Muck—soft, gooey material at the bottom of lakes and ponds—can cause foul odors, muddy the water, raise flood risks, decrease oxygen levels, encourage algae growth, and even increase the chances of having a fish kill. This nutrient-rich substance harms water quality and disrupts the natural balance. However, innovative solutions like TryMarine are revolutionizing how we manage muck accumulation while also improving dissolved oxygen levels, biodiversity, and overall water quality.
How Pond Muck & Nutrients Impact Lake Health
Bottom muck is a common symptom of eutrophication, the process by which lakes and ponds accumulate organic matter. While eutrophication naturally occurs over time, human activities like pollution and agriculture can speed it up. Stormwater runoff carries nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen from fertilizers, animal waste, leaf litter, and lawn clippings into waterbodies. This can lead to the excessive growth of aquatic weeds and algae, which deplete dissolved oxygen when they die and decay, creating nutrient-rich muck. Without intervention, this cycle can significantly shorten a waterbody’s lifespan.
How to Get Rid of Bottom Pond Muck with TryMarine
Eliminating bottom muck is an effective way to help slow eutrophication and restore water quality. That’s where TryMarine comes in. This game-changing solution focuses on increasing oxygen levels in the bottom muck, helping to process the nutrient-rich muck into usable nutrients that are then consumed by the lake’s natural food web. This, in turn, helps restore water quality, improve sediment composition, enhance biodiversity, and turn back the clock on your aging lake.
How Does TryMarine Work?
Once TryMarine is applied to the water, early indicators of its effectiveness include surface scum, bubbling, and cloudy water—signs that muck breakdown is underway. Depending on the level of eutrophication, significant improvements in muck composition and depth can be seen within 2 to 6 months. As muck breaks down, lake bottoms transform from slimy messes into sandy surfaces with increased water depth. This transformation of the muck can take a few years, while the improvements to water quality are seen more quickly, such as increased oxygen levels and reduced nutrient concentrations. These changes rejuvenate the ecosystem, better supporting aquatic life and creating clean, safe water for recreational activities. In fact, TryMarine has been consistently shown to decrease nutrients in the water column and bottom sediments by 50% or more.
Before & After TryMarine Application
What Kind of Solution Is TryMarine?
While TryMarine is not an herbicide, algaecide, or nutrient binder, it’s common to see a reduction in undesirable growth; nuisance aquatic weeds and algae are less likely to thrive in environments where water quality is balanced. Additionally, TryMarine holds NSF-60 certification, ensuring it is safe for use in drinking water at doses up to 522 times the standard application rate. While TryMarine delivers impressive water restoration results, traditional water quality management solutions are still valuable. The effectiveness of any approach depends on the specific waterbody, the surrounding environment, management goals, and budget.
As a waterbody owner or manager, maintaining a healthy aquatic environment—both above and below the surface—is one of your top priorities. Is TryMarine the right fit for your waterbody? Contact your Aquatic Expert to learn if TryMarine can restore your lake from the bottom up.
SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty and preserve natural resources.
SOLitude’s team of aquatic scientists specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs. Services include water quality testing and restoration, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, shoreline erosion control, muck and sediment removal and invasive species management. SOLitude partners with homeowners associations, golf courses, private landowners, businesses and municipalities. SOLitude Lake Management is part of Rentokil, a leading business services company, operating across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
For more information, visit SOLitude Lake Management at solitudelakemanagement.com, and connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
