Hay and aquatic plants offer an effective method to help keep your pond clean and clear. Hay can be added to the surface of the pond and provides an excellent natural filtration system.

A good rule of thumb is to apply two or three bales per surface acre of water, keeping in mind that the water depth is unimportant. This rule, however, is only applicable to ponds that are often not too filthy. For muddy or previously infested ponds, the specified amount may need to be doubled or tripled for the first treatment.

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Muddy water caused by suspended clay particles can sometimes be corrected by spreading broken bales of high quality hay or barley straw in the water around the shoreline.

Learning how to clear up a muddy pond can prevent your pond from looking subpar and harboring some unknown dangers beneath the surface. If there’s a mechanical agitator that causes turbidity, you should know how to eliminate it.