Calcis Liquid Pond Lime 2.5 gallons

Simplify liming a pond with Calcis, a liquid lime additive. Calcis is used to improve carbonate hardness in ponds.

5 gallons of Calcis is equivalent to 1 ton of quality agricultural lime

Liquid Lime Application Rate

Apply 2 gallons per acre-foot of water to increase Alkalinity/Carbonate Hardness by 10 mg/l

Calculate how much pond lime I need

What is the purpose of Calcis?

Calcis increases water hardness & alkalinity. Adequate hardness & alkalinity levels reduce harmful pH fluctuations.

When should Calcis be used?

Use Calcis in fishing ponds with low alkalinity. *

*Water Testing is recommended prior to pond lime treatment. Treatment rates are based on current alkalinity & desired alkalinity.

What is Alkalinity?

Alkalinity is an important measure of the capacity of a body of water to neutralize or buffer acids, & is expressed in terms of milligrams per liter or parts per million calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It is essential for good pond productivity, with a desirable range for fish culture between 75 & 200 mg/L CaCO3. Carbonates & bicarbonates are generally the major contributors to alkalinity, which is produced primarily when carbon dioxide (CO2) interacts with water & limestone. Rainwater absorbs atmospheric CO2 as it falls to the earth, becoming naturally acidic & lowering its pH. Similarly, well water has high levels of CO2 due to bacterial processes in soils & underground mineral formations, resulting in low pH & oxygen concentrations.

As ground- or rainwater moves over & through soil containing calcitic limestone or dolomitic limestone, the acidity caused by CO2 dissolves the limestone, forming calcium & magnesium bicarbonate salts that raise alkalinity levels as well as pH & hardness. The products of this reaction are calcium hydrogencarbonate (CaHCO3), magnesium hydrogencarbonate (MgHCO3), calcium bicarbonate (Ca(HCO3)2), magnesium bicarbonate (Mg(HCO3)2), calcium carbonate (CaCO3) or magnesium carbonate (MgCO3). These chemicals act like sponges, absorbing hydrogen ions from acids before they can lower the pH too drastically, creating a more stable environment for aquatic life.

What does lime do for a pond?

Adding lime to a pond improves conditions for fish & other aquatic life. Liming a pond improves fish growth & reproduction. Lime improves water quality which improves overall fish health.

Another lessor known reason for liming is improved pond treatment effectiveness. Ponds with low pH & alkalinity may see limited results from some herbicides/algaecides as well as beneficial bacteria treatments.

How to lime a pond

1. Know your pond's alkalinity & estimated water volume before application
2. Use the Calculator below to determine how much lime is needed - On average, 1 ton or more of agricultural lime is required per acre (5 gallons of Calcis is equivalent to 1 ton of QUALITY agricultural lime)
3. Pour Calcis throughout pond or in areas with greatest amount of flow
4. Retest alkalinity 1 week after application to ensure levels are adequate
5. Frequency of application is dependent on run off, inputs, rainfall, replenishment from water well, etc.

Calcis vs Agricultural Limestone

Calcis is produced from the highest quality lime. Other bulk lime may or may not be of equal quality. Calcis is in liquid form making it easy to apply & produces faster results.

Agricultural lime comes in powder form. To ensure distribution, powdered lime needs to be distributed throughout the entire pond.

Why is Pond Lime Important to Water Quality?

1. To Raise & buffer the pH

One of the primary reasons why pond liming is important is that it can help to raise & stabilize the pH of the water. The pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is, & water with a higher pH is less likely to be affected by pollutants. 

The quality of water in fish ponds is an important factor for the health & productivity of the pond inhabitants. In order to maintain optimal conditions, it is essential to monitor a range of chemical components that are interrelated & can have a significant impact on various aspects of the environment. Alkalinity, pH, & hardness are all key parameters to consider when assessing the water quality of a pond. These values should be monitored regularly as they can fluctuate or cycle daily & also change over time depending upon the mineral content of the surrounding environment. A regular analysis of these chemical components will ensure that fish ponds are maintained at ideal levels for optimal health, growth & productivity.

In addition to water quality, the oxygen availability of a pond is also important for fish health & productivity. Dissolved oxygen levels can be affected by several factors such as temperature, pH, alkalinity & turbidity. High temperatures reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen available in the water while lower temperatures increase it. The pH level will have an impact on both the solubility of oxygen & the toxicity of ammonia. Alkalinity can help buffer against swings in pH while turbidity affects how much light is able to penetrate the water, which then impacts photosynthesis by aquatic plants & thus dissolved oxygen availability.

