What are Pond Flocculants, and How Do They Work?

As you embark on the journey of ponding you'll find there are several products to learn about—flocculants are one of those products. First, you may be asking what is a flocculant, and how does a pond flocculant work? How do you know you need to use one? How are they applied?

We'll answer these questions and more in this blog post. Keep reading to learn about this type of pond treatment and how it can help you in the pursuit of crystal clear water.

What are pond flocculants?

A pond flocculant is a chemical treatment. It coagulates and clumps suspended particles like dirt and organic debris in the pond. After use, these particles settle and sink to the bottom. The result is improved water clarity. You can think of flocculants like a magnet that pulls suspended debris together and helps clear cloudy water.

After treating your pond with a flocculant, the debris is more easily filtered out, or you can use a vacuum or fine skimmer net to remove the debris that has sunk to the bottom. And if you're not already, you'll want to use a beneficial bacteria to continue breaking down these organics. 

How do you know you need a flocculant?

Do you have floating particles in your pond?

Run this quick test to check: Grab a tall drinking glass from your kitchen and scoop up some pond water. Leave the pond water in the glass and come back to it in about an hour. If there is a lot of sediment resting on the bottom, then you know you've got floating particles. A flocculant can help!

You may ask why it settled in the glass and not the pond. Since water is moving in your pond it doesn't settle as quickly as it does in a small, controlled environment like your glass.

Pro Tip: Flocculants are great for cloudy or hazy water, but we don't recommend them for green water or an algae bloom. For these issues algae control products are best.

How to apply a pond flocculant

First, always read and follow the directions on the bottle before using any pond treatment. With pond flocculants overdosing can result in unsatisfactory results. That's because when there's too much the chemical attracts to itself and settles instead of pulling debris together.

All flocculants are liquids. You will want to apply them directly to the pond at a source with good movement like the base of a waterfall or fountain. You can also mix it with pond water in a bucket and walk around the perimeter to apply. Always dose according to directions.

Flocculants are a chemical treatment. They are perfectly safe when used as directed. However, following any chemical treatment we always suggest keeping an eye on things for a little while.

Hang around your pond for at least 15 minutes after treating to monitor your fish. Make sure they aren't acting odd or unusual. In an emergency you can do an immediate water change.

How quickly do flocculants work?

You can expect most flocculants to do their job pretty quickly. After treatment you can expect to see results in 12-24 hours. If needed, add a second dose after 24 hours. If you don't notice results after two treatments give us a call and we'll troubleshoot with you.

Chemical treatments, like flocculants, work best for short term curative situations. Keep in mind, they aren't a long term approach to maintaining the living ecosystem in your pond.

Flocculants are great to keep on the back burner for a quick fix. But for long term success consider sustainable approaches for clean, healthy water - improve filtration, limit fish feeding and use biological treatments such as beneficial bacteria. 

Article Posted: 09/17/2024 08:07:34 PM