Water clarity is an issue in any lake or pond. The difficulty that most people have in controlling water quality is that a lake or pond is an active, living environment. While there are plenty of solutions for addressing water clarity in swimming pools, the needs of aquatic life need to be considered. Any approach to handling water clarity needs to be done in such a way that it does not poison the fish life in the lake or pond or upset the delicate balance of water chemistry.
What Factors Diminish Water Clarity?
There are a number of contributing factors to water clarity problems. Perhaps the most notable clarity issue that people are going to encounter is algae. Algae can become a particularly bad problem in lakes and ponds. Algae are a simple form of plant life that makes the water green and slimy. The reason why algae become established is that the water in ponds is nutrient-rich. In particular, there is a steady supply of phosphorous which can cause algae to thrive.
organic matter will cause water clarity problems. As it breaks down, it will lead to microscopic particle issues and contribute to sludge on the bottom of the lake or pond. Whenever this sludge is disturbed, water clarity will be affected. If fish are present then they will be a significant source of organic contaminants. Fish wastes represent a problem of their own and can lead to a high pH which in turn can be a water clarity problem.
Aside from fish, oils, fertilizers, dust, soil and many other undesirable products find their way into lakes and ponds. These introduce a range of nutrients to the water that can lead to significant problems with algae and on their own, have negative effects on water quality.
Water Clarity and Water Chemistry
One of the reasons that it is so difficult to address "water clarity" in lakes and ponds is that lakes and ponds are live environments. Any solution to water clarity needs to consider this. Harsh chemical sanitizers that are used in other water environments are not applicable in lakes and ponds because they can significantly alter the water chemistry which is likely to result in dead fish. Furthermore, harsh chemical products can eliminate the useful bacteria that thrive in the water and help to manage water quality problems. Killing the water with chemicals will create problems from which it will take a great deal of time to recover.
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