Dropped My Jaw

[Gene]

I recently bought a name brand clay that wasn't on the market when I was doing my test and analysis of the other brands.

The first thing I do before sending it to the lab is a physical test to see how well it goes into suspension. I use about 6 oz. of water in a small glass, add 1 teaspoon of the clay and then swirl the water in the glass after which I let it stand overnight.

When I did that test I discovered to my surprise that it is a sodium (swelling) bentonite. I also did the same test with my clay and took pictures to show the difference.

Just be careful with the clay you put into your ponds and be sure it is a calcium bentonite and not sodium bentonite unless you have a mud pond and need to seal a leak.
I’ll not post the name brand of the clay since it comes from a large company and they could possibly cause me some grief.

You can see in the photo the one on the right has almost filled the glass and where it touched the sides of the glass it stuck. When I empty the glasses the one with sodium will most likely be difficult to clean.

Gene

[mplskoi]

Gene,
When adding clay to a pond, if you have an RDF, do you recommend by passing the RDF for a few hours? It seems that your clay is so fine that it would pass right thru an RDF unless it had adhered to something.

[jimfish98]

Gene,
When adding clay to a pond, if you have an RDF, do you recommend by passing the RDF for a few hours? It seems that your clay is so fine that it would pass right thru an RDF unless it had adhered to something.

I don't. I just sprinkle the clay in with my food and it coats it. Some stays in the water and the rest is ingested by the fish. I have a zakki sieve leading to my RDF. I have never had an issue where the screen on either clogs from the clay.

[audioenvy]

I'm sorry I can't follow which one is which. Don't you WANT a clay that will adhere to everything rather than just sinking to the bottom?

[Gene]

Gene,
When adding clay to a pond, if you have an RDF, do you recommend by passing the RDF for a few hours? It seems that your clay is so fine that it would pass right thru an RDF unless it had adhered to something.

As stated by jimfish98, there is no need to bypass the RDF.

I'm sorry I can't follow which one is which. Don't you WANT a clay that will adhere to everything rather than just sinking to the bottom?

No, you do not. You want toxins to adhere to the microscopic clay particles when they disperse into the pond water and sink to the bottom and that will easily pass through pumps or anything else when picked up by bottom drains or vacuums. That's what calcium bentonite does whereas sodium will adhere to anything. It will also clump which seals any chance of it collecting toxins. How much sodium bentonite swells, or sticks depends on each individual source. Some will only double in size, but others will swell many times its original size when wet. There was one other clay I tested back in 2003 that had swelled so much by the next morning there was no visible water left in the glass, only a mound of clay. I had to use a spoon to dig it out and then use a scrubbing pad to get it off the sides and bottom of the glass. I wouldn't want that to get inside my pump.

The glass on the left was my clay which is a calcium bentonite. The one on the left is the other brand and it is a sodium bentonite.

All the other major brands I tested were truly calcium bentonite.

[kimini]

Unless the bags are clearly labeled with the chemical makeup, this post is of no value without naming the product.

[Gene]

Unless the bags are clearly labeled with the chemical makeup, this post is of no value without naming the product.

My only point of this post was to caution everyone to be careful of the type of clay they used in their pond. It does not matter what the brand or chemical makeup is.

[stephen]

My only point of this post was to caution everyone to be careful of the type of clay they used in their pond. It does not matter what the brand or chemical makeup is.

Gene, As you well know, some of the world's best bentonite clay comes from Wyoming, USA. For mud pond sealing one would want to use the Sodium Bentonite, if needed. I brought in, I think, 70,000 pounds from their mines for one of my mud ponds 10 years ago. I believe you and I discussed it back then.

Calcium Bentonite is what one would want to use in non-mud ponds!

[Gene]

Gene, As you well know, some of the world's best bentonite clay comes from Wyoming, USA. For mud pond sealing one would want to use the Sodium Bentonite, if needed. I brought in, I think, 70,000 pounds from their mines for one of my mud ponds 10 years ago. I believe you and I discussed it back then.

Calcium Bentonite is what one would want to use in non-mud ponds!

Ah yes, the good old days!

[Gene]

Gene, As you well know, some of the world's best bentonite clay comes from Wyoming, USA. For mud pond sealing one would want to use the Sodium Bentonite, if needed. I brought in, I think, 70,000 pounds from their mines for one of my mud ponds 10 years ago. I believe you and I discussed it back then.

Calcium Bentonite is what one would want to use in non-mud ponds!

Ah yes, the good old days!