2. To Improve Fish Health & Growth

Pond liming can also increase fish growth rates by raising the pH of the water, making it easier for fish to absorb nutrients from their food. Additionally, a higher pH can also help to reduce stress levels in fish further improving growth rates. 

Fish thrive in an optimal pH range between 6.5 & 8.5, & any alkaline values above 9.2 or acidic values below 4.8 can be damaging & even deadly to fish such as brown trout or rainbow trout.

Low pH levels are often prevalent during the spring months, especially when snow melts & releases acidified water, or in areas where peat bogs have drained into streams or ponds. High alkaline values can occur in eutrophic (nutrient-rich) reservoirs because of the high rate of photosynthesis by green plants such as blue-green algae, higher aquatic plants, etc., which take up significant amounts of carbon dioxide from surrounding waters with medium alkalinity levels.

The pH balance of a body of water can also be affected by mineral acids or hydroxides leeching from other sources, or from acidic or alkaline substances being discharged into rivers & lakes. Fish possess a natural defense against extreme pH levels, which involves them producing increased amounts of mucus that can be seen externally on their skin & gill covers. However, if the pH level is too high or low, it can cause damage to their tissues, particularly the gills.

In addition to creating an optimal environment for fish to live in, pH is also important in determining the toxicity of other substances such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, cyanides & heavy metals on fish. Therefore, monitoring & maintaining a balanced (buffered) pH level is essential for preventing serious health implications for fish living in artificial bodies of water.

In ponds & lakes with heavy plant & algae populations, CO2 generated by respiration at night can drive severe pH fluctuations over a 24 hour period.  The fluctuating pH creates other water quality changes & can result in significant stress for aquatic life.  When high rates of photosynthesis are occurring, it is especially important to buffer the water using lime or Calcis to prevent rapid pH swings. 

Alkalinity & Pond Productivity

By raising alkalinity levels above 20 milligrams per liter (mg/L), CO2 concentration is trapped & made available for photosynthesis, which increases the productivity of phytoplankton in a given body of water. As such, maintaining an alkalinity level above 20 mg/L supports optimal phytoplankton growth & helps sustain good pond fertility overall.

 Phytoplankton are tiny single-cell aquatic plants, most of which are microscopic or near-microscopic in size. These organisms play a critical role in the environment of ponds by contributing to photosynthesis & primary productivity, as well as maintaining oxygen levels. 

Calcium Hardness & Fish Health

Calcium & magnesium are indispensable elements in the biological processes of fish, such as the formation of bones & scales, blood clotting, & other metabolic reactions. Fish can get calcium & magnesium from their food or from the water itself. Of all the divalent salts present in pond water, calcium is one of the most critical components; this is because its presence helps to minimize the loss of other essential minerals like sodium & potassium through osmotic leakage from fish body fluids. Sodium & potassium are both vital for heart, nerve & muscle function in fish. Experiments have revealed that adequate levels of free calcium in culture water also facilitate the re-absorption of lost salts by fish. Different species may require various concentrations of calcium hardness; for instance, red drum & striped bass will show better survival rate with a higher concentration (i.e., between 40 – 100 mg/L). In addition, rainbow trout can withstand low calcium levels if pH levels are above 6.5 (10 mg/L being a minimum level). To guarantee optimal health conditions for aquatic life, it is best to match the calcium concentration in their surrounding environment with that found in their blood (100 mg/L as CaCO3 hardness). We recommend testing for calcium hardness in pond water before introducing any species into them. Apart from promoting healthy development through proper mineral balance inside the bodies of certain fish species, having an optimal level of environmental calcium also helps to conserve energy otherwise used to re-absorb lost salts. Consequently, making sure that fish are living in the right environment with adequate levels of calcium is very important in order to ensure good growth rates & improved survival. 

Improve Water Clarity

Pond liming also helps to improve water clarity by reducing the suspended particles in the water. Suspended particles come from a variety of sources, including algae, dirt, & debris. By raising the pH level of the water, pond liming can help to coagulate these particles so that they settle out of the water & improve its clarity.

Enhance Plant Growth

Pond liming can also help to enhance plant growth. Aquatic plants require certain nutrients in order to grow properly, & these nutrients are often more available in water with a higher pH level. Additionally, the calcium present in limestone can help to improve plant health & encourage strong root growth.

*We typically respond to detailed calculation requests within 1 business day.