Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Warm Water vs. Cool Water Carrying Capacity

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Ponds in the North have cooler water on average. Cooler water has the capacity to carry more oxygen than warm water. So if the pond has good CO2/Oxygen exchange at the surface (wind) and supplemental aeration making all of the pond's water volume usable by the fish its fish carrying capacity is more than an identical pond in Florida. The difference is growing season. The Northern fish don't have a long growing season. However these fish live longer which makes up for it. Think of it as an engine running at 2500 RPM.

Ponds in the South have warmer water on average. The warmer the water the less capacity it has to carry oxygen. So if the pond has good CO2/Oxygen exchange at the surface (wind) and supplemental aeration making all of the pond's water volume usable by the fish its fish carrying capacity is less than an identical pond in Michigan. The difference is growing season. The Southern fish have a long growing season. However these fish have a shorter lifespan due to increased metabolism caused by the warmer water. Think of it as an engine running at 5000 RPM.

Make sense?

But, if you take LMB for example, the days where the water temp is in their optimum growth range it is pretty much the same in Texas and in the Midwest.

Optimal
temperature for growth of adult bass ranges from
24 – 30°C (Mohler 1966, Coutant 1975, Brungs
and Jones 1977, Carlander 1977 as cited in Stuber
et al. 1982).

But I think that water that it too warm stresses the fish more than water that is too cold, so I think your RPM analogy is correct.

At some point varying between species cold water slows their metabolism to the point they easily survive for a long period of time from the fat/energy stored in their liver.

I have seen the effects of very warm water many times in an aquarium when the heater contacts stick in the on position. Its like they are on speed. They eat more, are much more active, aggressive fish become hyper aggressive etc.. If it exceeds the range that they can tolerate it kills them.

The average temperature in Miami in July is 85 so its at the very top of the LMB's range. I am sure south Texas is similar.

I came home from being gone all weekend to a single baby softshell turtle that was alive in the 50 gal aquaruim. Water temp was warm enough that it killed all the tropical fish. It didn't smell too good when I walked into the house either.....

Dead fish are bad. Dead turtles are worse! lol

I hope some others weigh in on this topic.

The analogy is correct. It is also the reason why Southern bass can overeat their food supply of bluegills and become stunted due to bass fecundity and a longer growing season. We have to cull pretty heavily in private ponds. OTOH, the reverse happens up North with the resulting over supply of bluegills and a generally larger bass at the same ages.

Dave, does that mean that me living right here in the middle between north and south will have the perfect balance? So my BG/LMB should balance out perfecty?

Don't burst my bubble too bad. Be gentile.

Now you are starting to stumble into a territory of a rarely discussed way of thinking I have had for many years.
My thinking is the optimum water temps for growth and extra carrying capacity coincide with phytoplankton (for me I consider this to be best for water from 65 to 75F). Phytoplankton need two things for photosynthesis and thus their survival. Energy from the sun & nutrients from the water. Phytoplankton absorb both across their cell walls. In the process of photosynthesis, phytoplankton release oxygen into the water. Roughly 1/2 of the world's oxygen is produced via phytoplankton photosynthesis. The Phytoplankton also remove some of the nutrients produced by the extra carrying capacity.
The phytoplankton produces oxygen and is consumed by the Zooplankton.
The Zooplankton is consumed by aquatic insects and small fishes.
The Small Fishes and aquatic insects are consumed by larger fishes.
Everything is fatter and the carrying capacity is more due to more food and more oxygen.

HHMMMM
What if a person has access to all the right at 70F water they could use?

Only up to a point does midway really balance out. You will get extremes of temps that don't occur as often as far North and far South get.

Or, at least, I believe that to be true. I need to be careful about giving any advice North of Texas.