Pond Water Treatment and Care for Golf Course Irrigation Ponds

Golf Course ponds and irrigation lakes often suffer from a variety of common problems that require special pond water treatment methods and products. Super’s Choice is a premium line of pond cleaning and maintenance products designed specifically for golf course Superintendents. These pond water treatment products contain no harsh chemicals and are ideal for treating some of the most common pond problems encountered by golf course Superintendents in their irrigation ponds and lakes.

Golf Course Pond Water Problems

There are a variety of problems often encountered when maintaining golf course ponds and lakes. Some of the most common problems Superintendents face with their irrigation lakes and ornamental ponds are:

• Accumulation of Bottom Sludge (Muck)
• Murky, Cloudy Water
• Excess Problem Nutrients (Nitrate & Phosphate)
• Unpleasant Odors

The above mentioned pond problems can easily be solved with the use of Super's Choice All-Season Pond Bacteria, a natural alternative to harsh chemicals.

Fertilizer Runoff and Its Effects on Golf Course Pond Water

Fertilizer runoff is a common problem in large ponds and lakes, especially on golf courses. Fertilizer runoff can introduce high levels of nitrates and phosphates into water, therefore altering the ponds’ natural balance. While care should be taken to limit runoff, there are also a number of steps to follow when considering pond water treatment protocols. For example, Super’s Choice Natural Phosphate Binder is a non-chemical alternative to aluminum sulfate (ALUM), that can be used to bind problem-causing phosphate in pond and lake water. This product also adds over 70 trace minerals to pond water and can help with minor flocculation of mud and clay particles. A second Super's Choice product that can help bind phosphate is our All-Season Pond Bacteria. The beneficial pond bacteria will consume excess phosphate as they perform their other positive functions in the pond, such as eliminating murky water and reducing bottom sludge.

Grass Clippings, Plant Debris, and Decaying Organic Materials in Ponds and Lakes

Another common problem encountered in golf course ponds and lakes is the high amounts of decaying organic material found in the water. This material comes from grass clippings and leaves that enter the water, as well as from fish droppings and excess fish food. In addition, the use of pesticides to kill algae and problem plants, adds to the problem of excess dead organic matter. As these organic wastes break down, the smaller particles stay suspended in the water column, causing murky water. The heavier particles settle to the bottom of the pond and over time accumulate as bottom-sludge (muck). By using specialized pond water treatment products such as Super’s Choice All-Season Pond Bacteria (1 oz Dissolvable Blocks) or All-Season Pond Bacteria with Barley Straw (8 oz Water-Soluble Packets), the murky water can be eliminated in a few weeks. The muck layer can be eliminated slowly over a Season or two, with continued use. Both formulations will introduce a blend of beneficial pond bacteria into your pond, to accelerate the natural break down and elimination of these organic wastes, and aggressively promote a healthy pond environment. Therefore, using pond bacteria as a natural pond water treatment product is a perfect chemical-free solution.

Suspended Organic and Inorganic Particles Reduce Golf Course Pond Water Clarity

Often golf course ponds and lakes suffer from generally murky or cloudy water. This reduced water clarity is usually a result of suspended organic and inorganic particles in the pond or lake water. Organic particles can be from aquatic plants, leaves, grass clippings and dead and decaying algae and other problem plats that have been killed with pesticides. Inorganic particles such as clay and mud can also add to the overall cloudiness of the pond water. Often times, these organic and inorganic particles are too light to settle out to the bottom of the pond and therefore remain suspended throughout the water column, causing murky water. Super’s Choice Concentrated Water Clarifier can be used to improve water clarity by pulling together these small particles, forming larger, heavier particles that sink to the bottom of the pond or lake. This safe formulation is the ideal pond water treatment product for use in irrigation water because it will not harm turfgrass.