You are at the temperature 'edge'. If you don't get a hot spell you should be okay. Average air temps in the northern states are starting to gradually decline. The only problem that I foresee is if the bottom is anoxic (no DO) and you get a strong inversion. You should not have anoxic bottom water with 5 hrs of daily aeration. Are the diffusers in the deepest part of the pond???. If not maybe move them to the deep zone and gradually replace the bottom water before adding trout. Trout are probably quite sensitive to H2S brought to the surface.
The main problem as I see it is you are flying a plane (raising trout in a marginal habitat) by the "seat of your pants" - without the most important instrument - an altimeter (a way to measure DO). It can be done two ways: 1. use a relatively expensive meter that should be calibrated with each use, 2. chemical tests, relatively low cost but much more time consuming. The chemical tests are often used to check the accuracy of the meters. If you fish for a living IMO you should have a DO meter to determine thermoclines and DO as it relates to the thermocline and fish location esp the cold water species.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 08/14/12 10:10 AM.
