Answering FAQs About TryMarine Restore

Lakes and ponds often face significant challenges due to nutrient overload and muck accumulation. Eutrophication is an accelerated aging process of a lake or pond. This occurs when a waterbody becomes inundated with excessive nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, leading to water quality degradation. This nutrient surplus usually stems from agricultural and urban stormwater runoff. The resulting muck—composed of decaying organic matter and sediment—settles at the bottom of the lake, stealing oxygen from the water and creating anoxic bands detrimental to aquatic life. Over time, these issues can severely degrade the ecosystem, reducing biodiversity and making the waterbody unpleasant for recreational use.

TryMarine, a game-changing innovation, targets decaying organic material or “muck” trapped at the bottom to help restore water quality, improve sediment composition, enhance biodiversity, and turn back the clock – rejuvenating your lake.

Want to learn more about TryMarine? Check out the FAQs below:

Question: What is the cost of TryMarine treatment?
Answer: The cost is variable, contingent upon:

• Pond dimensions and average depth.
• Sediment volume and load.
• Treatment objectives (Aggressive vs. gradual restoration or specific desired outcomes).
• Comparison: TryMarine treatments can be less expensive than dredging for restoration. Additionally, they can be a cost-effective alternative when compared to traditional water quality maintenance expenses over the long-term.

Question: What are the permitting requirements for TryMarine usage?
Answer: TryMarine is a non-pesticidal product, exempting it from standard pesticide permitting. Northern states may require permits for non-pesticidal nutrient management; Southern states generally have fewer requirements. It is NSF-60 certified safe for drinking water applications. NSF determined it can be used at 522x the typical dosage while remaining well below EPA compliance limits.

Question: What are the ecological safety considerations for TryMarine?
Answer: TryMarine has undergone extensive toxicological testing. It promotes stable pH and dissolved oxygen levels and does not interfere with native aquatic populations. Third-party labs tested fish, juvenile mussels, minnows, and daphnia; no negative impact was found even at multiples of typical doses. It facilitates ecosystem recovery, often reducing the need for supplemental chemical treatments.

Question: How does TryMarine affect dissolved oxygen levels?
Answer: It enhances oxygen availability by reducing the oxygen demand that comes from the accumulation of excess nutrients, organic material and muck at the bottom of lakes and ponds. It does not release oxygen like peroxide; instead, it reduces oxygen-consuming muck at the bottom. Many case studies show more uniform oxygen levels throughout all water depths after treatment.

Question: What is the largest waterbody treated with TryMarine to date?
Answer: The largest lake treated with TryMarine in the US is a 900-acre section of a larger lake. Plans are underway to expand applications to larger waterbodies. TryMarine is scalable and suitable for large-scale applications. In the past, TryMarine has been successfully applied in larger marshland applications.

Question: Is TryMarine a liquid or a granular, and what’s it made of?
Answer: TryMarine is a patented liquid formulation that is sprayed on the surface. It is designed to accelerate the decomposition of muck and reduce sediment oxygen demand.

Question: Have there been any studies or third-party validation of TryMarine yet?
Answer: Yes. All webinar and case study data is third-party validated. While applied via SOLitude Lake Management, samples are analyzed by independent labs such as Waters Laboratory and Stony Brook University.

Question: How many applications of TryMarine are needed to see results?
Answer: On average, applications occur every other week at a dosage of 0.5 ppm to 2 ppm. Total frequency depends on the length of the growing season (e.g., Florida requires more treatments than New England) and the extent of eutrophication (e.g., a lake with a high nutrient load requires more than one with a moderate load).

Question: How does TryMarine impact the TN:TP ratio?
Answer: By remediating muck, TryMarine speeds up the processing of stored phosphorus by native fauna. This reduces phosphorus over time, raising the TN:TP ratio and fostering a more balanced ecosystem.

Question: Can we go slower over time to fit an annual budget and still receive the same results eventually?
Answer: Yes. TryMarine can be applied at a lower water quality dose over an extended period. A 3-year standard restoration may take 5–6 years at a lower dose. Lower doses are also ideal for maintenance after completing a full restoration or following a mechanical dredge operation, as they can delay or even prevent the need for future dredging.

Question: Does water temperature affect the treatment with TryMarine?
Answer: Yes. Optimal results occur at 55°F or higher. While it can be applied at any temperature, oxygen demand reduction is greatest when the ecosystem is actively processing nutrients during warmer seasons.

Question: How old are the lakes that you’ve applied TryMarine to?
Answer: The lakes featured in the case studies presented were decades old, with some being oxbow lakes along the Mississippi River, which are potentially hundreds or thousands of years old. However, the age of the lake is less critical than its overall health and the condition of the organic matter trapped at the bottom. Water depth, water quality, and the organic load are more significant factors in determining treatment effectiveness.

Question: Would TryMarine work on a lake that is 45% muck?
Answer: TryMarine is effective in treating lakes with varying muck percentages, ranging up to 95%. A sediment test can be conducted to determine the specific muck conditions, which can then be used to tailor the dosage and timeline for restoration. The percentage of organic material present in the muck primarily determines the duration of the restoration process.

Question: What’s recommended for TryMarine application after a three-year restoration?
Answer: Post-restoration management depends on the specific characteristics of the lake, including its inlets, shape, depth and nutrient loading. Options include: continuing a low-dose TryMarine maintenance program to protect the investment made during restoration, returning to previous maintenance practices if they are sufficient, or discontinuing treatments if nutrient inflows subside. The goal is to maintain the improved lake conditions and prevent future degradation. TryMarine is used to jump-start and enhance natural mediation cycles in healthier lakes. The process can often be sustained with very minimal dosages.

