tj:
I know this won't help much, but in light that he won't be feeding, I wonder if the YP/RES will be a large enough forage base for the SMB/HSB?
Is the pond clay lined, and is he pretty sure that it won't get much shallower due to sediment? Personally, I would like it to be deeper, but that's because I've only had experience with the sandy soils around here which tend to slide to the deepest part of the pond.
