Not what I wanted to hear, but appreciate the honesty. I'm new to the subdivision and apparently the developer went belly up in the mid to late 90s before the HOA could take legal action.

The entire pond may be too shallow, but the only areas that really suffer from surface algae (after chemical treatment) is the south end. We plan on dredging the south end to be more consistent with the rest of the pond.

Some comments/questions for Bill/esshup and others:
- We've been told by several pond vendors that fountains are not the answer because they will get clogged (and burn out) due to the shallow nature of the ponds and excess algae.

-What type of fountain/agitator would you recommend if aeration isn't a viable option?

- Specifically, two vendors recommended the Airmax shallow water system. This product still won't help?

- What would the aluminum sulfate and/or tilapia do to help the pond? Is it just to control algae growth?

- Based on only a quick google search, it seems tilapia is legal to stock in Michigan. Where is best place to purchase? Could I eliminate chemical treatments with tilapia alone?

- What are you opinions on barley straw being used to limit algae growth?

- Should I be doing water tests on the pond to ensure it isn't a chemical cesspool? If so, what type of tests do you recommend?

Thanks again for all the advice -- great forum!