Understanding the amount of bentonite required for a pond
Let me take, as an example, a 20 ft x 20 ft farm pond with a maximum depth of 6 ft. Using our Bentonite Calculator we obtain a Pond Area of 1,024 sqft.
Now, depending on the type of soil of your pond, you can require anywhere from 2 lb/sqft to 5 lbs/sqft.
BENTONITE REQUIRED PER SOIL TYPE
(Based on a maximum depth and considering water pressure of 7.5 feet’s)
| Type Of Soil | Bentonite required |
|---|---|
| Rock or Gravel | 5 lbs per sqft |
| Sand Soil | 4 lbs per sqft |
| Silt Soil | 3 lbs per sqft |
| Clay Soil | 2 lbs per sqft |
*Reference values only: Please keep in mind these are average values and your particular needs may differ from the ones in these table*
Why is it important to know this before you find
where to buy bentonite clay for ponds?
So, best-case scenario, you will need 2,000 lbs of bentonite. Worst case scenario, you will need 10,000 lbs of bentonite. And that’s only for a 20ft by 20ft, with a 6 ft depth. (Not really huge, tbh).
As you can see, even for “not so big” ponds, you will require several thousand pounds of bentonite. Before you panic, let me tell you bentonite is an inexpensive product. So, when buying bentonite as pond sealant, you need to be looking for bulk bentonite suppliers or, in other words, a bentonite wholesaler.
Buy from someone that can offer you considerable amounts at a very competitive price. A bentonite wholesaler will be able to provide you better pricing because of the volume of material you will be purchasing and in many cases, can also take care of transportation and delivery for you.
What should I look for in a bulk bentonite supplier?
When looking for a bulk bentonite clay supplier, try to find a wholesaler with various packing presentations. Analyze each packing option carefully, as the pricing may be affected by the presentation. Usually, super sacks have the lowest cost, but you will need to make sure you can handle them properly when they arrive at your property, to avoid logistical complications. Bags may be easier to handle by hand if you don’t have any equipment, but they can also be more expensive due to the packing cost.
Look for a bentonite wholesaler that delivers nationwide. Although delivery isn’t usually an issue in the twenty-first century, make sure they are very clear about the packing, delivery process, and reception process on your end. They share the expertise with you on how to apply the bentonite pond sealer. You don’t want a wholesaler to deliver the bentonite to your address and then leave you to research how to apply it. In my experience, 90% of the success of using bentonite as a pond sealer is knowing how to apply it to your particular pond situation effectively. You want a bulk bentonite supplier that can walk you through each step of the way and that can answer any questions you may have during the process, especially if you choose to do it yourself.
Bulk bentonite supplier packing sizes available
Bulk bentonite pond sealer is usually available from wholesalers in the following packaging sizes:
50 lbs
Plastic Bucket
5-gallon buckets, filled with 50 lbs of bentonite per bucket. A pallet holds 30 buckets, and a truckload contains 18 pallets, which equals 27,000 lbs of bentonite.
50 lbs
Paper Bag
Brown paper bag holding 50 lbs of bentonite. A pallet has 50 bags, and a whole truckload contains 18 pallets, which equals 900 bags or 45,000 lbs of bentonite.
100 lbs
Paper Bag
Brown paper bag holding 100 lbs of bentonite. A pallet holds 25 bags, and a full truckload contains 18 pallets, which equals 450 bags or 45,000 lbs of bentonite.
3000 lbs
Super Sack
The super sacks usually come with straps to be able to lift them and with a discharge valve at the bottom that quickly unties, to pour the bentonite into the desired area.
Most bentonite wholesale suppliers will allow you to order a partial truckload (less-than-truckload) as well as by full truckload.
Less-than-truckload
To order a partial truckload, consider each pallet holds 2,500 lbs of product, and a super sack holds 3,000 lbs, make sure you order in multiples of those.
Full Truckload
Each full truckload holds 45,000 lbs of bulk bentonite in any presentation, except for the 50 lbs bucket, which has only 27,000 lbs. Mostly resellers require this presentation (the 50 lbs bucket).
Why trust Lonestar Minerals to be your bulk bentonite supplier?
With Lonestar Minerals you can expect competitive pricing, extensive expertise, great quality product and turnkey service.
Lonestar Minerals is a company with over 50 years of history and experience. Over time, we have increased our expertise and, using our knowledge from many years in the field, we have developed our special mix of grain sizes (we call it the mix-mesh) to be more efficient than a single grain size bentonite pond liner.
We have the expertise of applying bentonite to seal your pond and, more importantly, we are willing to share it with you. Whether you want to do it yourself or trust us to do it for you, we are always willing to walk you through the process and answer any questions you may have.
