Is Your Pond Crusting?

Pond crusting is caused by the aggregation of solids that float to the surface and bind together. If left, crusts will just get thicker and thicker to the point where they can be walked across. They are highly fertile so weeds will easily establish themselves making the crust stronger with the addition of their root systems. This often creates a problem with pumping though moving pontoon units around and also there is a higher risk of system blockages. To remedy this involves getting a digger in to scrape the crust out and then this must be disposed of which is yet another job.

Installing a stirrer on a pond will prevent the buildup of a crust. The agitation that the stirrer generates prevents the solids from binding together. It ensures that a more homogenous mix of effluent is presented to the pump which reduces the chances of blockages. The other benefit is that stirring gets the finer solids off the bottom of the pond and up into suspension so they can be pumped out which allows for better utilization of effluent nutrients and means desludging is less frequent.

The following pictures illustrate the difference on a pond pre and post installation of a Hi-Tech stirrer. The farmer is very happy with the result as he knows he is getting more nutrients on to the paddocks and he no longer has to incur the cost and time involved in taking the crust off and then spreading it before the regional council turn up.