Welcome to the forums Scott,

I have often thought about raising only HSB and minnows for supplemental feed and using pellet feed as the main source. This is my first year with a stocked pond and the HSB has been an eye opener to what can be done with pellet feed and fish growth. So, take my conversation as just that, it really can not be taken as advise, but I can appreciate you train of thought. If you can successfully sustain the HSB in your swimming pond you can eliminate the nipping problem that common panfish tend to pose. The HSB tend to be pretty nervous and stay away from any activity, but they don't like the heat much, so, be careful about fishing for them during the heat of the summer. Ladder stocking would likely be recommended to wrt HSB. I suppose tilapia might also be an algae control option, but do your research wrt to them because I think they will survive winters in TX and may require special management to suit your goals.

It sounds like a very cool project! Do you have any rhyme or reason with regards to the amount of floating plants that you will be using to improve water clarity? I am currently struggling with estimating how many square feet of water hyacinths it would take to noticeably reduce the nutrient load in my small pond.

Fish on!,
Noel