Question: Will the presence of quagga or golden mussels affect TryMarine effectiveness?
Answer: The presence of quagga or golden mussels does not impact the effectiveness of TryMarine. TryMarine works by helping resolve high chemical oxygen demand (COD). Mussels, as part of the food web, may benefit from increased food availability resulting from the processing of muck, but they do not hinder TryMarine’s capacity to facilitate natural processes.

Question: How do wind and rain affect a TryMarine application?
Answer: Rain does not significantly impede application, though heavy flushing may reduce efficacy – application before rain is preferred. Wind can enhance distribution.

Question: Where does the phosphorus that leaves the water and sediment go following treatment?
Answer: It is utilized by the food web. Higher oxygen levels allow organisms to process phosphorus out of the muck and incorporate it into the expanding natural biological cycle.

Question: Does TryMarine increase the risk of lake bottom turnover?
Answer: No, it helps mitigate it. Turnover risks (which cause fish kills) happen in oxygen-depleted water. TryMarine gradually improves oxygen conditions, stabilizing the ecosystem and reducing the likelihood of turnover events over time.

Question: Are there restrictions for water use on an all-sports lake when using TryMarine?
Answer: There are no restrictions with TryMarine applications. Because it is NSF-60 certified, activities like swimming, water skiing, boating, fishing, and irrigation can continue without interruption during or after application.

Question: Should you pair TryMarine with other proactive tools like aeration?
Answer: There is a strong synergy here. Aeration can enhance mixing and accelerate TryMarine activation. In heavily degraded lakes, TryMarine can actually restore the capacity of an aeration system to function effectively.

Question: How does TryMarine affect sediment density?
Answer: Initially, muck density may decrease, causing a temporary perceived increase in sediment volume as organic matter loosens. Over time, as decomposition progresses and sediment consolidates, overall muck volume is reduced and water capacity increases.

Question: Does TryMarine reduce both inorganic and organic muck?
Answer: It primarily breaks down organic muck. TryMarine primarily targets leaves, dead plant and animal material, fertilizer run-off, yard waste, and animal waste. Materials like clay may be partially incorporated into the food web. Sand and other inorganic materials are not directly impacted.

Question: If you start treating in one area, but don’t expand to the entire lake, will muck from the untreated areas shift into treated areas?
Answer: When treating a portion of a lake, there is a potential for muck from untreated areas to shift into treated areas due to gravity and water movement. However, the muck that moves is still processed by TryMarine, resulting in a positive impact on the overall ecosystem. The benefits of treatment extend beyond the immediate application area, as the improved conditions support natural processes throughout the lake. It has been observed that continuing treatments, even at low doses, can help maintain the natural capacity of the lake to process internal or external muck sources.

Question: Where does the silt end up after treatment?
Answer: Silt, which is a component of muck, if liberated from compacted sediment by TryMarine treatment, will be processed by the natural food web. The organic matter within the silt is broken down and assimilated into the food web, while sand and inorganic materials are left behind. Third-party collected data evidences this transformation of sediment, with sand sometimes increasing by 20-40% as a component, while silt and muck dissipate.

Question: If over time with TryMarine the sand increases, is it easier or cheaper to remove sand for deeper boat access?
Answer: Following a TryMarine treatment, the percentage of sand in the sediment may increase as organic matter is decomposed. This can potentially reduce the cost of dredging, as there will be less material to remove. However, the need for sand removal depends on the specific goals for the lake. A sediment sample can be taken to determine the composition of the sediment and inform decisions regarding dredging.  Keep in mind that TryMarine treatments tend to significantly increase depth and water volume – sometimes as much as 2-3 feet!  This happens because as layers of muck are processed out, lower layers can then be processed. In a recent treatment at Stony Brook University, some sections were 2 feet deeper, and overall, after 5 months of treatment, the lake’s overall water volume, as precisely measured by drones, increased by 22%.

Question: What’s the advantage of using TryMarine over using beneficial bacteria?
Answer: TryMarine can be more optimal than “beneficial bacteria” because the right microbes are already present in every lake—the problem is that the environment isn’t supporting them. When oxygen or pH levels make the sediment inhospitable, added bacteria simply die off or stay dormant. TryMarine balances the environment so the existing microbial community can thrive.

Question: Can TryMarine be used in flowing water, canals, or brackish water?
Answer: Yes. It is completely scalable, and salinity does not impact efficacy. For high-flow areas, the site is modeled as a larger waterbody to determine dosage adjustments.

Question: Can TryMarine be used in combination with reactive tools like herbicides and algaecides?
Answer: There is also strong synergy with herbicides and peroxide-based algaecides. TryMarine helps to accelerate the decomposition of the dead material produced by herbicidal treatment, and therefore minimizes the risk of a severe drop in dissolved oxygen associated with these treatments. Copper-based algaecides are not recommended to be used at the same time as TryMarine.

Question: How does TryMarine treatment compare with mechanical dredging?
Answer: TryMarine reduces muck and therefore can increase water depth. It does not remove a buildup of inert substances like sand and rocks. TryMarine treatment can be more cost-effective, gradual, and less disruptive than mechanical dredging.