Go slow - you are on the right track. See MSU link below for more on lime and Fertilization and mgt. Post is from a recent one on production.
Here is some good basic info from The MS Pond Mgt book. It was developed by the Ext service (Universities) Fisheries Science programs. Many decades ago the first scientists started doing experiments on pond production. They would take a clean pond , add fish , manage the water (feed/fertilize etc. ) for a time period and then seine/drain the pond and measure the results. This was replicated thousands of times by different University programs for food production purposes and the results shared , tested and retested. Literally hundreds of published studies using these concepts exist. That plus aquacultures’ continued use of the data/concepts for food production have provided good general guidelines like those below.
Link --
http://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/publications/p1428_0.pdf TO FERTILIZE OR NOT
TO FERTILIZE?
The decision of whether to fertilize a
fishing pond should be considered very
carefully. Proper fertilization significantly
increases the total weight of fish produced in
a pond, often by as much as three to four
times. But there are many reasons not to fertilize,
including potential water quality issues,
high expense, and the fact that it is a
long-term commitment. Consider the following
when making your decisions.
Fertilizer stimulates growth of microscopic
plants, called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton forms
the base of the food chain, and small animals eat
these small plants and serve as food for bream,
which in turn are eaten by bass. Phytoplankton
makes the water turn green, or “bloom,” which also
shades the bottom and discourages growth of troublesome
aquatic weeds.
Most ponds should not be fertilized. If only
a few people fish a larger pond, it does not necessarily
need fertilization to have good fishing. But in a
heavily fished pond, proper fertilization produces
the best fishing. Fertilization significantly increases
the total weight of fish produced in a pond, increasing the number of fish that need to be harvested. In
fertilized ponds, increase harvest as needed to control populations.
FEEDING
You do not normally have to feed fish in a healthy
bream and bass pond to produce good crops of fish.
Natural food organisms are typically abundant
enough to feed fish. But you can increase growth
of bluegill with a supplemental feeding program.
Bluegill readily accept feed and can be attracted
quickly to feeding areas.
. Here are some points to consider
about feeding:
•Feed at the same time and place each day.
•Use floating feed, with a pellet size small enough
to be easily eaten.
•Never feed more than the fish will eat in 5 to 10
minutes. Keep in mind that uneaten feed may
pollute the water.
•If fish quit eating, stop feeding for a few days.
Watch for signs of disease.
•Do not feed in very cold or very hot water.
•Reduce the feeding rate as winter approaches to
about one-fourth of the feed rate of the previous
summer.
•Automatic feeders give good growth results
where small ponds are unattended for long
periods.
•Do not try to feed fish up to large sizes without
some harvest to reduce the number of fish. Otherwise,
crowded large fish may become diseased
and die.
Following these simple rules will provide good
growth rates while minimizing the risks of deteriorating
water quality.