Okay, so I finally tried the Healthy Ponds blue granules after years of using liquid dyes. Here's the real tea:

• First impression: The resealable jug is handy, but pouring granules feels oddly medieval compared to liquid bottles. Dissolving takes FOREVER unless you premix in warm water (learned that the hard way).

• Color payoff: Day 1 looked like someone dropped a Smurf in my pond – super intense! But by Day 3, it faded to a patchy turquoise. Had to add extra scoops (contradicting the "treats 1.7M gallons" claim).

• Fish safety: Zero issues here! My koi and water lilies didn’t even blink. Big plus over some cheaper dyes I’ve tried.

• Value verdict: If you have a tiny pond, liquid dyes might be cheaper. But for my 2-acre monster? These granules last way longer despite the initial hassle.

Pro tip: Stir it into a bucket of pond water first unless you want blue speckled rocks for weeks!