Pond Dye: The Ultimate Guide 2024

Pond dye is used to enhance the natural color and beauty of your landscape, provide a natural pond shade, and improve water quality. This article will help you find the right pond dye for you. Pond dye is best used in conjunction with herbicide and algaecide applications.

Why Use Pond Dye?

There are several reasons to use pond dye:

• A Prettier Look: Ponds, like any body of water, are constantly affected and altered by the environment around them. Pond dye infuses water with a burst of color. Cloudy, brown, or green water transforms into a beautiful and inviting shade of blue or a brilliant, mirror-like black. Pond dye completely revitalizes the aesthetic of a pond and its surrounding environment.
• Helps Control Algae Growth: Another natural growth that can cause your water to turn a sickly color is algae. Lake Restoration dye works by filtering sunlight colors (red-orange and blue-violet) that are known to promote underwater weed and algae growth (critical to photosynthesis). It helps block some of the sun’s rays during those hot days, which can reduce the formation of an algae bloom.
• Promotes a Balanced Ecosystem: Excessive sunlight promotes overgrowth of submerged aquatic plants and algae. Pond dye limits sun exposure, protects fish, and promotes a balanced ecosystem in your pond. It protects fish by keeping the water cooler which allows them to breathe easier during the summer.

Pond Dye Before and After

Here are some pictures of a pond before it was treated with pond dye and after it was treated.

     

Pond Dye Colors 

Our pond dye comes in a variety of colors, including bright blue, deep blue, reflection black, and Sapphire Bay. Bright blue, deep blue, and reflection black pond dyes are all more concentrated, so they are applied using one quart per acre, but Sapphire Bay is applied using one gallon per acre. Here is some information about each of these colors:

Bright blue: Bright blue pond dye is a popular choice for those who want to enhance the natural beauty of their pond. This color can give your pond a bright, vibrant look that is sure to impress. Bright blue is kind of like pool blue, so if you want your pond to look like the swimming hole of your dreams, it is recommended to go with bright blue.

 

Deep blue: Deep blue pond dye is another popular choice for those who want to enhance the natural beauty of their pond. This color can give your pond a deep, rich look that is perfect for those who want a more natural look. Deep blue is our most popular dye.

 

Reflection black: Reflection black pond dye is a great choice for those who want to create a dramatic, moody look in their pond. This color can give your pond a deep, dark look that is perfect for those who want a more dramatic look. This color is often chosen if the pond is in a woody area. Black dye is very reflective, it reflects the natural surroundings of the pond. This black dye will give your pond a bottomless and reflective appearance.

Sapphire Bay: Sapphire Bay pond dye is a great choice for those who want to add a splash of color to their pond without going overboard. It is a Caribbean blue color. This color can give your pond a subtle, natural look that is perfect for those who want a more understated look. Sapphire Bay is comparable to Aquashade.

 

Overall, the color of pond dye you choose will depend on your personal preferences and the look you are trying to achieve. Whether you want a bright, vibrant look or a dark, moody look, there is a pond dye color that is perfect for you.

How to Apply Pond Dye

Lake Restoration offers liquid or powdered pond dye. To apply liquid pond dye to your pond, pour a small amount into several areas of the pond straight out of the bottle. Do not spray or mix the dyes and be careful when applying pond dye because it can spread easily and stain clothes and skin. To apply powdered pond dye packets, open the outer packaging and discard. Toss the inner packet directly into the pond. It will dissolve and the dye will spread.

How Much Pond Dye Do I Need?

One quart of our concentrated dye or one gallon of Sapphire Bay dye covers one acre with a four-foot average depth. If your pond is deeper than four feet, then you will have to use more dye. Pond dye will spread throughout the treatment area by itself within a few hours. If your pond isn’t dark enough after your initial treatment, you can add more dye to your liking.

If you are applying powdered pond dye packets, one packet treats ¼ acre up to four feet deep. Two packets treats ½ acre up to four feet deep, and four packets treats one acre up to four feet deep, etc.

When Should I Dye My Pond?

Applying pond dye in early spring, when the water temperature is below 60° F will help ensure that the dye is evenly distributed throughout the pond. This will also help reduce weed growth by filtering the amount of sunlight that gets to the underwater plants and algae, effectively slowing their growth. We recommend re-applying dye during the season to continue these effects and limit the amount of regrowth.

How Long Does Pond Dye Last?

Pond dye lasts for 30-60 days depending on various factors such as the amount of sunshine or rain your pond gets. It is important to repeat your application sometime within this timeframe to maintain your pond’s appearance.

Is Pond Dye Safe For Fish?

Yes, pond dye is safe for fish, birds, and other wildlife. It is also safe for you and your pets. Plus, it has loads of benefits that go beyond making your water look pretty. It can keep your fish safe in two ways. First, predators that fly above or lurk alongside the pond will not be able to see the fish as easily, giving them time to flee to safety. Second, as temperatures rise, dissolved oxygen levels in the pond are reduced. Pond dye can help to reduce the amount of sunlight that penetrates the water, which can help to keep the water cooler and increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water.

Other Safety Concerns

Treated water may be used for irrigation, swimming, and other recreational activities. If a person wants to swim in a pond, it is recommended to wait 24 hours or so after adding dye before swimming so that the dye can fully resolve.

Further Actions

Keep your pond, lake, or water feature looking its best with a pond dye. To enhance the overall health of your pond and reduce the amount of regrowth, we recommend using one of our Pond Products packages. You will be able to eliminate floating and submerged weeds, reduce the nutrients with SparKlear, clear up remaining algae with Mizzen, and diminish weed growth with our Lake Restoration deep blue pond dye.