What happened to my reply?
I typed out a whole big message and it's gone?
Anyway, do
not sprinkle
Osmocote into the water, or ANY fertilizer for that matter,
unless you want to grow LOTS of algae.
Try poking a deep hole with a dowl or something, as deep as you can, then pour a couple tablespoons down the hole (yes, use a measuring spoon), then plug the hole up with soil. If it's a pretty big lotus pond, and only lotus, do this dowl hole with Osmocote in a few places, with the holes about 12" apart.