrients for food. For best performance pair the biological products with aeration because the microbes depend on oxygen. Check out these great biological products from Outdoor Water Solutions. Questions? Drop us a line or give us a call at 866-471-1614. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Outdoor Water Solutions Support!
Outdoor Water Solutions Support Have a technical question about one of our products? Want to talk to a live person? Outdoor Water Solutions is pleased to offer a dedicated technical support line, the first in our industry! Joshua Flowers has recently joined the Outdoor Water Solutions team as Technical Support Lead . He has a degree from the University of Idaho in Fisheries and Wildlife Resources and has many years of experience working for the U.S. Forest Service and "The Pond Boss", Bob Lusk. In addition to providing technical support on Outdoor Water Solutions products and fielding your pond, lake and aeration questions, Joshua provides timely articles and updates on our website. You can contact Joshua at our Technical Support number, 1-479-879-2961.
Beneficial Bacteria For Your Pond
Aeration has contributed great strides toward improving lake environments. Another natural treatment gaining popularity to cleanse water is beneficial microbes, or bacteria. Microbes influence water quality as they interact with water chemistry, oxygen, circulation, and temperatures. Depending on the type bacteria in a pond, it can make or break an ecosystem. Small amounts of beneficial microbes are found in most water, but limited quantities don’t sustain noticeable change. By adding supplemental amounts, you can release billions of friendly bacteria to neutralize and purify water. They compete with undesirable organisms for nutrients, thereby preventing unwanted varieties from growing and reproducing. Bacteria are Nature’s recyclers. Properly matched with an individual environment, they have a remarkable ability to purify problem conditions. They generate enzymes that break down various compounds. Bacteria is active while pollution exists. As pollution levels decline, bacteria diminishes. If pollution levels rise, bacteria activity increases. Microbial treatments don’t provide immediate results for vegetation management. Since plants obtain nutrients from bottom sludge, noticeable results require long-term treatment. Microbes used with aeration produce impressive results. They reduce pond scum and odors. Eliminate fish waste and ammonia. Minimize organic compounds, break down waterfowl excrement, plus rapidly remove dead grass and leaves. Application is by water solvable packets you merely toss around the pond. Click here for a list of bacteria offered by Outdoor Water Solutions.
Murky Pond? Causes & Options
Got a murky pond? Here are standard procedures pond doctors use to diagnose the source. The first step is determining if murkiness is caused by activity in or around the pond. Is there a large population of carp, catfish, or other bottom feeders fanning up sediment? Are livestock frequently wading in the pond? Is wind action stirring sediment as waves roll across shallow flats? Or, is the condition caused by clay soils at the pond site? Conduct a “sediment test” by collecting a pond sample, preferably in a one-gallon glass jar. Place the container in a dark space for one week. When retrieving the jar, closely observe improvements in clarity and sediment on the bottom. If there is significant clearing, it’s assumed the source is among above sources. If there is no change in murkiness, unfortunately the problem relates to negative-charged clay particles in the soil. Those particles suspend in the water column and are inhibited from settling to the bottom. Two common methods to improve clarity are treating with Ag gypsum or aluminum sulfate (alum). Alum produces fast results, but MUST be used by an experienced applicator. Improperly applied, alum may cause a sudden spike in alkalinity and kill fish. Please follow treatment procedures to the letter. Gypsum is a safer product. To determine the correct amount, collect four, one-gallon glass jars of pond water and one jar of clear water. Leave one pond water jar as a control. Mix two level tablespoons of powdered gypsum into the clear jar. Stir into a “slurry”. Add the slurry into the three remaining samples–one tablespoon at a time. Each tablespoon represents approximately 80 pounds of gypsum per acre-foot of water. Put one tablespoon in the first jar, two in the second, and three in the third. Wait at least 12-hours. Evaluate differences between jars. If there is no change, add another round of the slurry until of the jars clears. Convert the number of tablespoons required to achieve clearing into the total pounds of gypsum for treatment. Neither treatment is a guaranteed, permanent fix, but will improve clarity. Original conditions could return with the next significant influx of runoff into the pond.