I have recently aquired land with a nely dug pond and have spend the majority of the first year controlling soil run off and erosion. Now I am not an avid fisher but we love the scenery but we have a few issues. The pond is about 1 acre and 1/2 less than 3 ft and the other half no deeper than 6ft. We have thick weeds growing like crazy in the shallow end, tons of frogs, mosquitos and a few ducks and geese have laid claim to the area. Can someone provide me basic information on pond stocking and maintenace that can help control weeds for scenery purposes?

Best answer, and most costly, deepen the pond. Emergent weeds won't grow in deeper water. Next best answer, if you simply want to control weeds, Triploid Grass Carp. They eat weeds. You have to have a permit in order to stock them in most states, but they will keep your pond clean. Finally, stock mosquito fish to keep the mosquito population in check.

If you do want to fish some, add brim and bass.

if you are like me, i asked tons of questions when i first started. everyone is always friendly and helpful. then someone suggested i purchase the books offered at the home page. i purchased "basic pond management", "trophy bass" , and "water weeds and algae" i HIGHLY recommend these books. they will provide you with tons of info, along with what you gather from this web site. also, get some info to from your local conservation service

Tew, regarding Nick's post about triploid grass carp: In PA, you have to get a study done by a state approved pond management type company before you can apply to get a permit for grass carp. One of the requirements is that the grass carp can have no way to get out of your pond and into other waterways. They also want to confirm that the grass carp will eat the type of vegetation that you have. I only lightly pursued the grass carp thing, but stopped when I got fustrated by one "state authorized" firm who was not responsive. I've since located another firm that I'm satisfied with and may pick back up on the grass carp thing next year.

Two free publications that I have found useful are:
Pennsylvania Sports Fish Directory, which is available by mail or PDF at www.pda.state.pa.us
They also list the ph. # 717-783-8462 (for the Aquaculture Coordinator) and ph # 717-866-2461 (for the PA Aquaculture Association)

Management of Fish Ponds in Pennsylvania, which is available for the asking from Penn State. You could call Andrew Shiels at 814-359-5113 as I'm pretty sure he mailed me this publication as well as more details about grass carp in PA.

Hope that helps.

Tewdom - Print and save this for futrue reference. In the "north" with pond depths of 3' to 6' you are always going to have major problems with this pond. It will be one problem after another. You get one solved and another will develop or be created. In our northern states with the significant winters, the shallow water will be a problem for fish to survive during extended snow & ice cover. Michigan univ. extension guidelines say nothern ponds should be 15' deep and depths of 18' to 20' deep are distinctly better to minimize winter kill of fish. They say "depths of 10' to 12' are for southern conditions and are inappropriate for harsh winters in the northern tier of states". So for any kind of decent long term self-sustating fishery your pond is "wanting";; even by 'southern standards'.

The other main problem with shallow ponds is abundant rooted weed and/or heavy "string algae" growth. You are already seeing this problem in a new pond. This is due to nutrient runoff AND too much shallow water with light reaching bottom areas which stimulates the plant growth on the bottom. Deep water minimizes both of these problems.

1. White amur/grass carp may eat lots or all of your current plant growth. BUT approx 80% of what they eat is converted to manure. 2000 lbs of wet plants is converted to abt 1600 to 1800 lbs of manure. This manure is fertility to grow something else which will eventually be very likely something they can't or will not eat. Then what? Next problem. Get good guidence with the grass carp issue. Grass carp can be a tool for your pond and with out them you will need lots and lots of herbicides for your size of pond and its shallow nature.

2. Fish. Stay away from the suggested mosquito fish in the north. They are not good when stocked with native fishes. They are super prolific and can be very predacious on fry of other species. There are many native minnows that will survive pretty well in your pond and provide good if not total control of mosquito larvae. Mosquito fish may have a hard time surving your winters. For suggestions for suggested types of non-sport fish and their availability check with a local naturalist, game warden, high school biology/ecology teacher or good reputable fish bait dealer (bfd). Some bfd's collect their own minnows locally. If you use a bfd I highly recommend you get opinions from at least three of them to get a cross section of opinion and weed out the quacks or less knowledgable ones. You should start to get a fairly good idea after you talk to several of them. The game warden may be helpful for recomendations of knowledgable bait dealers to help you. Bfd's usually need licenses which the local game warden knows bfd locations. You only need a few minnows (50 -300) to initially stock. Their reproduction without predator fish present will quickly supply your pond with abundant minnows. Once you get the names of potential minnows to be stocked I can help you with breeding habits and suitability for stocking into your pond. Just ask for advice.

If the native minnow thing does not work to your satisfaction after several years, sport fish can be stocked and they will quickly grow and reproduce.

If it was my pond and the pond is not already bottomed out on the bedrock, I would get a cost estimate from a good, reputable, experienced, pond builder for draining the 1.5 ac pond, deepening it to proper depths, making it smaller (1.0 to 0.75 ac) and use the dirt from the deepening to fill in the remaining pond. Deepening and downsizing will be cheaper than deepening the whole thing; unless money is no object.

Another option is to "live with" the pond for several years, see if I know what I am talking about and learn about some of the problems it presents. Then deepen it at a later date. A deeper (and maybe smaller) pond will definately be a hole lot easier to take care of.

Ponds like yours in the northern states, I call them "glorified wetlands" which is all they are at a max of 6' deep. Treat it like a wetland, introduce appropriate winter tolerant marginal and underwater attractive plants, and you may be just as happy or more happy than trying to constantly keep it "clean" and weed free.