Welcome to join us at Dive Stop March 14

[theskull]

The Y-Kiki Divers Fun Dive group will be diving The Dive Stop in New Melle on Sunday, March 14.

Anyone is welcome to join us, and buddies will be available if you need one. Only obligation is to pay your own quarry entry fee.

theskull

[skdvr]

Only obligation is to pay your own quarry entry fee.

theskull

WHAT! Why wont you pay for everyone???

I may try to make it out there...

Phil

[b1gcountry]

I think I'll be up for it too. Especially if Bill's paying!

[theskull]

Bill will pay for all the deco gas you need! LOL.

[b1gcountry]

Awesome, so how much He is everyone else using?

I was thinking about going with 21/.035

[theskull]

Awesome, so how much He is everyone else using?

I was thinking about going with 21/.035

Me, too. Air -- breakfast of champions!

theskull

[BLU DIVER]

You know I was thinking about these local quarries. Do you think adding some Mussels or other types of filter feeders would help clear up the water? Last Memorial Day weekend we found this area in Dive Stop that was almost a black out. You couldn't see anything around you, we found out where the bottom was located by sticking our hands in the gelatin bottom and I almost swam into the rock wall. I thought maybe it was just me......until my buddy commented on the black out.

[skdvr]

You know I was thinking about these local quarries. Do you think adding some Mussels or other types of filter feeders would help clear up the water? Last Memorial Day weekend we found this area in Dive Stop that was almost a black out. You couldn't see anything around you, we found out where the bottom was located by sticking our hands in the gelatin bottom and I almost swam into the rock wall. I thought maybe it was just me......until my buddy commented on the black out.

The "Deep Hole" there is really quite nasty. It is almost always Black in there. I have been in there a couple of times that it was decently clear but most of the time there is no point in going in there.

As far as Zebra Muscles go here is a quote for a guy on the Scuba Toys Forum who happens to be a muscle biologist.

I think I could write a paper on this but I will keep it as short and to the point as I can here.

Some have mentioned the possibility of bivalves as a possible solution for helping to clean the water and improve visibility. This is probably a long shot as mussels are problematic and require certain water quality parameters dealing with temp, pH, flow, seasonal changes, certain fish species and available food sources.

It would take considerable research to identify any body of water as a possible suitable habitat for mussel life. If the conditions existed mussels would probably be there already.

Then there is the need for the mussel(s) chosen to be able to reproduce naturally. After all you would want a self sustaining population to save you bucks. This is problematic in that a native mussel must have a fish host, usually of a paticular species in order to complete its life cycle. While there are several mussel species that are better suited to ponds, lakes and quarries in this case the fish host must be present for them to reproduce and sustain a viable population. Couple that with the amount of time it takes to get a popuation started and you can see the tip of the iceburg.

Water quality issues are another can of worms, if you are in an area with acid mine drainage this is a big problem for you and a bigger problem for the mussels.

Mussels are filter feeders and in the process of filtering they collect phytoplankton, zooplanton, detirus, bacteria and other microrganisms. If these organisms are not there in suitable quantaties the point is mute from the start as the mussels will starve.

In many states you need special permits to even attempt such an undertaking or for that matter possess even a dead shell fragment.

Before someone mentions Zebra mussels as a possible solution let me tell you a little about these critters. Zebs, as we call them, are of a European variety and not native, they do not require a fish host but still require suitable conditions and again would probably already be there. That's the good news.

This invasive species is a big problem economically as they have what is called byssus threads that they use to attach themselves to any and all hard surfaces creating big financial problems for industry, water plants, etc. as their numbers become so great that they block intake and outlet pipes and must be physically removed.

They also become so thickly attached to the outer surfaces of native mussels that they are known to actually choke out the natives by filtering all available food from the water before the native can filter it.

Again you are beginning to see the tip of the iceburg.

Well you say, so what, they are contained in my quarry and are not hurting any industry or native mussel population. WRONG.

Zebs are very resilient and spread easily. It is recommended that a person who has been in zebra infested water either allow any and all surfaces that have touched the water to be completely dried out for several days or decontaminated. Decontamination stations are used in some areas and are expensive to maintain in themselves. I sometimes have to decontaminate my equipment several times a week as the nature of my works requires me to be in many infested and unifested waters reguarly.

Live zebs or their veligers (babies) can be transported and moved from one body of water to the next on any equipment that has touched contaminated water even if you can't see them. BC bladders is a good place that may not be dry. They can even be spread on the feet of birds and ducks from one body of water to the next.

In short, if you have a Zebra mussel population and many people moving in and out of your quarry you have a big responsibility to do your part not to allow these "monsters" to spread.

Phil

[BLU DIVER]

Yeah, the article posted sums up what I read online. I had already known about Zebs being problematic. After seeing the dense layers of Zebs on the shipwrecks in Lake Michigan, they do attach themselves to just about every impermeable surface. You would think there would be a natural way of (improving) water clarity.
Dive Stop has a lot of potential, obviously it may never be a deep diving destination. Being close to the STL metro area and the property that surrounds the quarry could be developed into an exceptional recereational diving locale. Hopefully, over time Dive Stop will continue to transform itself to those of Mermet and Haigh quarries. The grounds, more fish and u/w attractions etc...

[theskull]

Peg was at Dive Stop with students yesterday, and reported water temp of 43 F and vis of 15 ft. The website is outdated and still reporting some ice on the water--not true.

---

There ARE ways of making the water clearer, but it costs $, and Dive Stop is not bringing in a lot of revenue yet. The water can be treated with flocculants, algae biocides, and some newer technology of biologicals that digest the silt. Glenn at Mermet does some of these when things are getting "close" in his quarry.

theskull

[b1gcountry]

Also, Haigh has zebra/quagga mussels, and it doesn't help visibility at all there.

Tom

[BLU DIVER]

On the bright side....the lack of viz adds to the adventure!

[theskull]

On the bright side....the lack of viz adds to the adventure!

Fer sure fer sure. If quarries had 100 ft. vis, you'd make one dive, say, "that was cool" and never go back--you'd have enjoyed the entire experience at once rather than earning it 10 feet at a time.

theskull

[scububa]

Fer sure fer sure. If quarries had 100 ft. vis, you'd make one dive, say, "that was cool" and never go back--you'd have enjoyed the entire experience at once rather than earning it 10 feet at a time.

theskull

Yeah, nothing like a bunch of good viz to screw up a dive :-D

[b1gcountry]

I'm planning on showing up, Who else is gonna be there? A buddy of mine is going to come along too...Randy.
Tom

[skdvr]

I am pretty sure that I am going to be there.

[theskull]

I have received a dozen RSVPs by email. Will be fun.

theskull

[hudson]

Well, if it's gonna be a party guess I'll have to skip the traffic-cone-fest and show up.

[DeepDiverBob]

I'm out....

[theskull]

Well, we had a dozen fun divers show up for the Dive Stop "Festival", which went smoothly -- meaning all equipment failures got solved through creative repairs or borrowing -- and had a good time diving on a cold rainy day.

Water temp was 39 F, and vis was mostly about 15 ft. I saw 2 fish, but I believe there are more living there. ;)

theskull

[skdvr]

I had a good time out there. I got my first sidemount dive in although it was pretty short because of a dryglove that decided to be a wet glove. After I got home I realized that I had my wetgloves in my gear box and could have just switched to them.

Phil