How do pond & lake dyes work?
Lake dyes are used to tint the water with a color such as dark blue, black, or blue-green. Tinting pond water will not only cover the brownish or greenish appearance but also acts like sunscreen, protecting your pond from excessive sunlight. Your beneficial bacteria can be damaged by UV rays.
You can help your beneficial bacteria by using lake dye. Lake dye will block sunlight from damaging the bacteria that you are trying to reproduce to eat your excess muck or organic nutrients.
When is Lake Dye applied?
Aquatic lake dyes are best applied in the early spring. Applications are most effective in March or April. In the southern states, lake dye can be applied all year.
How do you apply lake dye?
It is easy to apply lake dye. Just pour the dye in the water or throw it in a coloring pack. The lake dye will spread quickly, often within a few hours. You should use an aerator or fountain when applying the lake dye. The dyes will diffuse naturally throughout the water. You don't need to spray the dye to evenly cover the area. It is enough to pour the dye from the bottle in three or four places around the shore.
Be careful when applying the concentrated lake dye, getting it on your clothing or skin will cause staining. However, once it has been diluted in the lake, it will not stain. Smith Creek Fish Farm now offers Water Soluble lake dye-toss packs, which make application quicker and easier.
After the initial application of dye, the dye concentration will start to fade within a few months. This is because runoff from rain reduces the dye concentration. Because the dye is organic, gradually color will fade. Sometimes "touch-ups" may be necessary as the dye fades. The blue color should be maintained throughout the year. You can easily purchase professional quality dyes that have been registered by the EPA online at Smith Creek Farm Shop.
Contact an expert at Smith Creek Fish Farm if you have questions or need advice.