LIME and how to spread it

[2thDoc]

I need 15 tons of lime.

yes, 30000 lbs. a bunch.

any idea what costs are these days? I need to spread it in my fish pond. Anyone got a barge to do this I can borrow? Anyone want to earn some spending money?

[BOGSTER]

check your pm box 2th.

[Chessbay]

I paid $64/ton delivered and spread last year.

It should be a good bit less delivered in bulk and not spread, however spreading it in your pond is going to be a miserable task.

[Take em']

Lime burn sucks!

[BigBrother]

yo quiro Lime-ero?

[Chessbay]

Now that I think about it, you need liquid lime.

I don't have a clue where to get it, but I'd start with Carolina Eastern.

[Dook]

we just got it spread for $45/ton

[2thDoc]

listen closely, people. I need regular lime....delivered into a pile...unless the truck can walk on water.

typical application is with a "lime barge" where you put the lime on the deck of a pontoon-looking boat that has a pump/sprayer attached and you just wash it off. I was quoted 35/ton delivered. the spreading would be done by BOG at $4/hr....

we would pile it somewhere close by, load into the bucket of the tractor one load at a time...carry to pond, put on boat...ride boat into pond....spread.

needs to be "spread evenly over the bottom of the pond."

this does NOT sound like fun....

[Murray]

I do not see any easy way of doing that. I would not even consider hydrated lime. 15 tons....is this a big pond or just a real low pH?

I'd go with $4/hr, doubt you could steal the farmers workers and beat that rate.

How'd you measure your pH? pH home testing kit, soil sample?

[Sasha and Abby]

Why can't you load it on a pontoon and then blow it off the front with a big assed leaf blower?

[2thDoc]

11 acre pond. very low pH due to using well water. we didnt pump from creek in an attempt to decrease the number of mussels that were also filtering the water. we need to establish a "bloom" in this pond in a bad way. you can see the bottom in 8 ft of water.

we had a "pond guy" come check our pH but you sure can use one from the pool store to get an adequate reading.

[2thDoc]

sasha--you could....but getting the pontoon into the pond might be trouble. i dont think there's any way around this being a huge pain in the ass, but its needed.

[BigBrother]

Toofer, is this the big brimp pond?

[2thDoc]

yep. BG. been fighting this for years....but it obviously doesnt hurt the bream. the bass are struggling, though. they need forage. it starts at the bottom of the food chain. the bream eat pellets part of the year, so they are happy.

[Palmetto Bug]

I'm very interested in the answers you get. I'm still in the process of getting some ponds dug and I need to know about liming. My plan for the first applications is to get lime broadcast while the hole is still pumped out. Sounds like I need to make sure I have decent landings in case I need to put a barge in down the road.

How do you plan to keep track of your progress as you spread it by barge? It seems like it would be very hard spreading it evenly over 11 acres. What effect will it have on the fish?

[Murray]

I'm very interested in the answers you get. I'm still in the process of getting some ponds dug and I need to know about liming. My plan for the first applications is to get lime broadcast while the hole is still pumped out. Sounds like I need to make sure I have decent landings in case I need to put a barge in down the road.

How do you plan to keep track of your progress as you spread it by barge? It seems like it would be very hard spreading it evenly over 11 acres. What effect will it have on the fish?

If you keep up with it a barge is not required. You can just spread along the in shallows around the banks, spray from shore, or put on the ground and allow stormwater to wash it in.

If you are just building the pond take a few soil samlpes and send to Clemson, they will give you a lime app rate.

[Dook]

Float the spreader truck on the toons!

Hell yeah!

[BOGSTER]

I have done this before.
2th has the general idea pretty well.
You cannot do it on a pond that size in one day.
You do it in sections with a line of bouys.
Start with coves(if any) and spread them first.

[jwilliams]

The fish shocking boat did a study on our 2 acre pond and we need to add 10 tons. In reading his recommendations, he said that this should be done in the Fall/Winter?

[BigBrother]

Setting up a grid is a helluva good idea.